Tax Audit Defense for only 1 year

[bobalbertfamily]

I have been purchasing Audit Defense through Turbo Tax for over 10 years.  I have just discovered that, for tax years 2023 and 2024, the product sold to me through Turbo Tax was for only 1year.  It was no longer effective after 4-15-2024 and 4-15 of the next year.  The person at TaxAudit.com said there were 2 versions (one for a year and one for as long as you might be audited), and I had bought the 1 year version for the past 2 years.  I couldn't believe it.

I just went through the order process again through Turbo Tax when you are ready to file, and they NEVER ask you what version of Audit Defense you want (1 year or the length of the statute of limitations on audits.  NEVER,

So why is Turbo Tax selling me the 1 year version.  WHO WOULD BUY AUDIT PROTECTION FOR ONE YEAR ANYWAY???  That makes no sense.

Has this happened top anyone else?  What can we do.  I now have 2 years of taxes with no audit protection,,,

[VolvoGirl]

Could that maybe be just the cutoff time just to buy it each year?  

[bobalbertfamily]

No.  I talked to TAXAUDIT directly.  They refunded me the $60 I paid for the 2024 Audit Defense and then sold me the correct version for $39.99,  

It says right on the audit certificate that you are supposed to print, that it had an expiration date of 4-15-2026 instead of for the statute of limitations for audits.  My certificates for the tax years of 2023 and 2024 both had exiration dates or 1-15 of the next year,  I also had Turbo tax BUSINESS and the same thing happened ther for tax years 2023 and 2024.  Both expire on 4-15 of the next year.  The 2023 ones already dropped off my TAXAUDIT history and say there is no coverage for that year.  

This is not good

[bobalbertfamily]

I just had to re-buy Audit Defense for 2023 through TaxAudit directly.  And they only charged me $39.99 instead of $60.  Turbo Tax charges $60 through Home and Business, eve if you just have a small business..

[rparasur]

I too saw the same issue, i.e., I've been buying AuditDefense via Turbotax for 10 years and for 2023 & 2024 Turbotax charged me $60 each and the expiration date for the AuditDefense was only 1 year! No warning from Turbotax about this change, and, Turbotax charges $60 when AuditDefense only charges $39.99. I bought AuditDefense again/separately from them by paying $39.99 each for 2023 & 2024. Going forward best to skip the AuditDefense purchase in Turbotax, i.e., buy it from the AuditDefense company directly.

[bobalbertfamily]

Hopefully someone from TurboTax is monitoring this and can comment on the problem. I think there may be MANY users out there buying Audit Defense, thinking it is for the statute of limitations for audits, but only have it for one year…

[mesquitebean]

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@ bobalbertfamily wrote:

Hopefully someone from TurboTax is monitoring this and can comment on the problem. I think there may be MANY users out there buying Audit Defense, thinking it is for the statute of limitations for audits, but only have it for one year…

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It's less common that anyone in TurboTax Support management would see something in the user community forum.  There are TurboTax employee tax experts that post in the forum, who may see the thread.  If you want to contact Intuit with your concern, you can use the online form to contact a liaison in the office of the President of Intuit.   They say they will get back to you in 1 business day. 

The contact form and a box for explanation of your issue is here:

https://www.intuit.com/company/contact/office-of-the-president/

[rparasur]

Thanks, I've posted on that link.

[anyabr]

Yes, I just made this lovely discovery after getting an assessment notice on my 2024 return and trying to use audit defense for the first time after years of shelling out. This is utterly useless, no one would knowingly pay for audit coverage that expires before the IRS statue of limitation expires! And now I'm stuck wrangling with this on my own--so infuriating!

[Mike9241]

this is from the web

In other words: The Audit Defense coverage ends 1 year after filling (or longer if you file before April 15th) Expiration Date of Membership: The Expiration Date of Membership is based on the Acceptance Date (seems contradictory and misleading if you file after 4/15 since i think they're saying the acceptance date must be on or before 4/15. 

this would seem to indicate that if you filed your 2024 return by 4/15/2025 audit defense should be good through 4/15/2026.  As a retired tax-pro, I'll withhold my opinion. many returns don't get audited until well after that one-year date. even sometimes more than 2 years.

[rparasur]

I got a call back from the office of the president and the person told me -- "I understand your disappointment upon learning that the Audit Defense purchased for these years differs from what you have been accustomed to in previous years. Please know that I have shared your feedback with our partners who work closely with the Audit Defense team. The terms of the Audit Defense purchased for 2023 and 2024 are set and cannot be altered. We are unable to modify the current audit defense duration. Thank you once again for bringing this to our attention. Your feedback is crucial in helping us improve. "

So it looks like there will be no resolution for the issue affecting tax returns 2023 & 2024 where Turbotax changed, without informing us, what they sold us! So the only course of action would be to go to the Audit Defense website and purchase (again) audit protection for 2023 & 2024 - yes, that would be an additional expense but I will sleep better knowing that I have audit protection beyond 1 year. Also, going forward when filing tax returns if Turbotax asks if you want to purchase Audit Defense I would decline and then after the filing is done go to the Audit Defense website and purchase the audit protection. That way, we'll know exactly what we're getting.

It's very unfair that Turbotax is doing this to their customers, with absolutely no warning/info but best for all of us to be aware and do better going forward.

[bobalbertfamily]

They can give us a refund so we can go and repurchase the correct product.  It was their error.  That is how you make things right.  Unless they were deliberately selling this inferior product.

[rparasur]

Anyone impacted by this should submit their concerns at the page/link that "mesquitebean" had sent out. That way Turbotax/Intuit will know how widespread the issue. Sadly, many Turbotax filers may not even know that they're impacted - they'll be in for a rude shock if they get audited by the IRS and then try to use the Audit Defense that they'd purchased!

If you want to contact Intuit with your concern, you can use the online form to contact a liaison in the office of the President of Intuit.   They say they will get back to you in 1 business day. 

The contact form and a box for explanation of your issue is here:

https://www.intuit.com/company/contact/office-of-the-president/