Why did I have to pay $40 to efile federal when the product I bought said it was included?

[jyorko]

I paid $130 for this product: https://turbotax.intuit.com/personal-taxes/cd-download/home-and-business.jsp and then when I got done going through all the forms and got to the end section, it said I to authorize another $40 payment in order to efile my federal return.

Has anyone else experienced that?  Felt like a big switcharoo at the end, I didn't like it.

[taxlady28]

Efiling the state has always been additional charge.   Preparing the state return is what is included.  You can chose to print and mail the state return if you do not want to pay the fee to email the state return.

[xmasbaby0]

There is not a fee to e-file your tax return or to have direct deposit of your refund.

Did you choose to pay for using TurboTax by having the fee taken out of your federal refund?  That means you will pay an EXTRA FEE of $40 ($45 in CA) to have a third party bank receive your refund from the IRS, take out enough to pay TT, and then send you the rest of the refund.  ( The third party bank keeps the $40 or $45 fee for itself.)

You do not have to do that.   Pay upfront BEFORE you file --- pay using a credit or debit card.