TurboTax Self-Employed

No, TurboTax Self-Employed is strictly designed for sole proprietors, independent contractors, and single-member LLCs filing Schedule C. If your business is an S-Corp, C-Corp, or Multi-member LLC, you must use TurboTax Business, which is a separate software product. The Self-Employed tier also includes Schedule SE for calculating your self-employment taxes.

Historically, Intuit bundled a free year of QuickBooks Self-Employed (now rebranded as QuickBooks Solo) with the purchase of TurboTax Self-Employed. This integration allows you to track your mileage and expenses throughout the year and directly import that data into your tax return. You must link the accounts to utilize the data import feature.

Yes, the software uses an interview-style interface that asks questions specific to your industry to uncover unique tax deductions. It looks for write-offs related to vehicle expenses, home office setups, and specific industry supplies based on your job title. It compares your deductions against industry averages to ensure you are maximizing your return without triggering an audit flag.

Yes, TurboTax offers a 'Deduct From Your Refund' option where the software fees are paid by the IRS directly out of your tax refund. However, Intuit charges an additional processing fee (often around $40) to use this convenience. You can avoid this extra fee by paying the software cost upfront using a credit or debit card.