Product options ~ forced to upgrade

[theBelvedere]

I filed my tax return a week ago, as usual using TT.  However, I could not proceed at one point unless I upgraded to 'self employed' over the basic as that was all I required.  I was forced to upgrade to the higher cost, on a positive return for me, $0 owed.  Why was this and I'd like it adjusted back to my payment source.

[TurboTaxSusan]

If you've entered an amount from any of the boxes on the slips listed here, you have what the CRA considers to be self-employment or business income:

• T4 slip: box 81, 82 or 83
• T4A slip: box 20 or 48
• T4A slip: box 28 and you answered Yes to the question Does the income declared in Box 028 consist of fees collected for services you provided? in TurboTax Online
• T3 slip: box 24 (foreign business income)

If you have an amount in any of these boxes, TurboTax will ask additional questions to report the income as self-employment/business income. You only need to answer basic information, such as business name and address (can be your own), industry code, and fiscal period (Jan 01 to December 31). 

If you are still not able to resolve this issue, please contact our phone support team at 1-888-829-8608.

[theBelvedere]

I don't run or own a business.

Am a renter, not a rental income earner.

There is nil -0 - entered on lines 81 82 83 on my T4

There are NO T4A  figures reported or filed as I had no T4A slip this year. 

T3 has only 1 item, reported $10.90 in line 32/50

NONE of the noted boxes, referred to in your reply,  were populated with any  figures.

Something is not right about the process or fact that I had to pay in excess of what I should have for the service level needed. 

[TurboTaxBrenda1]

Unfortunately, because of your T3- it is covered only under our TurboTax Premier that is why it is having you upgrade.

Thank you for choosing TurboTax.

[theBelvedere · Accepted solution]

Well, after a google search, it's clear this is just feckhen bs from turbotax to gouge people for more money. This was a BASIC at one time and now, low income people, with even the most minor amount on a T3, not even related to foreign income, are being cheated.   SHAMEFUL AND MORE TOXIC CORPORATE BS. 

I'll be looking for another provider for the 2023 tax year.  Your admin responses show an utter lack of transparency and accountability for the fact that this was a conscious change on the part of turbotax to profit over people with simple, uncomplicated returns. 

nice cut and past message too from @TurboTaxSusan   Such a great display of low morals and scruples for the sake of an employers greed.  There's no added ability... it is a FORCED option for greed.
__
I agree with the people below who commented last year.

https://turbotax.community.intuit.ca/community/getting-started/discussion/re-turbotax-is-telling-me-....

March 14, 2022 10:31 AM

So, here's the resolution:

TurboTax Support Phone line said that Turbo Tax has downgraded the Deluxe product by transferring T3 and T5's to Premier for the 2021 tax year. This means that anyone with T3s and T5s will have to pay an extra 75% cost to upgrade to Premier. Wow!  Way more than inflation increases. What is Turbotax thinking???????

‎March 26, 2022 9:18 AM

 

Just got off the phone with TurboTax Support.  They confirmed that they are charging more for the same services (example T3)  that used to be included in the basic (now called deluxe) version.    So yes, we have to upgrade to enter T3.

Would have been nice if these changes were explained before entering most of my income tax data.   This is called "bait and switch" in the sales business.  

‎March 26, 2022 10:10 AM

 

Yes, pretty disappointing that's for sure. I will be looking at alternatives next year. 

‎March 26, 2022 4:05 PM

 

Yup, bait and switch. Slimy unethical business practice. 

‎February 18, 2023 9:26 AM

 

This was driving me crazy as I couldn't see any "locked" items selected. Eventually it turned out that the checkbox for T5 under investment income was selected (copied from previous year), but this was not visible as the parent item "investment income" was unselected! So to undo this you have to select the checkbox for investment income, unselect the T5 (or whatever) and then deselect investment income again. It's almost as if they want to browbeat you into paying for a higher priced product you don't need ...

[ThisTaxSoftwareSucks]

Old post, I know, but this helped me see how awful TurboTax is.

Kept saying "I needed to upgrade" over and over, even tho none of my items were "locked". What a waste of time.

[TurboTaxBrenda]

Thank you for your feedback. If it keeps asking you to upgrade when it is not necessary—it may be asking if you'd like to upgrade to our TurboTax Assist & Review—you can refuse it and continue on. However, if it is telling you that you MUST upgrade and you don't need to, we would recommend that you call in to our support team so that they can view your screen and assist you further. 

Thank you for choosing TurboTax.