Received email claiming that I need to file my taxes online now before they raise the prices. "price increase for TurboTax Online products after 02/28/23"

[yankeesista5]

Is this real or is it a phishing email.  The address is xxxxxxxx@xxx.xxxxxxxx.xxxxxx.xxx? How can they change price for a product I already paid for?

[Bsch4477]

It’s a real email. They raise the fee to efile a return. 

[yankeesista5]

Well then I'll just have to file before the 28th or snail mail it in except my State requires that I e-file. So that decides it.

[yankeesista5]

Wait, I already bought my TurboTax program and downloaded it onto my computer.  I will be e-filing from my computer, not on any online program or app.  They can't charge me more for something I already paid for which includes e-filing both my federal and state taxes.

[VolvoGirl]

Sorry in the Desktop program it is an extra $20 to efile a state return.  You got 1 free state PROGRAM download to prepare unlimited state returns.  But each state efile (including the first one) is $20 which will go up to $25 March 1.  Or you can print and mail state for free.  

[yankeesista5]

Well that is news to me because I have NEVER paid anything extra to e-file my tax returns to the Feds nor the State of New York, which demands that I e-file my return. I have been using TurboTax for almost 10 years now. I currently have TurboTax DESKTOP ADVANTAGE DELUXE TAX YEAR 2022. 

[Critter-3]

There is no efile fee for the feds ever  and  there is no efile fee for NY as well no matter which program you are using.   So if you have paid for the downloaded program already ignore the marketing email as it doesn't pertain to you. 

[yankeesista5]

I called TurboTax about the email I received and the fee to e-file my NYS taxes.  The representative said that I will have to pay the $20.00 to e-file as NYS is charging the fee and TurboTax is the intermediary garnering the payment.  He then said that I would have to call TurboTax and get an authorization number to e-file that would prove I had paid that fee, and then they would allow my program to e-file the NYS return to NYS Taxation and Finance department.  I am just going to e-file my taxes today and see what actually happens.  I will update here what actually happened.

[VolvoGirl]

No NY is still free to efile.  It's the only state that is free.  Just try to efile and see if it charges you.  

[yankeesista5]

You were right!  I don't know what the Representative was talking about.  I told him I was filing for NYS.  TurboTax clearly states on the e-file page that NYS e-file is FREE.  It also states that there is no additional fee for e-filing and once you have paid for your tax software you can't be charged an additional fee for e-filing.

[yankeesista5]

you were right as well.  No fee to e-file for NYS. And TurboTax can't charge me an extra fee to e-file once I have already paid for the program.

[VolvoGirl]

Yes you can get charged a state efile fee for any other state except NY.  New York is special.  Or you can print and mail state for free.  

[yankeesista5]

I went ahead and proceeded to file my returns and NY does not charge any more to e-file returns.  And it is illegal for any online program to charge extra for that service in NY state.  Other states apparently do charge extra.