Are stimulus payments being held up for turbo tax users?

[Sareli]

What about those of us who paid our fees upfront to TurboTax instead of it being taken from our refund? I used TurboTax to file my taxes, paid my fee same day I filed, and nothing has changed with my bank account. I STILL haven't had my stimulus check direct deposited into my bank account and I received the first stimulus check with no problems and I'm eligible for thus 2nd round. I get that same message on the IRS site "Payment #2 Status - Not Available." 

Seems like anyone who used TurboTax got screwed regardless if you paid your fees upfront or not. I can't find any info on what to do for people in my situation. Is there anyone else who paid TurboTax upfront but never got their money direct deposited?

[Dbrannen]

My family is in the same situation. We had paid upfront and had no issue with the first check.  I do not care for the way inwhich each party blames the other, and there are no truthful answers provided.  I switched from H&R a few years ago because I thought that TurboTax would be better.  I am going to look into other tax filing services for the future. Having the money more immediately saves a lot of hardship from months from now when all paper work is compiled to be able to file.  It stinks that we have to fix the mistake in this way.

[razorsharpe71]

I see Turbo Tax has finally issued an email acknowledging the error and stating it will be corrected within days. Whatever that means. I’ve also learned it’s not ALL users. A friend uses turbo tax and got their payment last Friday. I’ve been filing with turbo tax for well over ten years this is ridiculous. I understand the error they say was with the IRS, but why take so long to issue a statement and why the hell were some affected and some not.  Those affected should have their fees waived or at least discounted if we plan to file with them for ‘20 returns. 

[Rljackson03]

This issue wasn't the IRS the issue was Turbotax. They gave us the finger . And sat around hoping to go unnoticed. I want access to that middle bank evidently created when having fees deducted from my return in 2019. Didn't use the TT card, just did taxes, had fees taken out from return, then money sent to my personal checking account.  But the money was sent to a middle bank for TT to collect thier fees. Hence people seeing unknown account numbers on thier GetMyPayment page.  So since all us opened that middle bank account because of the fees being taken out of the refund, TT should be depositing all fees we paid, interest and all back to our personal accounts since they really **bleep** the bed on this one. IRS used what they had on file.... Which was that middle bank account. 

[Critter-3]

Breaking news alert as of 1/6/21  The  IRS backtracks on it's own rules yet again with reguards to the issuance of the  second stimulus checks ... what a shocker !!!

Once again the IRS makes errors and the processing banks have to rescue them after both the IRS and processing banks originally posted  that  the checks would be mailed only  and skip the bank direct deposits completely … one day the confusion will be avoided all together so millions who pay the extra fee to use the refund processing service will not have to wait at the back of the line.  These are the folks who need the money the most   since  many  cannot afford to  pay the TT fees upfront, don't have a credit/debit card to make the payment  and/or  do not  have bank accounts of any kind.  

This was announced this afternoon.

The TurboTax Blog | It's all about the refund (intuit.com)

And the processing bank site also updated today.

https://turbotax.intuit.com/coronavirus/

Going forward I hope that  folks who qualify for one of the IRS FREE FILE options use the free file link  and  stop paying fees they don’t have to pay and be insulted with an extra processing fee on top of it.   If the taxpayer needs a debit card to receive the refund then they can get one for only $5 at almost any store instead of paying $45+ thru TT. 

If you qualify  AND   if you wait until mid January  THEN you can use one of  the 10 IRS FREE FILE options to file a fed & state return for free ... but you must be patient.    https://www.irs.gov/filing/free-file-do-your-federal-taxes-for-free

IRS Free File: Closed until January 2021

IRS Free File is closed for the 2020 tax season. Check back in January for Filing Season 2021 opening details.

For Filing Season 2021, you must make $72,000 or below to use one of the 10  IRS Free File partner offers.

[susan-74]

Hi I agree . The fact are stimulus money was sent to them last week and not one email or anything about it until everyone around us already received their checks and we started asking the  IRS questions to find out Turbo Tax has are money . My friend used HR Block she got her check in her account this past Monday. So I’m done as well using Turbo Tax after the past 8 years ! 

[Cutback30]

IRS said January 6, 2021, it is January 16, 2021 I still haven't received my stimulus!

[Cutback30]

Where is the check?

[Linda0261]

Thanks for answering my question.  My husband and I both recieved status unavailable so I guess we have to resort to the Recovery on the taxes.  Also,  I believe we are owed money from the first payment as we filed married filed joint and only recieved 555.00 to our bank account and it said "tax refund".  We had to pay in 2019 but we also did not make over 150,000.  Can someone please explain that and if I also have to go through the recovery for the first stimulus payment?  

[DianeW777]

Yes. The Recovery Rebate Credit will cover both the first and second stimulus payments. This will determine the full amount of potential refund you are entitled to based on income and eligible dependents, and will be part of the final combined refund on your return, if applicable.