E-file Requirements by Turbox Tax after paying

[poster152]

How many of you get through the cycle of paying before filing your taxes and then are caught by the Turbo Tax red tape? I paid more than two days and still awaiting a response back from customer support. Turbox Tax is now requiring that I provide a phone number in order to e-file. Until this is resolved, taxes are completed, service is paid but they are sitting in cue because of the request for additional information that is not required by the IRS.

I've learned of many stories about Turbo Tax and their practices; however, I'm very disturbed to go through the process, like I have for many years in the past, to be blindsided by being required to give up more personal information that's not necessary for tax filing but only to add my personal information to their database. When logging in, a user is asked to enter their phone number, when dialing in to customer service, a phone number is requested, and now to process via electronic filing, a requirement of providing a phone number is no longer an optional measure. Phone numbers are not secure and should not be used to screen a person's identity. If someone can update their password using their email address, allow another level of security to authorized other than through their phone number.

Two options, I either need my money back for the tax filing services or the web services team needs to eliminate the required feature of a filer's phone number to e-file.

[DoninGA]

You have to enter a phone number in the My Info section of the program.  Although not required by the IRS it is required by TurboTax to e-file the tax return.

Enter any phone number you want, just use a valid US area code, such as (202) 222-2222

Click on My Info on the left side of the screen.  Edit your information to add a phone number.

[poster152]

No. This has nothing to do with the Account Profile. This is the final screen after completing taxes, paying for tax service, and choosing how you want to file taxes. When selecting 'e-file', the next screen is a prompt that says "lets verify your phone number". After selecting continue, a user is prompted to enter a phone number, then two options are given, either text or call to be provided a code for verification purposes. This is asinine.

[DoninGA]

@poster152 OK...I am on the final screen for e-filing where there is a button labeled Transmit my returns now

On the screen are two options on how to be notified for the status of your tax return.

One shows the email address and the other asks for a mobile phone number.  That phone number is not required to e-file a tax return.

[poster152]

No. And now that I've taken your suggestion with the false number, the prompt has stored the number and no longer providing the option to clear the field.

first promptsecond promptthird prompt (false number continues to be stored)

[poster152]

Before entering a phone number, I was asked to enter a phone number after the "lets verify your phone number". There was no other option provided to me at the time for selecting to e-file. After entering a dummy phone number the second screen is what appears. I understand what Turbo Tax is attempting to do here, but it's in the wrong location, conniving to be in this order of the prompts, and should provide an alternate method for verifying someone's identity. Phone numbers are not a requirement for electronic security verification and should never be as it is a common source of information for any random person. If this is not being cross-referenced with information already provided in a person's file, this is absolute not a viable action step to closeout the final step of a customer's taxes.

[DoninGA]

Now I see what you mean.

I just filed my tax return this morning and was never asked or required to verify a phone number.

Contact TurboTax support for this problem.  They may have some type of explanation why you are seeing this requirement when it is not needed, necessary or required to file a tax return.

See this TurboTax support FAQ for contacting support - https://ttlc.intuit.com/turbotax-support/en-us/help-article/account-management/turbotax-phone-number...

Support can also be reached by messaging them on these pages https://www.facebook.com/turbotax/ and https://twitter.com/TeamTurboTax

[poster152]

I've tried multiple times but it goes back to the same discretionary question of asking me to provide a phone number at the time of dialing in. When I attempt to bypass this prompt via phone support, the electronic agent disconnects the phone. When doing on chat support, again it only prompts a person to phone in OR pay additional monies for a live agent.

While social media has become the way of the world for a large majority of the population, it is not the most secure and the way that every person chooses to manage or conduct their life through those mediums. Traditional methods are not lost and they are proven to be the most secure against cyber crimes and identity theft.

[DoninGA]

Have you tried Not selecting the mobile phone number and then click on Transmit my returns?

[poster152]

THERE IS NO ALTERNATE OPTION TO SELECT.

If email was an option, this conversation would be mute, pointless, non-existent.

[DoninGA]

Another thing - Have you updated your TurboTax account with all your current information?

Click on Intuit Account at the bottom left of the online program screen.  Then click on Sign in & Security

[poster152]

Hopefully, these conversations are monitored for quality and training purposes; because this has been a bonafide waste of my time without any direction of resolution.

For sake of resolution, I'm attempting to get my taxes filed. I paid for the services two days ago. The prompts are requiring me to enter a phone number in order to e-file. Is there an option for the following:

1) Get a support ticket for troubleshooting why is this happening to my filing queue

2) Get a refund for the amount that I paid to file if this is unable to be resolved

3) Have my e-file submission pushed through by Turbo Tax

[DoninGA]

@poster152 This is what I have at the end of the section just before filing -

[poster152]

I'm using (paying for) Turbo Tax Premium not the free version. So maybe I should be refunded for the inconvenience.

[romanholidaymr]

Did you ever get a resolution to this problem? Were you able to file using a dummy phone number?