Why this matters
TurboTax is several different products, and the split follows your tax form, not your business size. Buy the wrong edition and you either can't file at all because no personal edition handles Form 1120-S, or you overpay. Knowing your form (the previous step) makes this a five-minute decision.
What "done" looks like
- Your edition matches your form: Schedule C → TurboTax Premium (online) or Home & Business (desktop); 1065/1120-S/1120 → TurboTax Business (desktop DIY) or a currently available online expert-assisted business option
- S corp and partnership owners budget for two products: the business return plus the personal return receiving the K-1
- You know TurboTax Business DIY is Windows desktop software, not Mac or online DIY, and you verify current product availability each tax year
How to do it
- Start from your form, not the marketing pages.
- Schedule C filers: pick TurboTax Premium (online) or Home & Business (desktop), both handle self-employment income and deductions.
- 1065/1120-S/1120 filers: get TurboTax Business (desktop DIY) or a currently available online expert-assisted business option for the business return, plus a personal edition for the 1040 that receives your K-1.
- Check your computer: TurboTax Business DIY runs on Windows; Mac users need another plan.
- Compare expert-assisted tiers against a local CPA: for multi-owner returns, software isn't always cheaper.
Common mistakes
- Buying Premium expecting it to file an S corp return. No personal edition files 1120-S
- Forgetting the second purchase: the business return produces a K-1 your personal return still needs
- Overbuying "just in case" when a simple Schedule C fits a cheaper tier
Real-world examples
- Intuit's product pages draw the same line: TurboTax Premium covers Schedule C self-employment, while TurboTax Business (desktop DIY) covers partnerships, S corps, C corps, and trusts (Forms 1065, 1120-S, 1120, 1041). Online expert-assisted business options may also be available, so verify the current offerings each tax year.
- TurboTax Business DIY is not offered as a Mac or online do-it-yourself product. This documented limitation surprises Mac-based founders every spring.
From a founder's point of view
Software editions are just the tax-form decision wearing a price tag. Decide the form first and the shelf sorts itself; decide by marketing copy and you'll discover the mismatch at the deadline.
Rule of thumb
Match the box to the form: Schedule C → a personal self-employed edition; anything numbered 1065 or 1120 → TurboTax Business desktop DIY or a currently available online expert-assisted business option, plus your personal return.
