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sher64
New Member

I was told that using TurboTax was free why did I just pay $170 for a very small refund?

I thought I picked the one that wasn't going to cost me anything and then was told I had to pick the deluxe why did that happen. My refund was only $730 I'm only getting $3 60 of it back after pain $40 to have it taken out of my federal and 69 each for both state and federal taxes is there any way that we can redo this where I get it done for free?
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6 Replies

I was told that using TurboTax was free why did I just pay $170 for a very small refund?

why did I just pay $170

 

good question. why did you ?

@sher64 

220773
New Member

I was told that using TurboTax was free why did I just pay $170 for a very small refund?

Well because I was persuaded into pushing the deluxe package because I didn't have a 1040 form? And then they took $69 from my state and my federal and then a $40 fee for taking that payment out of my federal return by the time it was all said and done, I was like what the hell!! 

220773
New Member

I was told that using TurboTax was free why did I just pay $170 for a very small refund?

Well the only reason I can see is that I was persuaded into pushing the deluxe package because I didn't have a so-called 10:40 form? And then they took $69 from both my federal and my state return and then charge me $40 for having them take that fee out of my federal. I was so confused by the end of this I just sat there with my mouth hanging open like what the hell I requested a refund because my son just did his taxes with TurboTax all for free and got a paper check nothing was ever mentioned about a 1040 form and it really made it hard for me to pick the free options so I feel like I was bamboozled here.

I was told that using TurboTax was free why did I just pay $170 for a very small refund?


@220773 wrote:

Well the only reason I can see is that I was persuaded into pushing the deluxe package because I didn't have a so-called 10:40 form? And then they took $69 from both my federal and my state return and then charge me $40 for having them take that fee out of my federal. I was so confused by the end of this I just sat there with my mouth hanging open like what the hell I requested a refund because my son just did his taxes with TurboTax all for free and got a paper check nothing was ever mentioned about a 1040 form and it really made it hard for me to pick the free options so I feel like I was bamboozled here.


"is there any way that we can redo this where I get it done for free?"

Have you already filed the return?

 

Everyone who files a personal income tax return has a Form 1040, including your son.   A Form 1040 consists of the main Pages 1 and 2 of every return.  So a Form 1040 itself does not determine if a return can be prepared in Free Edition or a paid edition.   There must have been something else in your return that required an upgrade to Deluxe (unless you upgraded accidentally); i.e., some additional forms or credits that can't be handled simply with a Form 1040.   Your son may have had a simpler return that allowed him to use Free Edition.   Normally, it would have been a good idea to ask for help when you saw it was going to charge you and before paying and filing, since there may have been some alternatives.   The FAQ below has some info that may explain why it happened.

 

FAQ: Why do I have to upgrade from Free Edition?

https://ttlc.intuit.com/turbotax-support/en-us/help-article/change-service-level/upgrade-free-editio...

 

The extra $40 service fee is charged when one chooses to pay the TurboTax fees out of the Federal refund.  That fee can be avoided by declining that option and paying the fees with a credit/debit card.

Hal_Al
Level 15

I was told that using TurboTax was free why did I just pay $170 for a very small refund?

If you have a Form 1040 return and are claiming limited credits only, you can file for free yourself with TurboTax (TT) Free Edition

Situations covered (assuming no added tax complexity):

  • W-2 income
  • Interest or dividends (1099-INT/1099-DIV) that don’t require filing a Schedule B
  • IRS standard deduction
  • Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)
  • Child Tax Credit (CTC)
  • Student loan interest deduction

Situations not covered with the free edition:

  • Itemized deductions claimed on Schedule A
  • Unemployment income reported on a 1099-G
  • Business or 1099-NEC income
  • Stock sales (including crypto investments)
  • Rental property income
  • Credits, deductions and income reported on other forms or schedules

At the time that TT told you that you needed to upgrade to continue, it told you why. 

I was told that using TurboTax was free why did I just pay $170 for a very small refund?

Intuit relies on the behavior that filers know free filing is available, but when asked to pay at the end, won't start over elsewhere.

 

@sher64 

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