Turbotax freedom 2022 for free#
Turbotax freedom 2022 software#

When ProPublica pointed out that codifying the existing Free File agreement into law would permanently bar the IRS from creating its own free filing system, the bill got new scrutiny in Congress and the restriction on an IRS-created filing system was scrapped.

In previous statements, Intuit and H&R Block maintained that they support and encourage free tax filing options through Free File and other avenues within their businesses.Īs ProPublica reported on Intuit and the Free File program, government officials took note. Internal documents previously obtained by ProPublica show these strategies were intentional on the part of Intuit and H&R Block.

Turbotax freedom 2022 for free#

It added website code to block its Free File page from showing up in search engines and used manipulative marketing patterns to trick customers into paying for TurboTax even when they qualified for Free File. Intuit purposefully suppressed its own Free File product. That’s not all Intuit did to limit the scope of Free File. That’s why Intuit and other members of the industry spent millions through the years lobbying to preserve the Free File agreement, particularly the part that restricts the IRS from creating its own free filing system. Switching to such a system would devastate tax prep company profits. With a return-free filing system, the government fills out the tax forms with the information it already has, and taxpayers simply have to review the forms for accuracy. In return, the IRS agreed it would not create its own tax filing system that could compete with the tax prep companies.Ī government-run tax filing system, often known as return-free filing, is already a reality in many countries around the world. In 2002, Intuit, H&R Block and other tax prep companies signed a deal with the IRS to provide free tax filing services to millions of Americans. ProPublica has reported on Intuit and the Free File program since 2013.

Turbotax freedom 2022 software#

One of the biggest players is Intuit, the maker of TurboTax, one of the largest tax preparation software companies in the country. The story of the Free File program is long and twisting, and it can seem more like a fight against free tax filing than a fight for it. But this program has been historically underutilized, with just 4% of eligible Americans filing for free in 2021. Under the Free File agreement, Americans who make less than $73,000 per year should be able to file their taxes for free with one of the tax preparation companies that partners with the IRS. This story was originally published by ProPublica