FTC bans TurboTax from advertising ‘free’ services, calls it deceptive | CNN Business
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The Federal Trade Commission ruled in a final order and opinion Monday that TurboTax, the popular tax filing software, engaged in deceptive advertising and banned the company from advertising its services for free unless it is free for all customers.

The Federal Trade Commission ruled in a final order and opinion Monday that TurboTax, the popular tax filing software, engaged in deceptive advertising and banned the company from advertising its services for free unless it is free for all customers.

By running ads for “free” tax services that many customers were not qualified for, the tax filing software violated the FTC Act and deceived consumers, the agency said.

The FTC had first sued Intuit, TurboTax’s owner, for its deceptive advertising in 2022. The FTC staff alleged most tax filers couldn’t use the company’s “free” services — “such as those who get a 1099 form for work in the gig economy, or those who earn farm income.” TurboTax advertising their products as free misled those customers, according to the FTC.

  • @JCreazy@midwest.socialEnglish
    35•10 months ago

    I stopped using TurboTax the year they charged me extra because I had student loans. Also IRS, if you want the money so bad, send me the bill you lazy fucks.

    • @Ranvier@sopuli.xyz
      26•10 months ago

      For now, don’t forget there is this website (if you make $79,000 or less):

      https://www.irs.gov/filing/free-file-do-your-federal-taxes-for-free

      Also the IRS has been prevented from doing what you want in the past thanks to lobbying by companies like Intuit/H&R block (I’m sure the IRS would prefer a direct method too). Hopefully that’s changing soon though, they’ve started a direct file pilot this year:

      https://www.irs.gov/about-irs/strategic-plan/direct-file

    • ReallyKinda
      8•10 months ago

      I think I had two w-2s one year and it wasn’t until the end of the process that they told me it would cost so I grabbed a blank paper return from the library (no printer!) and copied the details over and mailed it in myself. Fuck you Intuit.

      Friendly reminder to denigrate Intuit to your friends and coworkers and avoid Mint, Quickbooks, Kredit Karma, Mailchimp, and Turbotax.

      • @theangryseal@lemmy.world
        4•10 months ago

        My uncle has been using quickbooks for so long that I can’t imagine getting him on anything else. It’s already a nightmare when they force an update for payroll functionality.

        The last time I had to upgrade it, they made it difficult to find the version you just buy and redirected me every way they could to the subscription service. I finally got it.

        I’d be horrified to switch him to anything else. He’s still freaking out 5 times a week because he can’t find “My Computer”. He finally started adjusting to “Computer” and now it’s “This PC”.