Did Geithner use Turbo Tax?  Maybe!

1 – They’re incompetent. They make mucho mistakes, they claim to check for errors, and they screw the pooch, for which you will wind up paying out the nose

I was a deployed Soldier in 2006 and 2007.  A Soldier deployed to a hazardous duty zone.  My now-ex husband used Turbo Tax to file our taxes for those two years.  He followed the instructions precisely, and Turbo Tax supposedly checked his work.  We got refunds for those two years.

Seven months ago, the state of Virginia contacted me and informed me that I owed them $1500.  That’s right - one thousand, five hundred dollars.  My first reaction was “WTF??????????”  My ex called the state Department of Taxation and was informed that Turbo Tax was wrong. We owed money, and they expected $1500 from us, including interest and fees.  My ex then called Turbo Tax, and they promised to carefully study the case and take care of the problem if the error was on their part.

After we sent them copies of all returns and all other relevant paperwork.

OK.  Fine.  The paperwork was sent.  They promised to get back to us in 6 weeks.  We waited.

On another note, I talked to my tax preparer this year, and he informed me that he corrects more mistakes on Turbo Tax returns than he cares to mention.  Would have been nice to know two years ago…

2 – They stall.  Turbo Tax people are much like health insurance companies. I think they just keep you hanging until you just get sick and tired of it all and quit harassing them.

We waited six months.  They did not get back to us.  In the meantime, I had arranged a payment schedule with the State of Virginia, and was dutifully making my payments, while awaiting an answer from Turbo Tax.  An answer that never came.

My ex finally called them to see what the problem was.  They claimed they never received one piece of paperwork.  They claimed they contacted him about it. They claimed they needed that piece of paper to process our case. 

He says he doesn’t remember receiving that communication.

OK… mistakes happen, I suppose.  So he dutifully dug up the one piece of paper they claim they needed and faxed it to them.

We waited again.

We’re still waiting.

He called.  Several times. They had him on hold for so long, he finally gave up.  He emailed them.  They claimed they never received the paperwork he faxed them.  From a government fax.  The kind that usually gives you a confirmation that your fax went through – at least every government fax I’ve ever used does.  This time they didn’t even bother claiming that they contacted us about the missing paperwork.  They did no such thing.

You know how your health insurance company will deny your claim, put you on hold when you call, give you the runaround, deny your claim again, and stall until you get sick and tired of dealing with them and just pay your bill?

Yeah.  That’s Turbo Tax.

3 – They lie. Their claims that they contacted us regarding this missing paperwork ring hollow, especially in light of the fact that the paperwork was faxed to them again from a government fax machine, and they still claim they don’t have it.  They didn’t bother contacting us, and I don’t believe they bothered the first time around either.

I realize that this is tax time, and they’re busy.  But you know what?  Customer service doesn’t end when their product is purchased and the taxes are filed.  We’re out $1500 because Turbo Tax screwed up, and then refused to take responsibility for their mistakes.

Instead they just choose to claim they never received the necessary paperwork and avoid accountability altogether.

Nice, Turbo Tax.  Real nice.

Well, since you refuse to deal with the problem you created, choosing instead to simply give us the runaround, I have news for you.

I will publish this publicly, and I will spread the links far and wide.  I’m not saying my little problem will bankrupt you.  I’m sure that’s not the case.  But I will certainly make sure that as many people as possible know how duplicitous, lying, pathetic and incompetent you people are.

Oh, and by the way, I’m apparently not the only one who has issues with Turbo Tax.

And apparently I’m not the only one who has had issues with the State Tax filing either.

In other words, Turbo Tax – YOU ARE REPULSIVE!

I’m beginning to think Tim Geithner had a good excuse.

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