Help! I have a tax bill and not a refund for the first time!

[Aaron Rosenberg]

I'm not sure if I've succeeded or failed.  

This is my 8th year using TurboTax.  I put in the Schedule E's for my two completely-owned properties and for my mortgaged property.  I put in my W2 and my wife's W2.  The software was reviewing and asked me to uncheck a box.  All of a sudden, what was looking like an $8,000 return became a $4500 bill.

The team of me and TurboTax has never turned up such a substantial loss before.  Have I succeeded because we made enough extra money to have to pay this tax, or failed because I'm paying tax that neither me nor TurboTax knows how to avoid?  

Naturally, there's $4500 on the line here so I have to ask if there's something I can be doing better.  If you are a tax professional I will definitely pay you some of the money you can save me.  

Can you help?  

[Chris Seveney]

Quote from @Aaron Rosenberg:

I'm not sure if I've succeeded or failed.  

This is my 8th year using TurboTax.  I put in the Schedule E's for my two completely-owned properties and for my mortgaged property.  I put in my W2 and my wife's W2.  The software was reviewing and asked me to uncheck a box.  All of a sudden, what was looking like an $8,000 return became a $4500 bill.

The team of me and TurboTax has never turned up such a substantial loss before.  Have I succeeded because we made enough extra money to have to pay this tax, or failed because I'm paying tax that neither me nor TurboTax knows how to avoid?  

Naturally, there's $4500 on the line here so I have to ask if there's something I can be doing better.  If you are a tax professional I will definitely pay you some of the money you can save me.  

Can you help?  

 definitely not enough information in this post for anyone to provide any sound advice. Get a CPA to do your taxes.