TurboTax Advantage ?

[scottbfreeman]

After efiling, TTax sent me the screen below. The price was not described and because of that I didn't go for it and had questions.

• What is the cost?
• If I file two returns, does each get Free Audit Defense?
• If I file two returns, is each return entitled to a state efile discount?

The cost of additional efiling seems really marked up. Are there alternatives for efiling elsewhere?

[CatinaT1]

Here is a link to contact  Turbo Tax Customer Service. They should be able to answer  your questions. 

[scottbfreeman]

The link provided is to speak with someone. Being deaf, that's difficult. I do not TTY and would rather get email. Any suggestion for an alternate contact method?

[SuziM]

Hi @scottbfreeman!

Thanks for your questions regarding TurboTax Advantage.

• The cost will vary depending on which product you are signing up for, but you will get November's early season pricing. 
• You will get one free Audit Defense.
• You will get the member price of $20 ($5 savings) for your state returns

I hope this helps! 

[scottbfreeman]

Yes that helps. Thanks. What is early season pricing and how does it differ from pricing later? Is the member price on State returns good for every state return I file? I help my kids file returns. Is the pricing model attached to the Product or to an individual return. Things are still not clear, perhaps I should have said up front that I prepare returns for my children.

s

[SuziM]

Early season pricing (when the product is released for the new tax year) is the lowest pricing of the season. Using TurboTax Advantage locks in that lowest price of the season for you. The option to purchase State e-file for only $20 ($5 savings) is per e-file. Please keep in mind if you are filing for your children, if you use TurboTax Desktop, you can file five federal returns with up to three state returns each. No more than five Intuit accounts and five corresponding federal returns (for example, for a family of five) may be created, purchased, and filed using any one email address. Per IRS rules, you can only e-file up to five federal returns using the same email address or phone number with personal tax return preparation products. You can learn more about TurboTax Advantage here. 

[Beachcomber]

It's not so helpful to me to know that the early (November) pricing is the lowest available, since that only means the lowest available through Intuit but I'm comparing to buying at Costco, which typically has a discount in January:  this year their price for Home and Business desktop was $95.99 but they offered a $20 discount and $10 off one Audit Defense.  I suspect the discounts in TurboTax Advantage are less than those available through Costco (and perhaps other retailers).  It is also troublesome that Intuit is not more transparent, requiring the OP and others to ask for clarification rather than just putting the fulls details out there when they are marketing it to users.

[CatinaT1]

All the information is available to the customer up front at the link SuziM shared. You can learn more about TurboTax Advantage here. 

[Beachcomber]

You reported all the information is available up front with the link provided, but the problem is that all the information isn't available, including specific product pricing and number of state filing discounts.  I wouldn't buy groceries with hidden prices so why would I sign up for an ongoing commitment without transparent pricing?