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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsHah! Suck it, IRS! TurboTax Deliberately Hides Its Free File Page From Search Engines
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Well, the IRS is no longer offering free filings, and redirects folks to one of the major providers.
Here's Intuit's solution!
This week, we reported on how TurboTax uses deceptive design and misleading advertising to trick lower-income Americans into paying to file their taxes, even though they are eligible to do it for free.
Theres a new wrinkle: It turns out, Intuit, the maker of TurboTax, is deliberately hiding the truly free edition TurboTax Free File from Google Search.
Intuit has done that by adding code on its site telling Google and other search engines not to list TurboTax Free File in search results.
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The fact that TurboTax Free File is effectively hidden from Google could contribute to the low rate of use. While 70% of taxpayers are eligible for Free File options from TurboTax and other tax software products, just 3% of eligible taxpayers or fewer use them each year.
Under the Free File deal, Intuit and other companies pledged to work to increase electronic filing of tax returns, which includes extending the benefits of online federal tax preparation and electronic filing to economically disadvantaged and underserved populations at no cost.
https://crooksandliars.com/2019/04/turbotax-deliberately-hides-its-free-file
From the company that lobbies to make our tax filing over-complicated and expensive.
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Hoyt
(54,770 posts)Or search under "turbotax free file." Guess what, takes you straight there, after scrolling past two ads from competitors.
TheBlackAdder
(28,222 posts).
Not one of the top hits on the first page. All are steering to fee items.
One link mentions free, in it, but you have to register to continue.
DuckDuckGo, does give it as the first hit.
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Hoyt
(54,770 posts)When I search "turbotax freefile," the third hit is:
https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/2572617-what-s-the-difference-between-free-file-program-and-free-edition
Go there and click on the big blue box:
Not a TurboTax stockholder or anything, but I do get tired of conspiracy articles that aren't true, seeking hits.
Kaleva
(36,354 posts)Jake Stern
(3,145 posts)One of the first results is the IRS page listing free filing programs.
If folks looked for it they could find it easily.
My city has a program that brings in tax preparers who do the whole thing for free for seniors, disabled and certain low income filers (such as single parents). Check with the local library or an org like Area Agency on Aging for such programs.