So I go to file my taxes yesterday and I go to taxfreedom.com which is supposed to be free for active duty military. I fill out all the info and the site uses TurboTax to prepare my return. When I get done it asked how I would like to make payment of $24.95. I called the customer support line to find out why it is asking for payment because it is supposed to be free. The customer support representative picks up the phone and I can barely understand her, so I ask what country she is in and she says India. So she's asking all kinds of questions but I can't understand a word she's saying, so I ask to speak to an american and she says there aren't any. I got mad and ended the conversation and tried to figure it out on my own. I called back after I couldn't figure it out and got a guy in India that spoke a little better english. He told me that in order for it to be free, I couldn't receive a direct deposit for my return. So I go back and select the mail check option and it asked for payment of $39.95 for preparation fees.

Either way, it's not free... I would either have to pay the direct deposit fee of $24.95 or the preparation fee of $39.95. The part that really got me angry was the fact that they are sourcing their customer support reps from another country! I absolutely refuse to give TurboTax any of my money, because they lied about the free e-file and don't even support the american economy with jobs regarding amercian taxes.

 

Damn, sounds like you just out sourced your private info to a foreign national. I don't think Turbotax is the problem here. It's that outfit you went to to do your taxes. If you don't mind me asking, why didn't you just do them yourself?

I have been using turbotax for years because I have a farm, large family and a couple of side businesses. I started doing them myself because those companies that do them are legally responsible for errors they make, so they always err on the side of the government. In other words, they don't do their best to get all you have coming back if you've overpaid your taxes.

Do you have any legal recourse?

 

The site taxfreedom.com is sponsored by TurboTax. The only purpose of the site is to pre-qualify you for the free e-filing (i.e. military). Then it directs you straight to TurboTax and is supposed to be 100% free. I know how to do taxes, but it's a lot quicker & easier to do it online and e-file. The people in India were TurboTax employees. I didn't pay for the service because they advertised it for free (I had no problems last year) and the employees aren't even americans.

 

if you E-file it will cost you. if you print out the forms and mail them in it is only the cost of postage and you can still get the refund directly deposited. i just did my taxes a couple days ago with turbo tax. your military deal may be different but that is how it works normally

 

Screw the PC, I have complicated taxes, and do it the old fashion way. There is no advantage to using the internet or turbotax programs. These programs aren't worth the plastic the disk is made with.
The only reason H&R Block, turbotax, and other "do your tax return" schemes,
make any money is because people are anxious about filing the return.
It is basic reading, writing and arithmetic, please don't tell me you can't get it up for one return per year.

 

If you want to do your taxes online try www.taxslayer.com I have used them for a few years and they seem alright, offer free filing to active duty military members and do not use turbo tax. Also, thank you for your sevice

 

on order for your tax preperation to be free, you have to make less that $50k, and you have to go through the irs website www.irs.gov otherwise you pay for tax prep online

 

For people like me, who don't have a lot of income, and file a 1040ez, the free TurboTax prep is pretty sweet. I had mine done PDQ last year.

 

I e-filed this year and was upset at the e-filing fee. I payed $11k in federal taxes and I have topay to submit it. I pissed and moaned for a bit and paid the $14.95 charge if you put in on a credit card. The other option was deduct it from my refund, at the cost of $24.95 with some sort or filing rebate.

Good news is I got my refund direct deposited in 9 days.

 

I like the internet for getting copies of the forms I need.

 

hope you didnt type that on a dell

 

I was using turbotax the other nightand was itemizing my deductions. O the deduction page I totaled $11230.00 - hit "continue" then they told me that since my deductions were less that $10,000.00 ( they came up with $5,200.00) I should use the standard one. I was confused by this and went to tech support which promptly let me know I was in the que - number 67 @3:30 pm- after four hours I had made it to number eleven then was kicked out. came back as # 69.Never even got to India.

 

Try going to www.irs.gov there are some links to free online tax prep websites, I have used them for the last two years. Last year I tried the free military tax filing from the turbo tax website and they wanted to charge me, then I went to the irs site and link to turbo tax and it was free. If you are in the military there is usually a Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) on most bases, usually at the base legal office, that can help you e-file your taxes for free.

GSMC(SW)