TurboTax Self-Employed

TurboTax Self-Employed is the freelancer-focused tier of Intuit's widely used tax preparation software. It walks self-employed individuals, including actors, through the process of reporting freelance income, claiming business deductions, and filing Schedule C.

The software includes guided interviews that help identify common actor deductions such as headshots, training, union dues, and home office expenses. It also handles estimated tax calculations and can import data from financial accounts automatically.

TurboTax is popular with actors who prefer to prepare their own taxes and have relatively straightforward financial situations. Its user-friendly interface makes it accessible even for those without accounting experience.

The Self-Employed edition costs approximately $120 or more depending on state filing needs and optional add-ons. Live expert assistance is available at additional cost for those who want professional guidance during the process.

A solid choice for actors with straightforward self-employment income who want to save money on tax preparation. If you work in multiple states or have complex business structures, consider consulting a specialized entertainment accountant instead. TurboTax's guided interview format walks you through every section of Schedule C in plain language, which is particularly helpful for actors filing self-employment taxes for the first time. The software also retains your prior-year return data, making subsequent filings faster as recurring deductions and income sources are pre-populated.

TurboTax consolidated its former Self-Employed and Premier tiers into the Premium edition for the 2025 tax year, which starts at approximately $129 for federal filing with an additional $59 per state return. The Expert Assist Premium tier, which provides on-demand access to a live tax professional for questions during preparation, costs approximately $209 for federal plus $64 per state. A Full Service Premium option where a tax professional prepares the entire return for you runs approximately $389 federal plus $64 per state, making it competitive with some entertainment tax specialists for straightforward returns. TurboTax frequently offers early-season discounts of 20 to 30 percent for those who start their returns before February, which can bring the Premium DIY price closer to $90 for federal filing. Compared to H&R Block's self-employed online tier at roughly $115 to $130, TurboTax Premium is priced at a slight premium but generally receives higher marks for user experience and deduction discovery. The software includes a year-round tax estimator tool and quarterly estimated tax payment calculator at no additional cost, which is valuable for actors managing irregular freelance income throughout the year.

TurboTax Premium is best suited for actors with straightforward self-employment situations, meaning you work primarily in one state, have a manageable number of 1099s and W-2s, and your deductions are relatively standard coaching, headshots, travel, and union dues without complex business structures. If you are comfortable preparing your own taxes and are willing to invest the time to learn what is deductible, TurboTax provides adequate tools for a fraction of the cost of a specialized preparer. However, if you file in three or more states, operate through a loan-out corporation, or have a combination of residual income, royalties, and traditional employment, you will almost certainly benefit from the expertise of a human entertainment tax specialist. Actors in their first year of freelance self-employment may also want to consider the Expert Assist tier for the added security of having a live professional available to answer questions, even though the cost is significantly higher. For actors with very simple returns, meaning a single W-2 and no freelance income, TurboTax Deluxe at roughly $69 will handle the job at a lower price point. If budget is your primary concern and you are comparing consumer software, H&R Block's self-employed tier offers similar functionality at a slightly lower price with the added option of walking into a physical office for help.

Start your TurboTax return in January when early-bird discounts are available, as prices typically increase as the April deadline approaches, and you can begin entering information even before all your tax documents have arrived. Use the expense categorization feature carefully and do not skip any prompted deduction categories, as TurboTax's deduction finder only works when you provide complete and accurate information about your profession and expenses. Connect your bank and credit card accounts to the software to automatically import transactions, then review each one to identify business expenses you might have forgotten about during the year. If you receive 1099 income, make sure to use TurboTax's quarterly estimated tax calculator before the next quarterly deadline to avoid underpayment penalties, as many actors are surprised by the self-employment tax obligation on freelance income. Save your completed return as a PDF and store it securely, as you will need it when applying for mortgages, loans, or apartment leases, all of which require proof of income that is harder to document as a freelancer. Before filing, run TurboTax's built-in audit risk assessment tool, which flags unusually high deductions relative to your income and gives you the opportunity to add documentation or adjust amounts that could trigger IRS scrutiny.