Did I really forfeit my "free" TurboTax audit defense that supposedly came with my TurboTax advantage subscription?

At the end of 2024, I paid $120 for a TurboTax Advantage subscription. On April 1, 2025, I installed TurboTax Desktop and activated my software with the license key. On April 15, 2025, I filed for an extension.

 

Now it’s October 2025, and I’m ready to file my 2024 tax return under that extension. However, just before filing, TurboTax is prompting me to pay $60 for Audit Defense again.

 

I then noticed the fine print under TurboTax Advantage program terms and conditions:
"To claim this member benefit, Audit Defense must be activated in your 2024 tax software by April 30, 2025."

 

My questions are:

  1. Is the “Audit Defense activation” process separate from the normal TurboTax Desktop software activation process?

  2. If so, did I effectively forfeit my "free" Audit Defense benefit by filing for an extension and not explicitly activating AuditDefense before April 15, 2025?

 

If answers are yes&yes, then this restriction seems unfair and not in line with fostering a positive relationship with customers.