1. If you filed last year with Turbo Tax you will AUTOMATICALLY be forced to begin at the same level of service as last year. Solution: Sign out. Go to turbotax.intuit.com choose FREE and begin there. The system will automatically notify you if it needs to upgrade in order to complete your taxes.
2. You probably do not need the "LIVE" service LIVE is significanly more expensive and it is easy to choose it unintentionally. You know you are in LIVE by the icon in the upper left of the black side menu. LIVE is a service that you can add anytime which will allow you to talk to a credentialed tax professional who can answer tax-specific, more complicated questions you may have. Customer service agents are always available and are free to talk to. IMPORTANT NOTE: though upgrading is of course available at anytime during the process of completing your return, DOWNGRADING is only possbile a) by clearing and starting over and b) BEFORE you have completed how you want to pay your fees. After that point, you cannot downgrade at all and in order to file will be forced to pay whatever the system charges you. Turbo Tax has intentionally programed the software so that you have to clear and start over in order to pay less or "downgrade." Sometimes you can get an agent to give you a service code for all or part of the fees to be removed, but this is rare.
3. Skip the "Max Benefits" you don't need them. This is a "feel good" for those who are nervous about getting audited. If you do get audited, Turbo Tax through its terms and conditions has already promised to help and support you during an audit whether you have Max Benefits or not. This also goes for the "Plus" option.
4. Do not "pay your fees with refund." That is unless you want to pay even more to file. There is a barely mentioned, extra $35 fee that gets added on in order for a third party company (Santa Barbara) to process this for you. You have to intentionally go back and "revist" your fees in order to see this added on. The system will not take you there automatically and most people are unaware of the high cost of this option. Also, if for some reason your return is delayed, Santa Barbara will just take the money owed to Turbo Tax out of your bank account (yes the same one you registered to receive your refund!)
5. Don't choose Credit Karma as the method to receive your refund. Though this may not necessarily cost you more money to file, there are fees that come along with the Credit Karma debit card you will be sent. Further, Turbo Tax calls this method the "recommended option," is placed first in the list and is automatically chosen for you. You have to look further down the list to choose what most people actually want to have happen: "Direct Depost into Bank Account."
REMEMBER: While your goal is to pay as little in fees, taxes and get as much back in the form of a refund, Turbo Tax #1 goal is to get you to pay as much in fees as possible. They basically only have four months out of the year to do this and will use any and all forms of marketing, software programming and just plain ole exploitation to acheive that goal.
SPECIAL NOTE: Turbo Tax is a technology company, not a tax filing company and I personally believe are the best at what they do. I have been using TT for over 10 years and have been very happy with their products. Remember, it is our Federal Government who makes us suffer this process every year, not Turbo Tax. Turbo Tax makes is bearable, even enjoyable at times. However they are not here as a public service or charity group and where peopls go wrong is when they misunderstand the modern, healthy relationship which exists between Corporation and Consumer. It just requires education, awareness and vigilence on the part of the consumer (that is if you want to save money) and a letting go of this old adage which said, "the company is on my side and have my best interests at heart." Though certainly a desirable quality for any company to have, it is very much not the goal nor the priority. In 2023 America, the goal is to make as much money as possible. We can stop this whole business of filing a tax return and having to pay to do so the minute we demand our government to end and change the practice. Until then, THANK GOD FOR TURBO TAX!
