TurboTax customer service is hard to reach ?

[MoneyRobert]

After filed the tax return, trying so hard to reach customer service, it either hanged up my phone twice in around 15 mins call time or just auto-voicing let you chose options and then hanged up your call.

So far the service is extremely bad while you are trying to reach real person.
@HollyP   @GiseleD 

Have anyone have same experience for turbotax ?
or even anyone bought their extra protection service did get better customer service or the same tho ?

Please do share your experieces here.

[xmasbaby0]

Why do you need customer support right after filing?   What happened?

Did you e-file?  Did you click a big orange button that said “Transmit my returns now?”

When you e-file your federal return you will receive two emails from TurboTax.  The first one will say that your return was submitted.  The second email will tell you if your federal return was accepted or rejected.  If you e-filed a state return, there will be a third email to tell you if the state accepted or rejected your state return.

First, check your e-file status to see if your return was accepted: 

https://turbotax.intuit.com/tax-tools/efile-status-lookup/

If the IRS accepted it, what does it say here?  

https://www.irs.gov/refunds         

  Or does your account say “Ready to Mail?”

Note:  If it says “Ready to Mail” or “Printed” that means YOU have to mail it yourself.  TurboTax does not mail your tax return for you.

Phone support is not provided with the Free Edition.  If you are using a paid version of the software or if you purchased PLUS you can get phone support when customer support is there.  Otherwise, post your question here and someone will try to help.

To call TurboTax customer support

https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1899263-what-is-the-turbotax-phone-number

Customer support is available from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pacific time Monday-Friday.

[MoneyRobert]

Hi @xmasbaby0  Thanks for quick reply.

I found out the turbotax doing the tax return number wrong after I filed it.
Wanna find someone to help to see what's going on ?

For this simple question, why turbotax make user so hard to reach a real person to listen to the problem ?

If so, how can turboTax do the fast response/addressing for some software bugs, which did impact user a lot in terms of tax/money concerns.

[xmasbaby0]

Use the link already provided to you if you need to talk with customer support.

If you mean that you made a mistake of some sort on your tax return and it was filed with an incorrect amount, you cannot do anything about it now.  If the return was accepted you have to wait until the IRS processes it fully and then you can file an amended return.   You cannot stop an e-file or fix a mistake right after e-filing.

[MoneyRobert]

@xmasbaby0  It's not about mistakes user input, it's about the software calculating the penalty wrong.

Here is the result to connect help: (That's exactly what I mean "Hard to reach")
@GiseleD  @HollyP 

 

Starting this thread for seeing whether other people having the same issues.
Hope turbotax can see the problem.

[Critter-3]

The TurboTax program estimates in underpayment penalty based off the information that you provide in the programs interview. The feds and State reserve the right to calculate additional penalties for late filing and or late payment plus interest based on the information they have and the timing of your payment. It is not unusual to get a bill from either taxing authority after you filed and paid. This is not a program error.

[MoneyRobert]

@Critter-3  Thanks for jumping the discussion.

I should clarify that I don't receive any mail from IRS for penalties.

Just found out TurboTax doesn't apply exemption rule for penalties.
This means I pay the penalties where Turbotax added, but I don't need to due to the exemption rules IRS has.
( I did it after filing the tax and follow the IRS exemption form to get the result that I don't need to pay)

So looking for a solution to get the overpay back and also inform turbotax the program bug.
But extremely hard to reach except you guys trying to help me 🙂

However, I think this topic is also including how to reach customer service easily.
As the attached screenshot, the support doesn't work.

[Critter-3]

If you owed a penalty then the program would have asked you about the prior year information in the 2210 section and it would have applied the correct exemption automatically. Sounds like you did not supply the proper 2019 information required for the form 2210 to be calculated properly. Sadly if you've already paid the balance due all you can do is send in a form 2210 with an amended return to get the IRS to refund you the excess penalty paid.

[MoneyRobert]

@Critter-3 
I did provide 2019 infomation specifically since I knew I may own penalties.
And I did trusted the system like you said it should automatically apply.

However, while I started preparing 2021 tax, I looked back at how penalty calculated and follow the IRS form, surprisingly, it end up I don't need to pay the penalty.

That's the reason I wanna chat with customer service to figure it out why this happens.

[VolvoGirl]

Which penalty are you asking about?  There are several different ones.  The estimated tax penalty on line 38? 

If you do not pay enough tax, you may have to pay a penalty for underpayment of estimated tax. Even if you are getting a refund you can still owe a penalty for not paying in evenly during the year.  Generally, most taxpayers will avoid this penalty if they owe less than $1,000 in tax after subtracting their withholdings and credits, or if they paid at least 90% of the tax for the current year, or 100% of the tax shown on the return for the prior year, whichever is smaller. It is included in your tax due or reduces your refund.

I would fill out the 2210 by hand for 2020 to see how it works and if you could have reduced the penalty on 1040 line 38.  Did you go through the 2210 section when you prepared your return?

If you have the desktop program you can switch to Forms Mode (click forms in the upper right (left for Mac)) and open the 2210 form.  If the 2210 doesn't show up in the left column, click on Open Forms at the top of the left column.  Type 2210 in the search box and open the 2210 form.  Check box C to let the IRS calculate it.

Form 2210  https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f2210.pdf

Instructions https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/i2210.pdf

[Critter-3]

If you review the 2210 in the program and your manual form side by side and find that the TT program did it wrong then you can put in for an accuracy guarantee refund ... I highly doubt any of the TT support folks will be able to discuss this form competently if at all.  

https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/charges-and-fees/help/what-is-the-turbotax-100-accurate-calculatio...

[MoneyRobert]

Thanks find this @Critter-3 

Unfortunately, the policy looks works for you got penalty fine from IRS only.
So it means if user over-paid tax, turbotax doesn't do anything for that.

It's interesting that turbotax only guarantee you won't pay less (TurboTax will cover the fine and penalties) but not guarantee you pay right amount.

[MoneyRobert]

@VolvoGirl  Yes. I did manually fill 2210 by hand today and found out I don't actually need to pay penalties.
I'm not sure whether I go through 2210 form or not while I filed the tax.
I did remember I ran optimization tool and check tools few times.

But the point of using turbotax is not going through all those forms, right 🙂 ?
If manually filled one by one, why users buy turbotax especially, customer service is hard to reach ?

This is my first time found this surprisingly after using Turbotax each year for quite years.

[Critter-3]

Review the entire return you filed ... you may not have a 2210 in the return but the 2210 worksheet should be in there somewhere ...

NOTE:  When you open your return back up, do not make any changes in it if it's already been filed.  If you later have to amend the return, it has to start off exactly as it was when it was originally filed.

• Log in and at the Tax Home or in the section "Your Tax Returns & Documents" for 2020, look for a link "Add a State."
• Click on "Add a State."  (you don't really add one.  That's just to open your return back up.)
• After the return is open, click in the left menu column on TAX TOOLS, then PRINT CENTER.
• Then choose "Print, save, view this year's return."
• The next screen should offer some options:  "Just my tax returns", or "include government worksheets (optional)", or "include government and TurboTax worksheets (optional.)"
• See if one of those PDFs has what you need.  The latter has the most pages.

NOTE:  Remember all PDF tax documents and tax data files are very sensitive files, since they contain your personal ID info, financial data, and possibly bank account numbers, etc.  Be sure to store them safely and securely to guard against computer theft, hacking, etc.

[baharitaa]

Hi Turbo tax,

I just filed my taxes and I see I have been charged twice for Online self employment. Please make the refund for one of them. See attached.

Thanks, Bahareh