We have gotten a few emails that inform us that Turbotax’s new online application, the suitably named “TurboTax Online”, is down. Anyone else having a problem? Let us know in the comments. [Thanks, Numerous Tipsters!]
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julie from TurboTax here. Your tipsters are correct. We’ve had some network issues today that have resulted in intermittent downtime and slowness. Believe we have resolved the issue. We apologize to our customers for the delay and frustration and appreciate their patience.
@ShrideviApsyrtus: Uh…. did someone just accidentally unmask their corporate sock puppet???
Ive been trying all day and Im still unable to login.
I’m still having issues with it too. It won’t save my most recent W-2, I’ve entered it all in twice (I know I could pay to have it done automagically, but we gotta be smart in this economy). I guess I’ll wait ’till tomorrow. No hurry anyway, CA returns aren’t coming soon.
just logged on okay, maybe took a little bit longer, browsed a few sections – no problem
Maybe that’s why Geithner didn’t pay his taxes?
I just filed my taxes a little over an hour ago without a hitch. Woohoo!
I clicked on the Turbo Tax Free Edition for my simple return but was also greeted with a message saying it was temporarily unavailable.
I’m sure their servers were understandably busy today. However, I was a little irked to see that the Deluxe, Premier, Home & Business and Business Editions were all working without a hitch, as long as I paid extra fees.
I kept checking the Turbo Tax Free Edition throughout the day and finally got past the “create an account” part. Their server crashed a few screens later and I had to log in again – but when I logged in to continue I could no longer access the Free Edition displayed on the homepage – It was replaced by the “Basic Edition” for $14.95 more.
Hmm, there’s no mention of the Basic Edition on the homepage.
I tried to start from scratch using the Free Edition link again on the Turbo Tax homepage but couldn’t because my email/screenname “was already taken”
I filed on taxact.com instead. To be fair, they were also having server problems, but I did save about 10 to 15 bucks.
Hey, time is money.
@EverettGabulous: It sucks that they gave you issues with the whole server crash thing; I guess their servers figured you used the free return already.
I wouldn’t be irked that paid-for services worked before free ones did, though – “You get what you paid for”, right?
@ZekeSulastin: I don’t know about that last bit. I figure the free one is like a trial, and if that doesn’t work, why would I pay for the same service? I know that TurboTax says the paid service is different from the free one, but the free service is the one I see in action. And if that doesn’t work, I’m not going to trust some corporate sayso that I just have to give them money to make it work.
@ZekeSulastin: I see the free service as the trial, so if the trial doesn’t work, why would I pay for it? Turbotax may say that the paid service is better, but I don’t actually get to see it, so I’m not going to believe some corporate sayso.
However, I was a little irked to see that the Deluxe, Premier, Home & Business and Business Editions were all working without a hitch…
@EverettGabulous: Not for me; I kept getting logged out.
@EverettGabulous: Actually, all of the other editions are down as well. I use an online edition that you need to pay for and I either haven’t been able to get on or it boots me out for the past 24 hours now.
Yeah it’s back! Just (re)filed my state return.
But how is this a new application? I’ve been using TurboTax Online for years…
I prefer taxslayer
Haven’t had a problem in 4 years on there. If only employers would send out our W-2′s on time… still waiting on one.
Worked fine entering a couple of bank 1099s.
julie from TurboTax here. Your tipsters are correct. We have been working to resolve a network issue that caused intermittent delays and slow-downs for TurboTax Online today. We’re back online now. We apologize to our customers for the delay and frustration this has caused and appreciate their patience.
@Julie Miller: Thanks for the information, Julie.
@Julie Miller: TROLL!!!!, Roz, we’ve got a corperate PR person invading the comments!!!
J/K, thanks for the tip, wish more companies would dispense information as such.
@Julie Miller: Gotta love it when a company fesses up and takes action like that. Nice job Julie and TurboTax.
intermittent all day yesterday with 503 errors and “we’ll be right back” screens.
it was frustrating because i was done with my taxes with the exception of one piece of info that i needed to put in. so, it took me 14+ hours to put someone’s SSN onto my taxes and file them. should have taken 5 mins.
The support community forum is still down. Has been since sometime yeasterday afternoon
Something else to be aware of, is that even though Firefox on Linux is the same as Firefox in Windows, Turbotax Online is blocking Linux Firefox users from using Turbotax Online this year. I filed my taxes last year using Turbotax on Firefox, through Linux, and had no problem at all. This year it appears that they are blocking the browser useragent if it says Linux instead of Windows or Mac. What possible end could this serve? There is no extra support required for Linux users, it’s the same as using Firefox in Windows. The page doesn’t look any different, because again, it’s web based, and the operating system doesn’t affect how the browser handles pages. The sad thing is that the only effect this can have is to frustrate Linux users, and discourage potential new users. For those of you stuck in this situation, there is a plugin for Firefox called useragentswitcher, that will allow you to fool the Turbotax website into thinking you’re using Firefox on Windows, or Internet Explorer, or some other “compatible” browser. I still don’t understand what Turbotax gains from doing this.
@XavierRaccoon: I had trouble using firefox on a windows machine with turbotax. I ended up having to use IE.
Im having issues with the store bought Turbo Tax not connecting. I can’t do update nor register my software. I’ve sent off an email to Turbo Tax and got one useless response to check the website about registration (not connectivity problems). I’ve send off two email replies since then and received nothing but auto acknowledgments back.
Im going to try and contact TT one more time, and see if they reply. If they don’t who else sells a tax software product?
Burleigh
I had issues last night, glad it wasn’t just me.
I tried using TurboTax yesterday in Windows 7 and got the error message. I then booted Vista and got in just fine. Well I got in after waiting on Vista actually…
TurboTax was down from at least 8am Monday morning. I filed on Saturday, and it didn’t even ask me about my stimulus check, but claimed it automatically, so the feds rejected my return on Sunday. So I just filed with TaxAct, which at least asked me about my stimulus check, but when I said I had claimed it in 2007, it claimed in this years return anyway, so I had to manually remove it. Very weird that both programs can’t deal with the stimulus check.
Anyway, in addition, TurboTax wanted $15 to file my state taxes, but I filed online with the state, and got $5 more than TurboTax would have given me, so I saved $20 by not using TurboTax!
@cordeliapotter: By your comments on here, its pretty obvious you have something against them. Besides, why is everyone trusting their data to a web application?
Turbotax Deluxe (the retail version that you install and control the stability of with your own computer) is doing just fine on my home computer. Gave it my stimulus information last week. It was the second thing it asked me about. More likely, you’re one of those users who make stupid mistakes, don’t read instructions fully, and then blame it on the program.
@cordeliapotter: One of the first questions TurboTax Online asked me was about my stimulus check. No problems there for me.
Yeah–I helped my son do his taxes last night. Tried to log on to Turbotax Free–but it was locked up so we went with H & R Block Tax Cut Free Edition. Gee–just look at all the revenue Turbotax misse—oh, ummm never mind.
@GiselleBeardchen: There’s no free lunch. I’d bet that the free version is subsidized somehow.
@SynMonger: The free version doesn’t support a lot of the more advanced deductions or unique situations. Most people with anything other than a few W-2s to enter will probably benefit from Deluxe.
If you answer a question in such a way as to indicate you may need Deluxe’s functionality, they offer you the opportunity to upgrade during the process, therefore upselling you from a free to a paid service.
It’s smart, IMO. Some people get it free, and that’s fine, but those who need Deluxe become paying customers.
I’ve been having constant issues with TaxAct as well. It was down last night and this morning got the “TaxACT.com will be down temporarily for routine maintenance. Please check back shortly” as well.
Seems to be just fine now (9:45am central, Feb 03). Did my taxes Friday morning, came back today to print out my state signature form, no issues for me at least.
TurboTax Online (Deluxe) has been freezing and crashing since yesterday. Today I can’t even log-on (“Thank you for choosing TurboTax.
TurboTax Online is temporarily unavailable. We apologize for the inconvenience and ask that you check back with us shortly.
Thank you!”)
This is extremely frustrating. I had hoped to get my returns completed early this year. C’mon Intuit!!
I’m having problems – Live does not work on the desktop version and I can’t import my information from Fidelity. Suck.
Dammit it’s down again, and my State return was rejected a THIRD time. WTF is going on Intuit? Is there something wrong with your Massachusetts HC forms?
Glad I filed last week lol. My $$ should be in bank by next week
Yeah…it’s still not working for me. I’m using iexplorer 7.0 on Windows XP Pro. I tried to log in yesterday and today and still have not been able to get into my 2008 return to add new information.
I was trying to log on all night last night. Pain in the butt. But, hey, at least last night was 4/14.
@ekasbury: And it seems to still be down. Bugger.
Noon-fifteen central time on Tuesday and TurboTax online is still unavailable. Also had same situation trying to set up an account where my “user name” was already in use. Have loved TurboTax in past, but maybe it’s time to try something different.
Still down. Lame.
Denise from H&R Block TaxCut…happy to report that all our TaxCut Online programs, Signature and Online Office are functioning properly and have experienced no otages or down-time.
Taxpayers can use one of our TaxCut Online programs, or our new Free Edition, now, today, and get their taxes completed without waiting.
So much for “software as a service”
I’ve used the stand-alone installation of TurboTax for the last 8-9 years, and it’s always worked even if my toobz were clogged (except for e-filing).
sigh…
I’ve used Linux to fill out Turbotax for at least a few years now and this year they set it up to disable it. I really wish it supported Linux. I just don’t feel safe using Windows to fill out my tax return.
I’ve used TurboTax before, but this year I’m pretty unhappy. Not only have they constantly been booting me out last night when I was halfway through filling out the Free Basic version, but when I logged back in today to finish, I was suddenly being charged $15! WTF? I meet the criteria to be eligible for free filing, so what the heck is going on?
I went back to the homepage, clicked on “free edition”, was asked to log back in, and they still want to charge me $15. Looks like I’ll be perusing the BBB for an alternative site…
Seems to be down again. It won’t let me login and gice a message instead that says, “TurboTax Online is temporarily unavailable. We apologize for the inconvenience and ask that you check back with us shortly.”
@Julie Miller: It’s back down again…..
I had already finished my state taxes when I saw that turbo could get me almost $1000 more in returns…I agreed to pay the fees and when it was all said and done they got me the exact same return as I had figured for free. I believe that I just got took…no warning that the figures they showed in the box might not be correct. I won’t be recommending this to anyone…Corporate taking advantage of the little person
Im getting prety fed up with Turbo Tax as well. I purchased the in store copy, came home, and installed it. When I started it up, it asked to load updates, I answered yes, and it just sits there. I cancel that screen and it goes to the new software registration screen. I fil it out and submit, but I get an error message saying I have a problem connecting to the internet. ummm, no I don’t.
I start up last years version of TT and it is asking to update. I click yes, and it quickly updates and pops up ready to go.
My only option at that time was to send off an email to support. I listed exactly what I listed above. The next day I get a quick blurb to check a link. It had NOTHING to do with my problem.
I have since replied multiple time to TT (since I have a case # on the email) All I get back are automated responses that my email has been received and I should be getting help soon.
I am about ready to throw this out and get another Tax package.
@Microxot:
i had the same problem the above users reported. i was eventually able to get back in, but the free edition was no longer available. i had to re-enter my info again (for the 3rd time due to timeouts/disconnects) and pay the $14.95 fee for the basic edition to file. i was never prompted for the upgrade and didnt really notice until i was at the screen to submit my file. no big deal i guess, its only $15. i submitted and my return was accepted.
2 days later, i am doing my sister’s taxes and the same exact thing happens. i get to where i submit to efile, i get the timeout message and upon signing back in, free edition is no longer available. i talked to support and they gave me a pre paid code so i wouldnt have to pay, but i still have to re-enter all the info. seems they found a way to make up for lost income. i can only imagine how many suckers said screw it and ate the fee like i did.
I’ve got one up on all of you, I filled out all the forms to do the free federal and the *gasp* $25.95 California state one and got all the way to the credit card validation screen when it timed out. After timing out I attempted to log back in to see if it went through and was then told, as many others were:
Currently we’re making some important updates to our service. Meanwhile, this version of TurboTax will be unavailable.
Please try again later. We’ll have the updates finished as soon as possible.
Thanks for using TurboTax!
Note: If you can’t wait, you can continue by using a different version of TurboTax. Keep in mind, though, that you’ll have to start a brand-new return.
So assuming the best I closed the screen and forgot about it for a few days then checked again, still no record of me filing a return and still unable to access my account or continue my return. Then I look at my bank statement and apparently INTUIT charged me the whole $25.95 5 days after I was unable to file my return. I still have no completed return to speak of, no filing has been done, I still can’t get in to view anything and I’m out $25.95… what a crock…
4 days to finally complete a simple 1040ez! Never again.
Updating, updating, updating, updating, spinning, spinning, spinning… in reality it was doing absolutely nothing. I could have done my son’s return by hand quicker than this. Pffft.
Both TurboTax and Itsdeductible websites are down and it does no good to contact Turbotax or itsdeductible by e-mail, phone, chat or Tina as they have no clue and just say check your computer. It is one thing to have a probem, but another to ignore and not communicate easily and clearly what is going on and when it will be fixed. Itsdeductible on-line is now out for both Saturday and Sunday. Turbotax is definitely going down the drain