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TurboTax Tricked You into Paying to File Your Taxes (2019)

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Re: TurboTax Tricked You into Paying to File Your Taxes (2019)

#21

Post by klmadfejno »

I used to say turbo tax wasn't that bad, and that free filing was easy if you just ignored their promises to save you money if you upgraded.

Last year however I got all the way to the end of the process where they revealed I made too much and had to pay. That felt extremely unethical, as the information required to come to that conclusion was available far earlier in the process.

And yet what am I going to do but use turbo tax again. The perceived risk and effort of using a non-automated system to fill them out doesn't seem worth the cost.

Re: TurboTax Tricked You into Paying to File Your Taxes (2019)

#22

Post by grayhatter »

Kneecaps07 wrote: post #16

I've been using the same non-free service for filing because it saves my info from the previous year and that simplifies the whole process. Filing the federal is free, and they charge something like $30 for filing state. I'm ok with paying it for the time-savings.

I'm okay with paying for tax services as well, I'm not okay with the lies deceit and technological restrictions to prevent people who would benefit from free tax filing from accessing it.

Re: TurboTax Tricked You into Paying to File Your Taxes (2019)

#23

Post by deeeeplearning »

qnk wrote: post #9
grayhatter wrote: post #2

We're sorry the answer to "why can't we have nice things" wasn't [political party], it was lobbyists . Lobbyists is the answer to, "why can't we have nice things"!

Honest question, how is lobbying different from bribery? Lobbyists go to Washington, spend fortunes on taking lawmakers to fancy dinners and then get away with what they want. Maybe I don't understand the process and am oversimplifying it, but that's how I see it.

> how is lobbying different from bribery?

Oh, that's easy. Lobbying is legal, bribery isn't.

Re: TurboTax Tricked You into Paying to File Your Taxes (2019)

#24

Post by grecy »

randrews wrote: post #12
civilized wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It speaks poorly of some on HN that you would be downvoted for making this argument, which is based on well-known, documented facts. Are there Intuit shills lurking this site?

It's because his comment is essentially "Republicans are evil and the US should be more like Europe." Even if you agree with that, by now you're probably tired of seeing it on every single thread everywhere.

I think his comment is more like "Lobbying is evil, and is the same as bribery, and has the same outcomes". (i.e. Rich people and companies get laws that are favourable to them)

Bribery (lobbying) should be banned - for all political parties.

Re: TurboTax Tricked You into Paying to File Your Taxes (2019)

#26

Post by mrfusion »

Kneecaps07 wrote: post #16

I've been using the same non-free service for filing because it saves my info from the previous year and that simplifies the whole process. Filing the federal is free, and they charge something like $30 for filing state. I'm ok with paying it for the time-savings.

Which service? And what happens if your state doesn’t have income tax?

Re: TurboTax Tricked You into Paying to File Your Taxes (2019)

#27

Post by klmadfejno »

randrews wrote: post #12
civilized wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It speaks poorly of some on HN that you would be downvoted for making this argument, which is based on well-known, documented facts. Are there Intuit shills lurking this site?

It's because his comment is essentially "Republicans are evil and the US should be more like Europe." Even if you agree with that, by now you're probably tired of seeing it on every single thread everywhere.

If there are any republican commentators willing to defend this policy I'd love to hear their reasoning. This one does seem, almost objectively, evil imo.

Re: TurboTax Tricked You into Paying to File Your Taxes (2019)

#28

Post by jjcon »

qnk wrote: post #9
grayhatter wrote: post #2

We're sorry the answer to "why can't we have nice things" wasn't [political party], it was lobbyists . Lobbyists is the answer to, "why can't we have nice things"!

Honest question, how is lobbying different from bribery? Lobbyists go to Washington, spend fortunes on taking lawmakers to fancy dinners and then get away with what they want. Maybe I don't understand the process and am oversimplifying it, but that's how I see it.

People only hear about lobbying in a bad light but the truth is they are vitally essential - not all lobbying is back room dealing - the vast majority of it is basically advising. When you call your senator you would be lobbying on behalf of a cause.

If the government wanted to put a back door in encryption, who is it that tells them why that’s a bad idea? Quite often, lobbyists (in this case on Behalf of companies whose security would be compromised). Industries organize lobbyists to advocate for themselves because politicians can’t possibly understand all the ramifications of the laws they pass.

There are definitely issues with organized lobbying but the alternatives are lacking.

Re: TurboTax Tricked You into Paying to File Your Taxes (2019)

#30

Post by rconti »

Funny anecdote, I've been using TurboTax installable for a decade or so (having given up on doing them completely by hand).

Been considering hiring a professional because you always hear that they are worth their weight in gold. (Our tax situation is not particularly complicated though, typical Silicon Valley married homeowners).

Well, last year, did everything in turbotax, said we were short by like 15k. Believable, BTDT before, but didn't want to believe it. Hired an accountant on a recommendation. She did all our stuff, came up with a bill, turned out we owned $500 more than TurboTax said.

Okay, paid it.

2 months later, get a check from the IRS, we overpaid by $500. Yup, TurboTax had it right all along!

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