Last year I filed my taxes for free as usual, with one change, I was on disability for part of the year. This year I was 100% on disability and a popup-up appeared saying that because I am under 25 years old the price of deluxe filing is $15 instead of $25. Of course I don't care because I always select free and it said I could select this option in the payment section. Continued on and no option to select or opt out of the deluxe appeared. I tried this three times and could never find a way to opt out of paying for deluxe. I called the help line and after a long winded conversation (explained the same thing many times in many ways) I took the initiative to start another return to show the call centre the popup page. Only then was I told that because I am on income assistance and have a non T4 slip, I have to get deluxe. This is clearly a new policy this year and I am baffled that the lowest income demographic in Canada (people on disability receive income well below the Canadian poverty line each year) is expected to pay for a previously free service. I personally will not be continuing to use turbo tax, and I will go back to paper returns even though my previous one was lost in the mail and I had to redo it.
Could you clarify which information slip you are receiving?
If you had any medical expenses, this would require an upgrade to allow you to claim additional credits not included in the free version. Please see the list below enumerating what is or is not included in the free version.
Simple tax returns include:
Employment income
Pension income
Other employment income such as tips
RRSP contributions
Child care expenses
COVID-19 benefits and re-payments
Unemployment (EI) and social assistance
Worker’s compensation
Disability amount
Worker’s benefit
Amount for eligible/infirm dependents
Tuition, scholarships, bursaries, grants, student loan interest
Caregiver tax credit
Disability transfer
Home accessibility tax credit
Tax on RESPs and RDSPs
Tax installment payments
Age amount
Income, credits, and deductions not listed above are not covered by TurboTax Free, including:
Employment expenses (meals, lodging, etc.)
Donations
Medical expenses
Investment income and expenses
Rental property income and expenses
Self-employed income and expenses
Thank you for choosing TurboTax.
I have only my disability amount, T5007, No medical expenses. According to your list I qualify for the free version, and yet I am forced to pay with no option to remain on the free version.
In order to help you with this situation, we believe your best option is to contact our telephone support team for further assistance, as they have the option to view your screen to help resolve the issue. To contact them, please follow this link: Contact Us.
Thank you for choosing TurboTax.
I already did, they said there was nothing they could do and that I have to pay. I am filing my taxes via paper this year. I am thoroughly disappointed in turbo tax and will not use your services in the future.