If you recognize the name Intuit, you’re probably one of the 40 million people who filed returns last year using its TurboTax software. Facing competitors ranging from storefront tax preparers to free (for now) preparation through a credit report website, the company’s CEO is optimistic about the future. [More]
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![Mike Mozart](../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2015/02/turbotcongress.jpg?w=300&h=225&crop=1)
Why Isn’t It Easier To File Your Tax Return For Free? Thank TurboTax, H&R Block
For most people, the IRS now has all the information it needs to estimate how much you owe in taxes, or how much of a refund you are due. So why is the burden on you to tell the federal government this same information? It may have something to do with the millions of dollars that H&R Block, Intuit (maker of TurboTax), and others have spent lobbying to maintain their exclusive arrangement with the IRS. [More]
![Mike Mozart](../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2015/02/turbotcongress.jpg?w=300&h=225&crop=1)
Tax Software Uses Surge Pricing, Takes Advantage Of Later Filers
One of the many innovations that ride-hailing service Uber has given the world is that it popularized the phrase “surge pricing,” which means raising the price for something as demand for it goes up. Lots of industries do this, but filing taxes is something that everyone has to do. [More]
![TurboTax Will Delete Cloud Backups Of Tax Returns For Some Users On July 21](../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2015/02/turbotcongress.jpg?w=680)
TurboTax Will Delete Cloud Backups Of Tax Returns For Some Users On July 21
TurboTax tried an interesting experiment this year: some of their desktop software users were offered the opportunity to store their tax returns in the on the cloud, which could be useful in the case of hard drive failure or some other catastrophe affecting files on your computer. Those customers will have to download a copy for safekeeping: Intuit has decided to end the experiment and have desktop customers save their returns the old-fashioned way. [More]
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How To Verify Your Identity In Case The IRS Suspects Suspicious Tax Return Activity
In the aftermath of revelations that fraudsters exploited TurboTax and had possibly filed bogus returns in many states, the Internal Revenue Service is contacting people linked to suspiciously filed returns, and asking them to verify their identity to find out if the return is real or not. [More]
![Mike Mozart](../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2015/02/turbotcongress.jpg?w=300&h=225&crop=1)
Lawmakers In House, Senate Investigating Fraudulent Returns Filed With TurboTax
Joining the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service on the case of bogus tax returns filed used Intuit’s TurboTax software will now be lawmakers from both the House and Senate, who have started probing the recent flurry of fraudulent activity. [More]
![(Mike Mozart)](../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2015/02/turbotax1.png?w=300&h=225&crop=1)
FBI Now Investigating Possible Fraudulent Federal Tax Returns From TurboTax
Days after TurboTax resumed e-filing of all state tax returns following a third-party security expert’s finding that fraudulent activity reported by state tax officials did not result from a breach of Intuit’s own systems, federal regulators announced they would take a look for themselves. [More]
![(Mike Mozart)](../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2015/02/turbotax.png?w=300&h=225&crop=1)
TurboTax Resumes E-Filing Of All State Tax Returns After Pause To Investigate Fraud
Just a short time after Intuit announced on Friday that it would stop TurboTax electronic filing of all state tax returns to investigate fraudulent activity, the company announced filing would resume. [More]
![(FlyinAce2000(](../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2015/02/taxpause.jpg?w=300&h=225&crop=1)
TurboTax Stops E-Filing Of All State Tax Returns While Investigating Fraudulent Activity
After Minnesota state tax officials stopped taking all TurboTax e-filed returns last night and other states pressed pause as well amidst possible fraudulent activity, Intuit has announced that it’s halting all state e-filed returns while it investigates criminal attempts to use stolen data to file fraudulent returns and claim refunds. [More]
![Mike Mozart](../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2015/02/turbonope.jpg?w=300&h=225&crop=1)
Minnesota Stops Taking Returns Filed With TurboTax, Citing Possible Fraudulent Activity
UPDATE: Intuit announced this afternoon that it’s halting all state e-filed tax returns while investigating reports of fraudulent activity. [More]
![Intuit CEO Brad Smith is sorry.](../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2015/01/mybadceo.png?w=300&h=225&crop=1)
TurboTax Customers Can Upgrade To Premier Or Home And Business On February 7
The Great TurboTax Revolt of 2015 was successful: after changing the features available to users of different tiers of the income tax return software, customers made their rage clear, and Intuit relented. They rolled back the change for future editions and offered a free upgrade to users this year. If you’re in a hurry to file your taxes, that upgrade will come on February 7. [More]
![Intuit CEO Brad Smith is sorry.](../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2015/01/mybadceo.png?w=300&h=225&crop=1)
Intuit Caves To Pressure: Offers Free TurboTax Upgrades, Will Undo Changes To Software For Next Year
Ask, and ye shall receive. Or rather, create a fuss big enough to let a company know people aren’t okay with changes made to a popular product, and force that company to back down and do the right thing. After TurboTax customers heartily voiced their disapproval over Intuit tweaking its software and charging more for features that used to be included in certain versions of the software, Intuit has reversed course, saying it’ll undo the hell it wrought. [More]
![(rayovolks)](../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2015/01/8101564588_75d9958789_b.jpg?w=300&h=225&crop=1)
Changes To TurboTax Lead To Consumer Revolt, Opportunity For Competitors
It’s the opening weekend of tax season! If you work an hourly or salaried job, the W-2 form summarizing how much you earned and how much tax you’ve paid is already in your mailbox or will be soon, since the deadline to mail them out is February 2nd. If you plan to use the Windows or Mac version of TurboTax, though, there’s something that you should know before you get started. UPDATE, 1/30: Thanks to this consumer revolt, Intuit is rolling back the changes and will return to the old pricing scheme for next year. [More]
![Intuit/TurboTax Using Non-Profits, Religious Leaders In Push Against Pre-Filled Tax Forms](../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/ttaxa.png?w=246&h=225&crop=1)
Intuit/TurboTax Using Non-Profits, Religious Leaders In Push Against Pre-Filled Tax Forms
We can understand why some people might have concerns about receiving tax forms that are already filled in by the IRS. We could understand why some would voice those concerns in a public forum. But is a line crossed when the people telling you to voice your concerns are the very ones who stand to benefit financially from your opposition? [More]
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Apple And TurboTax Pass The Buck, Can’t Decide Who Owes Me Refund
$65 is a lot of money to Jaden, but he was happy to pay it to file his tax return when of TurboTax for the iPad told him that he was getting a pretty sweet refund. He wasn’t: the app gave bad info and he wasn’t eligible for any refunds due to being on Social Security, which isn’t taxed. Well, boo. That’s where the real challenge comes in: getting the refund from Apple. Or Intuit. Or Apple. Or is it Intuit? [More]
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Legislation Would Prevent IRS From Providing Pre-Filled Tax Returns
In 2002, when the IRS and the tax-prep software industry created Free File, which gives consumers with simple tax returns the ability to file electronically without being charged, the IRS agreed to not provide its own “free, online tax return preparation and filing services to taxpayers.” That arrangement is expiring, so some lawmakers (with a bit of money from tax-prep companies in their pockets) are seeking to make it permanent. [More]
![Why Is TurboTax Asking Me For A Donation?](../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/turbocash.jpg?w=165&h=149&crop=1)
Why Is TurboTax Asking Me For A Donation?
Well, that headline is a little disingenuous. We know exactly why. K. filed his federal return using the free e-file service through Intuit’s TurboTax. It nagged him to upgrade to the paid service here and there during the process, which you expect when using any free service. What he didn’t expect was a pop-up with Lisa the Friendly Accountant acting like a public radio host during pledge drive week. “Intuit is a multi-billion dollar corporation,” he pointed out in his e-mail to Consumerist. “I just found this a bit greedy.” [More]
![TurboTax Eats Tax Return, Apologizes With Free Software](../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/taxes5.jpg?w=180&h=120&crop=1)
TurboTax Eats Tax Return, Apologizes With Free Software
Here’s a story about TurboTax that is at least a little bit heartwarming. Tyler filled out all of his tax information on the TurboTax website, and paid for an extra upgrade to save himself some data entry for his investments. But somehow, the TurboTax servers ate his 2010 return, and the information was nowhere to be found. He steeled himself for a long wait on the phone and a vicious fight with rude Intuit representatives, but that’s not what happened. [More]