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New Member
posted Jun 4, 2019 6:28:13 PM

Bought turbotax with5 free fed& 1 free state filing but am being charged to file state return, i have never been charged the last 10 years, why this time?

i always buy the download that includes five free e files and one state. I have never been charged for the state until now, and i have filed this way since 2011 or earlier! Is  it possible because they didn't owe before until this year?

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1 Best answer
New Member
Jun 4, 2019 6:28:14 PM

The version of TurboTax you're using allows you to prepare and print one state return at no charge. There is an additional fee if you wish to e-file your state return.

24 Replies
New Member
Jun 4, 2019 6:28:14 PM

The version of TurboTax you're using allows you to prepare and print one state return at no charge. There is an additional fee if you wish to e-file your state return.

New Member
Jun 4, 2019 6:28:16 PM

I get that, but every year prior i e filed state w fed in Missouri and was never charged. They also did not owe but it was e filed free!

Level 15
Jun 4, 2019 6:28:19 PM

You can print the state return and mail it to avoid the e-file fee.

Level 15
Jun 4, 2019 6:28:21 PM

You might have had the state efile fee deducted from the federal refunds.

New Member
Jun 4, 2019 6:28:22 PM

thx guys i might just be going crazy lol

New Member
Jun 4, 2019 6:28:24 PM

Turbo Tax maid me happy all the way until this final step for tricky advertisement without clearly telling customer upfront. Hate this company

New Member
Jun 4, 2019 6:28:25 PM

I also usually get the 1 free efile for state but for some reason turbo tax is charging the 19.99 for any state refile. Too bad....

Level 15
Jun 4, 2019 6:28:26 PM

You misunderstand.  See my answer below.  Or did you file a New York return?

New Member
Jun 4, 2019 6:28:28 PM

One more negative thing about Turbo Tax, I chose state E-file, paid $39.99, then Turbo Tax told me California e-file is not ready yet, ask me to come back, one week late, I came back, the system did not remember that I have paid, ask me to pay for $19.99 again to E-file state tax, I did not pay for it, then called customer service, the agent tried to figure out why but couldn't and it took us one hour! Then she said she will transfer me to her supervisor, then I waited on the phone for another half hour, I lost my patience, my time worth more then $19.99/1.5 hour, so I hang up, and paid for that $19.99. What a bad company!

New Member
Jun 4, 2019 6:28:29 PM

Yep this is the first year I didn't get 1 free state efile

Level 1
Jun 4, 2019 6:28:30 PM

Turbo Tax has false advertising . No where do they say free state if you mail!  The system is full of glitches, and made filing very stressful this year! I've used Turbo Tax for over 15 years not next year. I will try someone else!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I could file state tax for free electronically with Pennsylvania, what a rip off! What I paid for software then to file state tax I could have went to my accountant!

Level 15
Jun 4, 2019 6:28:33 PM

Sorry but you must not be remembering right.  There has always been a fee to efile state from the Desktop program except for NY.

There is a lot of confusion about this. For the Desktop version it's a free download of one state PROGRAM, not returns filed. You can prepare unlimited federal and unlimited state returns. Some people need to file in more than one state so they have to buy another state program. You can print and mail the state for free or each state (including the first one) is 19.99 or 24.99 to efile. If you buy the cd at the store the Basic version does not include the state.  And Deluxe is available both with and without the state.  Because some states don't have an income tax.

New Member
Jun 4, 2019 6:28:34 PM

thank you for your answer but I do believe I remember not paying that is why i am surprised to see 19.99 to file it. i have the home and business version like I get every year

Level 15
Jun 4, 2019 6:28:36 PM

Maybe you printed an mailed State.  Or Look back through your credit card statements.

New Member
Jun 4, 2019 6:28:37 PM

Regardless, I am so sick of turbo tax . They are fraudulent in their advertising, confusing in their products that are not compatible with each other. I have transfer  info problems every year, and they keep changing formats for the worse. The support techs are nice, a few have hung up on me or I get disconnected and I live out in the country so I already have phone and internet connection issues, and have wasted many hours with customer service wait times on phone. Now throw in  unreliable software from turbo tax, and it is just pure Hell.. and I don't want to retype thousands of pages every year.
 I can't wait for Jackson Hewitt to launch! Or any thing better, easier.

Level 2
Jul 16, 2019 3:40:31 PM

For all the people that say it was never free, you are definitely wrong. This is the 1st year that Turbo Tax has decided to RIP people off. You paid for 1 free state, filed electronically...and now they are charging using the same pricing and promise of a free state.
They will lose a few customers being deceitful.

Level 15
Jul 16, 2019 4:17:14 PM

@Kimmy1- It depends on the version that you are using. 

 

The web-based online version  is a set price for state and there is not extra charge for e-filing.

 

The CD/download desktop version that runs on your computer comes with one free state *software.   e-filing state has ALWAYS been extra.   I always e-file Federal for free and mail file state for the price of a stamp.   I have been using TurboTax since the very first year that TurboTax started offering e-file and state e-file has always been extra.

 

* Some retailers sell a basic version that is Federal only at a discounted price for people that do not need a state.

Level 2
Jul 16, 2019 4:24:30 PM

Well than apparently some people purchased CD download versions that had a glitch, and the glitch gave you 1 free state, electronically filed for free. The glitch lasted for years because I have used the same home and business, done 3 family members taxes, but never their state because I always saved the state for my own taxes, and I never paid to electronically file them, and I never mailed them in.

Level 15
Jul 16, 2019 4:38:17 PM

Kimmy1:
Are you in New York by any chance?    There is no state efile fee for New York state. 

 

For several years other states have had either a 19.99 or 24.99 state efile fee, depending on the time of year it is filed.   In early filing season there is the discounted 19.99 fee, which typically increases in March.   Several years ago I believe there were some promotions that had a free efile or that had a rebate one could submit for the efile fee, but that was a long time ago and not in recent years.    If you were somehow not charged for a state efile fee in the last few  years, then I would just be glad.   If it wasn't New York state, however, I don't know how it let you proceed.

 

Home and Business comes with an included state program download to prepare returns for that state, but there is a fee to efile each state return.  Likewise with the other editions that include a state program download.

Level 2
Jul 16, 2019 5:47:11 PM

You all that have paid for years, I believe you paid, but I have actually gone back 5 years. Every year I purchase their Audit Protection, and I have never once paid for state e-filing...and my state was e-filed. I live in Illinois. This was the 1st time I was asked to pay, so I guess I was lucky.
It actually sounds silly to say you can file and e-file 5 federal, but only file 1 state for free. If you don't offer ANY FREE STATE E-FILE, than what difference should it make how many free state taxes you enter to print.
There are too many people saying they always got 1 free state for people not to believe it.
Well I went back thru my records, it was free

Level 15
Jul 16, 2019 7:28:39 PM

@Kimmy1  mesquitebean  asked and remained me.   Those people that got state e-file for free might live in New York that has a law that state tax MUST be e-filed if using software to file and prohibits any tax software company from charging to e-file a NY state tax return.   NY is the ONLY state with such a law (that makes me wounder why other states do not do that, but so far NY is the only one).    So YES some state filers do get free e-file provided that are filing a NY state tax return.

Level 2
Feb 7, 2020 3:09:04 AM

I've been using TurboTax for years to and this is the first year 2019. That I've been charged to download State forms. $40 to download State forms I've never been charged that before. Only $19.95 to e-file for the state all previous years State returns have always been included with the tax software. Must be time to move on somewhere else and get different software from somebody else.

Level 2
Feb 7, 2020 3:15:14 AM

That's a big negative Ghost Rider. I've been using TurboTax for years and I've never been charged on Deluxe or Premier to download State paperwork. $40 to download State returns. It was only $19.95 to e-file a state return ,

now, they're charging separately. To download State returns in any state.

Whenever I always used Premier or Deluxe. State paperwork was always included with the CD when you bought it at the store. It was only $19.95 to e-file with the state not additional $40 to download the forms. So you're talkin $40 to download the forms $19.95 to e-file and then $39.95 for the program. That's over $100.

Level 15
Feb 7, 2020 3:24:21 AM


@ chrisrcolbert

 wrote:

I've been using TurboTax for years to and this is the first year 2019. That I've been charged to download State forms. $40 to download State forms I've never been charged that before. Only $19.95 to e-file for the state all previous years State returns have always been included with the tax software. Must be time to move on somewhere else and get different software from somebody else.


There has been no change in the way desktop software handles included state programs.  Not all desktop editions have a state program included, however, but this has been the case for years.  For instance, Deluxe comes both ways--with and without state.  So you need to explain more about exactly what product you purchased that didn't have a state program and where did you purchase it?   The following list will tell you which ones do have state program included

 

In desktop software (CD/download), most editions include a state program download, but some don't.

  • Premier and  Home and Business both have an included state program.
  • Basic Edition does not have a state program at all.
  • Deluxe Edition comes in 2 versions--one that is a combo Federal and State, and one that is Federal-only.  When purchased directly from the TurboTax website, Deluxe is the combo Fed and State version.  When purchased elsewhere, one has to be careful as to which version of Deluxe one is buying if one needs a state program.

NOTE:   There is an additional fee in all editions above if one needs a second state program to prepare a state return for a different state.

 

There is a 19.99 state efile fee (24.99 later in filing season), except no fee to efile New York state return.  There is no fee to print and mail the state returns.