Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

FTC bans TurboTax from advertising 'free' services, calls deceptive advertising

cnn.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

31–40 of 268 posts

Re: FTC bans TurboTax from advertising 'free' services, calls deceptive advertising

#31

Post by AdieuToLogic »

avalys wrote: post #18
jjulius wrote: post #14

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"?

> Do you get upset at criminal defense lawyers who defend people who are obviously guilty ...

This is an obvious Straw man[0] fallacy.

Intuit is a corporation engaged in lobbying efforts in order to retain and/or expand its market-share and not an individual needing representation in a criminal indictment.

Unless your position is that Intuit corporate officers should be criminally prosecuted, which, if that is the case, I apologize for my misunderstanding and can see your point.

0 - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Straw_man

Re: FTC bans TurboTax from advertising 'free' services, calls deceptive advertising

#32

Post by daft_pink »

rconti wrote: post #27

I've only ever used the installable version of TurboTax, and I knew up front that I'd have to pay for CA filing. 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…

You knew you would have to pay for the ca version, but did you know how much you had to pay at the beginning. I buy the disk at Costco every year and feel the pricing is anything but transparent and they are very misleading. It includes the state free but only paper file and $10 credit for a mystery price state return

Re: FTC bans TurboTax from advertising 'free' services, calls deceptive advertising

#33

Post by [deleted] »

coloneltcb wrote: post #3

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.

[deleted]

Re: FTC bans TurboTax from advertising 'free' services, calls deceptive advertising

#34

Post by [deleted] »

linsomniac wrote: post #21
mportela wrote: post #17

Any recommendations on how to really file taxes for free (federal and state)?

I've been using https://www.freetaxusa.com/ the last couple years and plan to continue this year. It is free for Federal (though I usually pay for an upgrade), and state is $15. The only option I know of for free state is to do the forms manually.

[deleted]

Re: FTC bans TurboTax from advertising 'free' services, calls deceptive advertising

#35

Post by dmoy »

mportela wrote: post #17

Any recommendations on how to really file taxes for free (federal and state)?

If your income is low enough, all of the main tools

If not, then federal free through FreeTaxUSA. Depending on your state, the state taxes manually via PDF + paper may be extremely quick - like five or so lines, and a single table lookup.

Re: FTC bans TurboTax from advertising 'free' services, calls deceptive advertising

#36

Post by AdieuToLogic »

z3ugma wrote: post #24
mportela wrote: post #17

Any recommendations on how to really file taxes for free (federal and state)?

The most scam-sounding federal government website ever, Free File Fillable Forms https://www.irs.gov/e-file-providers/free-file-fillable-form...

Another program the IRS is rolling out is called "Direct File"[0]:

  In 2024, we're launching a new pilot tax filing service
  called Direct File. If you're eligible and choose to
  participate, file your 2023 federal tax return online,
  for free, directly with IRS.
It appears to be limited to a handful of states thus far.

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

Re: FTC bans TurboTax from advertising 'free' services, calls deceptive advertising

#37

Post by ang_cire »

colordrops wrote: post #16
WesternWind wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No, they are a tech company, they produce software for their main product. Like a lot of companies, tech and not, they use their power and resources to keep their position. The difference is that their actual competitor is the government. But that's also a big part of why private healthcare is way too expensive in the US, for worse results than other places.

It's a game of semantics. The other commenter's meaning is that a "tech company" would produce valuable tech that wouldn't otherwise exist. Intuit uses tech to do the opposite. McDonalds uses tech too, but they aren't a tech company.

McDonald's main product is not a piece of software. Intuit's is.

Re: FTC bans TurboTax from advertising 'free' services, calls deceptive advertising

#38

Post by chad_strategic »

WheelsAtLarge wrote: post #13

Finally, something is being done. Paying taxes should be free for most people. Especially if you only have to deal with the standard deductions.

I came here to say the above. But let me add the following… Intuit is a criminal lobbying organization.
Post reply on HN