Intuit CEO Brad Smith is sorry.
The Great TurboTax Revolt of 2015 was successful: after changing the features available to users of different tiers of the income tax return software, customers made their rage clear, and Intuit relented. They rolled back the change for future editions and offered a free upgrade to users this year. If you’re in a hurry to file your taxes, that upgrade will come on February 7.
Last year, Intuit made some changes to which tax forms are included in each tier of the online version of their popular TurboTax program. There wasn’t much of a fuss then, but this year, Intuit changed the tiers for the venerable desktop version of TurboTax so they align with the online versions.
Customers bought the versions they were used to, and then were prompted to upgrade their purchase. They were not pleased to see a $40 in-program upgrade, learning that they would need to upgrade to the Premier version to include some relatively common transactions in their returns. These include stock sales or rental properties. Self-employed taxpayers would need to use the pricier Home & Small Business version, even if they were able to fill out a full Schedule C in the past as part of their return using the Deluxe version.
Customers revolted, mostly by using the tool of one-star Amazon reviews of the products. Intuit reminded media outlets and their customers that only 20% of users are still purchasing the desktop version of TurboTax, with the rest filing online or using mobile or tablet apps. However, that’s still a substantial enough number of people that H&R Block made a play to steal those customers from Intuit, offering free copies of their comparable desktop tax software to TurboTax customers.
TurboTax offered customers who bought the Deluxe version last year (for their 2013 tax returns) a $25 rebate, but that still didn’t placate everyone: the upgrade, after all, cost more than $25, and they wouldn’t receive the rebate for some time. People who returned their software wouldn’t receive an immediate refund, either.
Customers who had purchased the Deluxe version last year (for their 2013 tax returns) are still entitled to a $25 rebate in addition to the free upgrade.
TurboTax sets date for free fix [USA Today]
by Laura Northrup via Consumerist
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