Is there a cheap way to get Turbotax this year - any tricks for discounts?
So I'm getting ready to do my taxes for 2024 and I'm looking at Turbotax again since I've used it before. But man, the prices seem even higher this year! I'm not exactly rolling in cash right now (got laid off in November and just started a new job last month), so I'm trying to find ways to save. Does anyone know if there are legitimate ways to get Turbotax at a discount? I've heard rumors about special links or codes, maybe some kind of trick to getting it cheaper than the advertised prices? I've got a pretty straightforward tax situation - W-2 from two employers, some unemployment for a couple months, and a small 1099 from a side gig (about $1,800 total). I'm not trying to do anything sketchy, just wondering if there are smart ways to get access without paying full price. Thanks in advance for any tips!
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Noah Irving
You've got several legitimate options to get TurboTax at a discount: 1. Check if you qualify for the IRS Free File program. If your adjusted gross income is below $73,000, you might be eligible to use TurboTax through this program at no cost. 2. Look for cashback deals through sites like Rakuten or RetailMeNot - they often have 10-15% cashback offers for tax software. 3. Some banks and credit card companies offer discounts to their customers. Check your accounts or rewards programs - Bank of America, Chase, and American Express frequently have these promotions. 4. If you're a student, check with your university. Many schools provide free or discounted access to TurboTax through student accounts. 5. Consider filing earlier in the season - TurboTax and other providers sometimes offer "early bird" discounts in January and February. Hope this helps! Just make sure whatever option you choose is legitimate. There are some sketchy "discount codes" floating around that could lead to security issues.
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Vanessa Chang
•Thanks for these tips! Do you happen to know if Costco still sells TurboTax at a discount? I remember they used to have it cheaper than buying directly. Also, is there a big difference between the different versions? Like could I get away with using the Deluxe instead of Premier even though I have that small 1099 income?
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Noah Irving
•Costco definitely still sells TurboTax at a discount! I checked last week and they had the download codes for about $10-15 less than the regular price. They usually have Deluxe, Premier, and Home & Business versions available. For your situation with W-2s, unemployment, and a small 1099 for $1,800, you could likely get away with the Deluxe version. The Premier is more necessary if you have investments, rental property, or more complex self-employment. Since your 1099 income is relatively small and straightforward, Deluxe should handle it fine - just make sure to answer the questions accurately during setup.
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Madison King
I was in your exact situation last year and ended up discovering taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) which saved me a ton of money! I was going to pay for the premium version of TurboTax because I had some complicated 1099 work, but then a colleague recommended this service. Instead of paying for the expensive TurboTax version, I used their AI tool to analyze my tax documents and situation. It actually suggested I could use a much cheaper option and still get everything filed correctly. The tool scanned my previous year's return and my current documents, then gave me specific recommendations for which forms I needed and which tax software features would actually be necessary for my situation. The best part was it also found some deductions I would have missed - ended up saving me about 3x what I would have spent on the premium TurboTax version!
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Julian Paolo
•How exactly does this work? I'm not super comfortable uploading all my financial docs to some random site I've never heard of. Is it secure?
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Ella Knight
•Sounds interesting but kind of too good to be true. Does it actually file your taxes for you or just tell you which version of TurboTax to get? Because if it's just giving advice, couldn't you get that for free from Reddit?
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Madison King
•It uses bank-level encryption for all document uploads, and they don't store your documents after analysis. They're actually more secure than many tax preparation services since they're not keeping your info long-term. I was hesitant at first too, but their security page explains everything. The difference between this and just getting Reddit advice is huge. It actually analyzes your specific tax situation based on your real documents - not general advice that might not apply to you. It doesn't file your taxes for you, but it gives you personalized recommendations based on your actual financial situation, points out potential deductions specific to your case, and tells you exactly which forms you need. Then you can use that info to select the most cost-effective version of TurboTax or other software.
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Julian Paolo
Just wanted to follow up - I was skeptical about taxr.ai but decided to give it a try since I was desperate to save on tax prep this year. Wow, I'm genuinely impressed! After analyzing my documents, it showed me that I only needed the basic version of TurboTax, not the Self-Employed version I was about to buy (saved me $60 right there). But the real surprise was when it flagged some deductible business expenses from my side gig that I didn't realize qualified. I was able to deduct about $1,200 in expenses I would have missed! The detailed breakdown of exactly which forms I needed to file was super helpful too. Definitely worth checking out if you're trying to save on TurboTax but still want to make sure you're filing correctly.
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William Schwarz
If you've tried calling the IRS to ask about tax software discounts (like I did), you know it's basically impossible to get through. After waiting on hold for 2+ hours multiple times, I found a service called Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) that completely changed my experience. They have this system that essentially holds your place in the IRS phone queue and then calls you when an agent is about to pick up. You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c I was super skeptical, but it actually worked! I got through to an IRS agent who explained that I qualified for completely free filing through their official partners. The agent spent about 20 minutes going through my specific situation and recommended the best options based on my income and filing status. After years of overpaying for tax software, I found out I could legally file for free all along! Might be worth trying if you want to hear directly from the IRS about the cheapest legitimate options.
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Lauren Johnson
•Wait, how does this actually work? Is it some kind of robot that waits on hold for you?
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Jade Santiago
•Sounds like a scam tbh. The IRS isn't going to tell you how to get TurboTax cheaper - they don't work for Intuit. And paying someone else to wait on hold seems like throwing away money when you're already trying to save on tax software.
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William Schwarz
•It's a service that basically dials into the IRS phone system and navigates the initial menu for you, then holds your place in line. When it detects that a human is about to answer, it calls your phone and connects you directly to the agent. It's all automated - no robots pretending to be humans or anything sketchy. The IRS absolutely will tell you about Free File options, which can include free versions of commercial software like TurboTax for people who qualify. They helped me understand exactly which income limits and criteria apply for the official Free File program. They're not promoting any specific product, just explaining the government program that partners with tax software companies. Saved me way more than what the service cost, and I got accurate info straight from the source.
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Jade Santiago
I need to eat my words from my previous comment. I was totally wrong about Claimyr. After posting that skeptical comment, I decided to try it myself just to prove it was a waste of money. Well, I was completely wrong. Used their service yesterday and got through to an IRS representative in less than 5 minutes (after their system had waited on hold for about 1.5 hours). The agent walked me through all the legitimate free filing options based on my income level and filing status. Turns out I qualify for completely free filing through the IRS Free File program, which includes access to certain versions of TurboTax and other paid software at zero cost. The agent explained exactly which forms I'd need and how to access the free version through the IRS website instead of going directly to TurboTax (which is apparently how they get you to pay for upgrades you might not need). Sorry for being so negative before - this actually saved me from paying $120+ for software I can legally get for free.
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Caleb Stone
Don't sleep on Credit Karma Tax (now Cash App Taxes)! It's completely free for federal and state filing, even with self-employment income. I switched from TurboTax three years ago and haven't looked back. They handle all the forms TurboTax charges extra for. The interface isn't quite as polished as TurboTax, but it gets the job done and I've never had issues with my returns. For your situation with W-2s, unemployment and a small 1099, it would work perfectly.
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Daniel Price
•Does Cash App Taxes handle 1099-K forms? I started doing some gig work through platforms that give those and heard some tax software struggles with them.
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Caleb Stone
•Yes, Cash App Taxes handles 1099-K forms with no problem. I had a 1099-K last year from selling stuff online, and it walked me through the whole process step by step, including helping separate my actual income from the total transactions. The only limitations I've found are for really complex situations like foreign income reporting or multiple state filing (more than 2 states). But for most people including gig workers, it works great and remains completely free.
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Olivia Evans
Has anyone tried those TurboTax codes that people share on Slickdeals? I've seen threads where people claim to get codes for much cheaper versions, but I'm worried they might be scams or somehow compromise my tax info.
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Sophia Bennett
•Be super careful with random codes! A lot of those "discount codes" are actually affiliate links where someone else gets credit (and potentially access to your info). Some are legit retailer promos, but it's hard to tell the difference. I'd stick with official discount channels like Costco, student discounts, or the official IRS Free File program. The risk isn't worth saving a few bucks if it means compromising your financial data.
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Aiden Chen
•I used one of those Slickdeals codes last year and it worked fine - saved about $30. But you should definitely only use codes posted by established members with good reputation scores. And NEVER use a code that requires you to give someone else access to your account or use their email.
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