5 day early problem

[user18h64xer8abttw]

I submitted my taxes on 1/27 and they were accepted on 1/30. My tax return was delayed for nothing that I did wrong on my return. I was simply a part of a random selection process requiring the person selected to provide additional information to "verify identity". I got ZERO notifications from the IRS, Turbotax, or Intuit about this random selection on my tax return.  When I got tired of waiting for my return I contacted TurboTax customer service and was assured I would not be charged the $25 fee due to the delay. I waited another week and finally contacted the IRS to see what was going on and that was when I found out about this random delay, information the Turbotax representative could not provide me,  but he still assured me I would not be charged.  When I fixed the issue with the IRS and finally received my return I was indeed charged the $25 fee. After submitting multiple refund requests and contacting Turbotax support multiple times I am still being given the runaround in regards to my request to be reimbursed for this fee. I am currently on a call with a Turbotax representative who,  after hearing my reason for calling, put me on a "brief" hold to research the issue.  That hold was 49 minutes ago and I was just hung up on!  Horrific customer service,  bad business,  unapproved charges, unethical practices, and incompetent workers. I will never use Turbotax again after this.  I have been a loyal Turbotax customer since I was 18 years old and I am incredibly unhappy with my experience this year.  If I am not reimbursed for the charge I was ASSURED would not go through I will dispute the charge, go to the BBB as well as file corporate complaints on each representative who was grossly incompetent and unprofessional.  This is infuriating. 

[xmasbaby0]

Although there have definitely been some difficulties with the "5 day early" offer, some of the problems have been the result of misunderstanding the offer.   TurboTax never has a way to know if a return is under review by the IRS nor can TT intercede when that happens.   The "21 day" estimate for your return to be processed was only that----an estimate based on the average amount of time it takes the IRS to process a return.   If you e-filed in January with earned income credit or additional child tax credit, you were going to be subject to PATH --which means the IRS must hold your refund---by law--until the middle of February at the earliest.   Many people with those credits on their returns will just be receiving their refunds by March 3.   TurboTax has no control over the date that the IRS will issue your refund.  

That being said, if your refund did not arrive within the five day "early" time frame based on the refund date shown to you on the IRS refund site, you should not be charged for the $25 early fee.  If they leave the $25 charge on and do not refund it to you, you have a very valid complaint.