Personal Information

• Previous users can import information from the previous year's return. TurboTax will ask you to verify personal information. New users select the step-by-step approach to enter all personal information, including names, Social Security numbers and dates of birth for all members of the household. You can skip a section and add missing information later. More advanced users may prefer to enter information directly on forms.
  
  

Income Information

• TurboTax prompts you to enter all income information including wages, dividends, interest, sales of stocks, bonds and other investments. If you have imported the prior year's information, you can add or delete income sources, such as a different job or new bank account, as needed. The "Guide Me" feature takes you through each income item.
  
  

Deduction Information

• If you import information from the previous year, you can add new items or delete old ones that no longer apply. Enter the appropriate amounts as the program moves from screen to screen asking for amounts of mortgage interest, investment interest, charitable contributions and other common deductions. TurboTax Deluxe totals your deductions. The software prompts you to select this total or the standard deduction. The software will recommend the higher amount. Be aware that the law requires some taxpayers to use itemized deductions even if the standard deduction shows a higher figure.
  
  

Completing the Return

• The software takes you through other tax situations to complete the federal return. The TurboTax Deluxe tax review alerts you to missing entries. You can choose to complete one or more state returns after the you complete your federal return. Pertinent information flows from the federal return to any state returns. You can find and correct missing information on the state return with the review feature. The software provides with a prediction of the chance, from low to high, that the IRS will choose your tax return for an audit.
  
  

Filing return

• You may file your state and federal returns electronically through TurboTax Deluxe or you may select to print and mail them.
  
  

Other Software Choices

• You may find other versions of the software work better for you than TurboTax Deluxe. If you don't itemize deductions, you may want to consider TurboTax's basic version. TurboTax Premier includes special features for taxpayers with rental property and for taxpayers who buy and sell stocks and bonds. Choose TurboTax Home & Business if you have a corporation, a limited-liability company or a sole proprietorship.