You do not have to upgrade to TurboTax Live. You can say no to that upgrade.
Donations will cause you to upgrade to the next paid version instead of free as seen in this TurboTax FAQ: Donations would require an upgrade to allow you to claim additional credits not included in the free version. Please see the list below enumerating what is or is not included in the free version.
Simple tax returns include:
Employment income
Pension income
Other employment income such as tips
RRSP contributions
Child care expenses
COVID-19 benefits and re-payments
Unemployment (EI) and social assistance
Worker’s compensation
Disability amount
Worker’s benefit
Amount for eligible/infirm dependents
Tuition, scholarships, bursaries, grants, student loan interest
Caregiver tax credit
Disability transfer
Home accessibility tax credit
Tax on RESPs and RDSPs
Tax installment payments
Age amount
Income, credits, and deductions not listed above are not covered by TurboTax Free, including:
Employment expenses (meals, lodging, etc.)
Donations
Medical expenses
Investment income and expenses
Rental property income and expenses
Self-employed income and expenses
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