Where can I see the detail for the release notes of Turbo Tax? The more details links do not work and I need to understand what the updates were intended to fix.

[Anonymous]

Because I prefer to keep on top of my tax returns. I do them for 6 people and one refund amount did change last year due to a turbotax change. I'd rather not have to go in and see if there's a change to any of the returns each time there is an update and those lazy asses can't put out release notes. 

[NCperson]

@Anonymous - please leave the emotion to the side - it gets you nowhere and is offensive to people reading this - we are volunteers.

suggestion - if you are SO worried - even though millions use the software - two choices:

1) file an extension by April 15 and wait to file until Oct 15 - then more of any known bugs/ issues are fixed

2) and I really mean this - maybe this software is not for you.  Turbo Tax made a business decision not to provide release notes; customer can choose to accept that or reject it.  But it doesn't appear enough have rejected it for TT to again provide release notes. 

Last year was a real 'flusy' because Congress changed the tax laws in March! So for example, if you were unemployed in 2020, filed before March and then Congress changed the tax law, of course the Turbo Tax would change the refund about to reflect the new law. 

[Anonymous]

https://blog.testlodge.com/importance-of-writing-release-notes/

[ronr32]

The release notes link in your comment is broken. Providing Release Notes when new software is released is mandatory best practice! Where can I find them?

Question - when a software upgrade occurs does the system automatically re-calculate your return to ensure the taxes or refund owed is up to date based on the software update?

[DoninGA]

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@ronr32 wrote:

The release notes link in your comment is broken. Providing Release Notes when new software is released is mandatory best practice! Where can I find them?

Question - when a software upgrade occurs does the system automatically re-calculate your return to ensure the taxes or refund owed is up to date based on the software update?

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TurboTax made the decision several years ago not to provide release notes.  This decision has never been supported by the volunteers on this forum and we have urged them to rescind that decision and provide the release notes but to no avail.

To answer your question - Yes, when the software is updated and if the updates affects any of your forms, schedules or worksheet calculations then those will also be updated.

[df14]

I also have 44 years of software development and concur with the comments of this fellow developer.  My assessment with software today in general demonstrates issues with quality; for example illustrated by the need to reboot/restart applications.  I believe competitive pressure (money/profit/deadlines) sadly and often unnecessarily force developers to cut corners on all the program phases (gather requirements, design, code, test, and especially time to think/plan).

I wonder if there is an additional reason why Intuit stopped listing the content of their updates years ago.  Would the lists reveal information that would be helpful to any of its competitors and/or expose their company operations to civil/legal issues?

In spite of my misgivings, I continue to use TurboTax Premier & Business.  My accountant after years of doing my taxes for myself and family members recommended that I switch to TurboTax years ago.  As you may surmise, he is very ethical and a friend.  TurboTax has served me well for many years.  The few times I needed help, the TurboTax help team listened and helped me resolve my issues, however, to be complete, there was one year when I reported a software bug that was not resolved until the following year; an esoteric area in state law that I found out only when New York reported my error 3 years after I filed.