Forcefully Upgraded to Deluxe Edition

[Jaymes_Fry]

I'm currently attempting to file my taxes for 2019-2020, I'm able to file up until the 'Federal' tab where it's giving me an option to keep the free edition for now or upgrade to Deluxe for $40, in the year 2018-2019 I was able to file for free. Not much has changed from last year to this year. 

[xmasbaby0 · Accepted solution]

WHY DO I HAVE TO PAY?  I WANT THE FREE EDITION

The information that you can enter in Free Edition is pretty limited now.  Thanks to the new tax laws that began for 2018 returns, there are no more simple Form 1040EZ or 1040A's.  Everything goes on a Form 1040 that has three extra "schedules" with it, and if you need any of those schedules, you are not able to use the Free Edition.  Using the standard deduction instead of itemizing does NOT mean you will not need any of those schedules.

https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-1040 

If you qualify to use it, there is another full-featured free version of the software:

Try Free File: 

You qualify if your income was $36,000 or less, or $69,000 or less if active duty military, or if you qualify for Earned Income Credit

https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1900583-what-is-turbotax-free-file-program

• https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/2026912-how-do-i-switch-to-turbotax-free-file-program

If you switch to Free File you must create a new account and new user ID.

[momof3in2020]

My issue is similar. My son is 17, in high school, works part-time. Filed online and felt pushed into buying Deluxe, he said he couldn’t file without getting it. He makes way under $36,000, has no deductions, no schedules, cannot even benefit from Deluxe because he can’t pull a credit report til he’s 18! How do I get his $30 refunded?

[AnthonyGarrettDeHart]

It seems this was going to be my last year using Turbo Tax as it failed to keep last year taxes on file and now I am going through tons of hoops just to get my taxes back. I'm currently on hold for now 2 hours with the IRS they love to take your hard earned money and yet giving anything back is a Hassle to say the least. I think We The People and to rise up and make the government fend for its self and stop taxing us to death with local and fed tax and all the other non-senses you see on your check.

[MaxwellSmart]

ABSOLUTELY  NOT TRUE.   YOU NO LONGER HAVE TO CREATED A NEW RETURN TO FILE IN irs FREE FILE.

[MaxwellSmart]

You don't and tell your son not to just pay for things willy nilly without doing some research first.   It will be a good lesson for him.

[MaxwellSmart]

ok, well you need to get yourself in the free part.    freefile.intuit.com

[mesquitebean]

---

@momof3in2020 wrote:

My issue is similar. My son is 17, in high school, works part-time. Filed online and felt pushed into buying Deluxe, he said he couldn’t file without getting it. He makes way under $36,000, has no deductions, no schedules, cannot even benefit from Deluxe because he can’t pull a credit report til he’s 18! How do I get his $30 refunded?

---

I'm sorry he had that experience.  This is a user community forum, but I'll tell you how to try to get a product refund below.

There are 2 free products--the regular Free Edition and the TurboTax IRS Free File Program.  It sounds like he started in Free Edition and upgraded to Deluxe.  I don't know if there was something in his return that required Deluxe or not.    It is the TurboTax IRS Free File Program that has the "less than $36,000" qualification that you mentioned, so he did not start in the correct free product.  The TurboTax IRS Free File Prorgam is at a different website of its own.

It would have been easier to help him get to the right product had he asked before proceeding when he saw it was going to charge him, but I realize he was anxious to file, confused, and didn't know what to do.  

By the way, Deluxe is more than $30.   Deluxe is $40 for a Federal return and $40 for a state return.

Phone TurboTax Support during business hours.  Tell them your son's age and situation and emphasize that he would have qualified for the TurboTax IRS Free File Program, since his income was under $36,000, but ended up in the wrong product.   I don't know what they will say or do, but it can't hurt to try.

Hours are 5AM-9PM Pacific (8AM-12 Midnight Eastern), 7 days/week

FAQ:  What is the TurboTax phone number?

https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/using-turbotax/help/what-is-the-turbotax-phone-number/00/25632

[khaller1]

I have a similar question. I don't make enough to itemize any more so I thought I could use the free online. I was forced to upgrade to Deluxe because I have student loans.  I would rather purchase the deluxe edition at Sams Club b/c it's cheaper and includes state for free.  How can I avoid starting over when I buy the disk?

Or if  I follow the advise in other comments about creating a new username, will I still have to start over with entering everything?

Thanks 

[mesquitebean]

@khaller1 

If you use a different account (User ID), you will have to start over from scratch.  You do NOT have to use a different account (User ID) to use the TurboTax IRS Free File Program.  I'll tell you all about it below.

You have a couple of choices to keep from starting over.   If you purchase the CD/download version, you can download the *.tax2020 data file you've been working on online, and then open and continue it in the desktop version without starting over.   Here's how:

FAQ:  How do I switch from Online TurboTax to the desktop software?

https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/choosing-a-product/help/how-do-i-switch-from-turbotax-online-to-th...

Or if you qualify, you may be able to switch to the other free product without starting over--the TurboTax IRS Free File Program.  This is not the Free Edition.  It is a separate product at it's own website.   https://freefile.intuit.com/

It is fully-featured and can handle all the usual Federal forms including your student loan interest--IF you qualify to use it.  See the 2 FAQs below, including how to switch.   It does NOT require a different account; you can switch from within the same account, thus keeping your already-entered information.

To qualify for free 2020 federal and state tax returns through the IRS Free File Program delivered by TurboTax, you just need to meet one of these requirements:

• Your 2020 household AGI is $39,000 or less; or
• You qualify for the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC); or
• In 2020, you served as active duty military (including Reservists and National Guard) with a maximum AGI of $72,000, and you have a military-issued W-2.

If you qualify for that program and want to use it, see these 2 FAQs:

FAQ:  What is the TurboTax IRS Free File Program?
https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/choosing-a-product/help/what-is-the-turbotax-free-file-program/01/...

and

FAQ:  How do I switch to the TurboTax IRS Free File Program? 

https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/downgrading/help/how-do-i-switch-to-turbotax-free-file-program/00/...

[AlanT222]

If you started your 2020 return in TurboTax Online and want to switch to the TurboTax software, here's how.

1. Save your online return as a tax data file.
2. Sign out of TurboTax Online.
3. Install your 2020 TurboTax software.
   • If you have not purchased TurboTax Desktop software, select the product you need to complete your return.
   • Important: If your return includes a state, make sure you also install the corresponding state program(s), otherwise you'll get Error 539.
4. Once installed, choose File then Open Tax Return in the software.
5. Browse to where you saved your .tax2020 file, select it, and then select Open.
6. If you get an error, delete your tax data file and repeat these steps from the beginning.
7. Optional: Once you've confirmed that your online return opens properly in the software, you can clear your online return.

[Marcus2010]

I've been using turbo tax for the last 5 years always went the free file.. With no problems at all this year I was persuaded to use deluxe and was for a discount price I believe 40 dollars so I agreed  to hit when everything was said and over they charged me 40dollars 3 times.. I was under the impression it's was just going to be the 40 dollars for everything but they charged  40 for federal another 40 for state and another 40 for turbo tax. There was no way to go back and cancel or change it. VERY  DISAPPOINTED AND ANGRY ABOUT THIS.. I EMAILED COSTUMER SERVICE WITH NO RESPONSE OR HELP... I WILL CONTINUE TO USE TURBO TAX BUT ALWAYS JUST THE FREE FILE...  2021

[LSJ1]

Oh NO!! So sorry. 

We've used TurboTax for over 15 years and have been satisfied with it...

Except for the One Time that we tried the online option, about 5 years ago.

It was a horrible experience and because of that would never recommend the online version to anyone. Sorry to hear about your experience. You'd think that after so many years later that it would be better.

I hope that they never go to the online version only because we'd be forced to look for another option.

I hope that they refund at least a portion of what you were (forcefully) upgraded to.

[olegyk]

Same happened to me. For a simple 1040 without any extra deduction, I was charged $69 Deluxe version.