If you have a simple Form 1040 return only (no forms or schedules except as needed to claim the Earned Income Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit, student loan interest, and Schedule 1-A), you can file for free yourself with TurboTax Free Edition, or you can file with TurboTax Expert Assist Basic at the listed price.
File directly with us — for free
Use CalFile to e-file your state tax return directly to the Franchise Tax Board. Get real-time confirmation and the fastest refund possible. And best of all, it's free.
TurboTax Free Edition is a tax filing product that's available year round on the web or the app. However, only customers with simple tax situations are eligible. ~37% of filers qualify.
Situations not covered in TurboTax Free Edition include:
Itemized deductions. Unemployment income reported on a 1099-G. Business or 1099-NEC income. Stock sales.
The Truth About TurboTax Free Edition
Despite its name, TurboTax Free Edition isn't actually free for a large portion of taxpayers. The software is only free if you have the simplest tax situation—meaning you're filing a basic Form 1040 with a W-2 and taking the standard deduction.
Free Tax Filing with TurboTax Free Edition. Star ratings are from 2025. ~37% of filers qualify. Simple Form 1040 returns only (no schedules, except for EITC, CTC, student loan interest, and Schedule 1-A).
Simple tax returns qualify for TurboTax Free Edition
Income from interest, dividends, or original issue discounts (1099-INT/1099-DIV/1099-OID) as long as they don't require filing Schedule B. Taking the IRS standard deduction.
If you have self-employment income—such as from freelancing, gig work, or running a small business—TurboTax will automatically upgrade you to TurboTax Self-Employed or TurboTax Live Premium. This is because self-employed taxes require additional forms, like Schedule C and Self-Employment Tax (SE Tax).
If you started in the Free Edition, you must have entered something that triggered an upgrade to a paid version. "Start" for free does not mean it will continue to be free if your return is not a simple one. The information that you can enter in Free Edition is pretty limited now.
The Deluxe edition of TurboTax is designed to calculate over 350 line-item tax credits and deductions. With the free, online edition, you can only take the standard deduction and any above-the-line deductions and credits. TurboTax Deluxe lets you take itemized deductions and below-the-line credits.
We accept and process e-file returns continuously throughout the year. The due date to file your California Individual or Fiduciary income tax return and pay any balance due is April 15, 2026.
Breaking news: Due date for California state tax returns and payments moved to November 16, 2023. Sacramento -- The California Franchise Tax Board today confirmed that most Californians have until November 16, 2023, to file and pay their tax year 2022 taxes to avoid penalties.
The penalty is 5% of your unpaid tax liability for each month your return is late, up to 25% of your total unpaid taxes. In addition to this penalty, the IRS typically adds on interest based on how long your tax debt is outstanding.
Though TurboTax had been part of IRS Free File since its 2003 launch, the company pulled out, blaming "limitations within the program and conflicting demands from those outside the program."
If you have a simple Form 1040 return only (no forms or schedules except as needed to claim the Earned Income Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit, student loan interest, and Schedule 1-A), you can file for free yourself with TurboTax Free Edition, or you can file with TurboTax Expert Assist Basic at the listed price.
The Free Edition will not work for any schedules, except for the earned income tax credit, child tax credit and student loan interest. TurboTax notes online that some 37% of filers qualify for that option. That option can work for many with W-2 income and those taking the standard deduction.
In 2021, Congress lowered the threshold for reporting income on payment apps from $20,000 and 200 transactions annually to $600 for a single transaction.
While a $10,000 tax refund might sound like a dream, it's achievable in certain situations. This typically happens when you've significantly overpaid taxes throughout the year or qualify for substantial tax credits. The key is understanding which credits and deductions you're eligible for.
AGI: $84,000 or less. Age restrictions: 17 to 91. Free federal return covered for qualifying people living in AL, AR, AZ, CA, CO, CT, GA, IA, ID, IL, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, NC, NH, NJ, NM, NY, OH, OK, PA, SC, VA, WA, WI.
H&R Block is slightly cheaper than TurboTax for comparable situations when filing online. Both companies' full-service tax preparation plans have the same starting price of $89.
You don't have to get a new TurboTax every year unless your circumstances dictate otherwise or significant changes occur within tax law itself that would affect your return significantly.
Send your friends a link for 20% off TurboTax online federal products, and you'll get a $25 gift card for each friend who uses your link to file.