Why did you (Intuit) begin scamming people, and using false advertising DURING A PANDEMIC??? I trusted you.....

[xmasbaby0]

@Kingofthe0 

..."There should be fine print posted with the free button"

Actually if you click the blue print  under the words "Free Edition"  that says the Free Edition is for "simple returns only" you can see the details that tell you this:

You can file with TurboTax Free Edition, TurboTax Live Basic, or TurboTax Live Full Service Basic if you have a simple tax return.*

 

*A simple tax return is Form 1040 only.

Situations covered by TurboTax Free Edition, TurboTax Live Basic, and TurboTax Live Full Service Basic

• W-2 income
• Limited interest and dividend income reported on a 1099-INT or 1099-DIV
• Claiming the standard deduction
• Earned Income Tax Credit (EIC)
• Child tax credits
• Student Loan Interest deduction

Situations not covered by TurboTax Free Edition, TurboTax Live Basic, and TurboTax Live Full Service Basic

• Itemized deductions
• Unemployment income reported on a 1099-G
• Business or 1099-NEC income
• Stock sales
• Rental property income
• Credits, deductions and income reported on schedules 1-3

How does TurboTax make any money?

Customers with more complex tax situations will file with our paid TurboTax products that provide all the additional forms and guidance they need. We also offer additional benefits that go beyond filing your taxes, but they are optional and are not required to file simple taxes for free. We hope that, over time, as our customers with simple returns need more capabilities as their financial situations change (for example owning a home, having a child, managing investments), they have loved our products and services so much that they will choose our paid TurboTax offerings to prepare and file their returns.

•  

[rjs]

You said "I didn't use there deluxe service AT ALL." If you never used it, you would not have been prompted to pay for it. You are only asked to pay when you try to print or e-file the tax return. In order to pay for it, you had to have been using it. And why did you pay for it if you didn't use it? You didn't have to pay unless you wanted to print or e-file.

TurboTax never said that Deluxe is free. Only Free Edition is free. If you start off in Free Edition and upgrade to Deluxe, it is no longer free, and that is clearly stated when you upgrade.

[Critter-3 · Accepted solution]

@Kingofthe0 

Sadly this is not the place for sympathy on this matter ... this has been going on for years and there have been no successful lawsuits on this subject no matter what the link you posted suggests.  At no time was TT (or any of the other free file participants) required to advertise the IRS FREE FILE site so they did not.  They complied with all regulations of the contract so if the IRS failed to properly advertise the FREE FILE alliance option is it not their fault.   Failure of the user to comprehend the posted information is not a failure of any of the FREE FILE alliance companies.  There were 10 in the alliance and because TT and H&R Block are the big dogs in the park they got the most attention but all the companies did the same thing so be careful if you want to use one of the FREE FILE options to always link in thru the IRS site ... www.IRS.gov ... the free file option will be a button on the home screen if you WAIT until they open it in January. 

[Kingofthe0]

Have you ever filed with them? It doesn't tell you you have moved to paid content. So if you spend 6 hours doing your taxes to hit a pay wall its false advertising in my opinion. I clicked free, never was I told that I upgraded to deluxe and I personally think that was scummy af. You may enjoy a good arse screwing but I dont.

[Kingofthe0]

I still am convinced this is a case of false advertising and that turbo tax is taking advantage of the poor. but you offered the best answer thanks! 

[Critter-3]

@Kingofthe0 

You may have STARTED for free (in the free or other version)  but once you went to enter the 1099-G the requirement to upgrade to the Deluxe version would have been presented ( UNLESS  you were already in the Deluxe version) ... look at the menu again ... it says you can START FOR FREE  and PAY only when you file for any version other than the free one.      If you are required to upgrade you would have at least 2 screens telling you why and you had to agree to the upgrade ... nothing is done behind your back.  In the FILE tax step 1 the fees are also presented ... at that time you still could have stopped and not paid them.  

In the future, no matter which program you choose to use, please question things before you do anything you are not happy/comfortable  with,  ask for assistance first not last.