Forced to purchase the Deluxe Edition For Simple Tax Return

[ccfraser]

I've been filing for free with Turbo Tax for the last 5 years. This year, right as I'm about to submit my taxes, a screen pops up saying something about a 1040 & that the free edition doesn't cover that. Now in order to file my taxes I have to pay $59.99 for the Deluxe Edition. After completely starting over to see if it's a mistake, nope. 1040 filing isn't included with the free edition... Reluctantly, I agree & as I'm finalizing, they not only charged me 60 bucks for the Deluxe Edition on my federal taxes, they also threw on another $39.99 for the state. On top of that, they charged me a $39.99 fee to e-file...

If they are going to use the ambush technique to make money off me like that, I will be using & filing with another service next year. I had a very simple tax return & they basically blackmailed me for $140 to do it for "Free".

Unacceptable. You guys lost my business. I hope the $140 was worth it.

[NCperson]

If I have 1 W-2 and that is all, the return is 'simple' whether there is $10,000 or $150,000 in the W-2, right? 

1040 has to be included with the free edition because there is no longer a choice as there was in prior years. (no 1040a) 

here are the requirements for 'free' 

To qualify for free 2018 federal and state tax returns through the TurboTax Free File program, you just need to meet one of these requirements:

• Your 2018 household AGI is $34,000 or less;
• You qualify for the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC); or
• In 2018, you served as active duty military (including Reservists and National Guard) with a maximum AGI of $66,000, and you have a military-issued W-2.

[ccfraser]

I did have an AGI over $34k this year, unlike previous years, but I'm fairly sure I got the EITC. I should have gotten a screenshot of the message & didn't.

I don't think how they do this is right, regardless. You don't wait until a person is ready to file before you tell them they have to pay for a service advertised as "free". As soon as a person crosses the free line in any way, there should be a warning right then. Letting a person get 2 steps from sending their returns before springing hidden fees on them is outrageous & unethical. I have no problem paying for a service. I do have a problem being ambushed by it.

It's also my fault for not reading their rules. I've been using this service so long, I assumed it would treat me as it always has.

[bubbles]

I agree, i have been using turbo tax for years and have never paid $59.99, nothing changed from last year, so it should have been around $40.

[NCperson]

I am interesting in understanding why folks buy the online version as i have been a CD / Download version user for 25 years (and admittedly part of the generation before the online version). 

This year, with 1 free state, the CD / Download Deluxe version is listed on the Intuit Website for $79.99. That is the same list price as last year.   it is often discounted at Best Buy, Amazon, etc. 

The online Deluxe version is listed at $59.99 and NO state is included.  

the CD/ Download Deluxe permits unlimited federal filing (but only the 1st five cover free e-filing, the rest are either $19.99 or print and mail it the old fashion way).  Extra states are $39.99 each

The online version is 'single use' - for every tax paper that has that complexity of a Deluxe return it's $59.99 plus the cost of the state tax return.  What is the cost of the state return? $39.99??????

What is the benefit of the online version over the CD/ download version (for Deluxe).  I am curious as it appears the pricing makes CD / Download cheaper over the Online version if my numbers are correct. 

[Mex01]

They did the same to me with all the hidden fees never once layed out till the very end and you are already locked in. To me this is criminal and all fees should be plain to see up front instead of all this secrecy and manipulation. Unless they fix this they have also lost me as a long time client.

[NCperson]

Where is the secrecy? I found out all the pricing information WITHOUT using the online version; I simply looked at their website .......