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Any recommendations on how to really file taxes for free (federal and state)?
I thought it was a funny commercial because 37% doesn't seem like a lot and Turbotax is portraying it as the average person will identify themselves as part of that 37% even though that is not too far off form just 1/3 people so a minority of people.
It was one of the few times I saw a company blatantly lean into the negatives in their fine print and just outright tell you its good.
Any recommendations on how to really file taxes for free (federal and state)?
Any recommendations on how to really file taxes for free (federal and state)?
Earlier quoted context omitted.
We can be upset at politicians for "selling out" to the lobbyists. We can be upset at lobbyists for pushing things that they know aren't in the best interests of consumers. We can be upset at businesses for wanting to take advantage of consumers for their own gain. All of these can be true at the same time.
Do you get upset at criminal defense lawyers who defend people who are obviously guilty (i.e. by getting clear and convincing evidence disqualified because of a procedural error?) Or, would you say something like "The outcomes are not perfect but that's how the system works and stays as fair as possible for everyone"?
And the idea that things are "as fair as possible for everyone" in this particular (read: Intuit) scenario is laughable at best.
Intuit is an embarrassment of a tech company. Instead of innovating in software, they've invested infinitely more in lobbying to keep tax-filing complex and in creating new and innovative dark patterns to obscure their (federally mandated, btw) free product.
Intuit also produces Quickbooks -- which actually is SMB accounting software, and used internationally. As most of their revenue is from businesses who wouldn't easily be able to free-file, I wouldn't be surprised if Intuit's lobbying to prevent a free tax filing offering from the government was causing them more harm than good.
How transparent is the web site version? Do you have to spend an hour entering all your tax info just to find out that you'll have to pay to file? Or are they pretty good about notifying you up front?
In the paid installable version, I can still print out my CA tax return and mail it in to avoid paying the e-filing fee, but I'm not sure how that works with the web version, either.
I just saw an TurboTax Ad where a guy was like "I Like free stuff" and then it said he was "happy to read the disclaimer" on TurboTax and see that "Roughly 37% of taxpayers qualify" which he looks thoughtfully in the distance and says "Thats me!" I thought it was a funny commercial because 37% doesn't seem like a lot and Turbotax is portraying it as the average person will identify themselves as part of that 37% even…
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Intuit also produces Quickbooks -- which actually is SMB accounting software, and used internationally. As most of their revenue is from businesses who wouldn't easily be able to free-file, I wouldn't be surprised if Intuit's lobbying to prevent a free tax filing offering from the government was causing them more harm than good.
And now QuickBooks is also a bank? Offering checking accounts? I suspect they’ve just partnered with a real bank to do so but the brand confusion is off the charts.
Any recommendations on how to really file taxes for free (federal and state)?