@clarkmelissa You misunderstood. There is never a fee to get a direct deposit of a tax refund. If you used a paid version of the tax software and then made the choice to have the fees deducted from your federal refund, the $40 refund fee was charged so that the third party bank would receive your refund, extract the fees and send you the rest. if you use a paid version of the software and pay upfront, you can have your refund direct deposited and pay only the fee for using the software. There is no direct deposit fee at all.
You may have become confused and upgraded without realizing it, although the screens do alert you that you are upgrading. Only the most simple returns can be prepared using the Free Edition. If the data you enter requires the use of any extra schedules or forms, then it upgrades you to a paid version.
There is another free version of the software that can be used if you are not able to use the Free Edition. You can access it by going to the site for Free File:
If you qualify to use it, there is another full-featured free version of the software:
Try Free File:
You qualify if your income was $39,000 or less, or $72,000 or less if active duty military, or if you qualify for Earned Income Credit
https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1900583-what-is-turbotax-free-file-program
Note: If you do not qualify to use Free File then you will have to upgrade to Deluxe or higher in the paid versions of the software.
Online Deluxe $40 State software $40
Or—-Use this IRS site for other ways to file for free
https://apps.irs.gov/app/freeFile/
**Disclaimer: Every effort has been made to offer the most correct information possible. The poster disclaims any legal responsibility for the accuracy of the information that is contained in this post.**
