Tax Act TaxAct TaxACT Taxact.com TaxACT deceptive practice: Charges extra $15.95 Internet
When using TaxACT, which is actually a pretty good program, they will ask you how you want your refund:
Paper check;
Direct deposit; or
Prepaid debit card*
*A 15.95 fee will be charged if you choose the debit card option
Here, look:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3651/3568702383_20532fb70b_o.jpg
What it doesn't tell you is that if you select Direct deposit, you'll still get hit with the $15.95 fee.
...sleazy.
Saucypuck
Oakland, California
U.S.A.
6 Updates & Rebuttals
Gabby
Fairborn,Ohio,
U.S.A.
free
#7Consumer Comment
Wed, February 10, 2010
I have used TaxAct for the past 2 years, had my refund direct deposited into my account, and have never paid them anything.
Saucypuck
Oakland,California,
U.S.A.
False
#7Author of original report
Mon, February 01, 2010
OK, I did some digging and here's the details:
Direct Deposit is free unless you're having the TaxACT's fee paid from that deposit, in which case there is, in fact, a $15.95 fee:
From Republic Bank's fine print:
You can file your tax return electronically and have Republic Bank (the "Bank") process your income tax refund. If you file your tax return electronically, the IRS can deposit your refund with the Bank. Upon receipt of your refund, the Bank will deduct $15.95 plus any fees and other amounts authorized by you including fees owed to your tax preparer for your tax return from your refund for an ERD to your bank account. The Bank will disburse the balance of your refund to you in as few as 8 to 15 days.
From TaxACT's support page from this year (one year later):
Please note: Paying your fees from your refund is an additional charge of $15.95. This amount will also be deducted from your refund along with any software fees.
Although I can't replicate the filing process from last year, I'm confident that it was not clear that I would be charged $15.95 in order to delay paying the $16.95 TaxACT fee for a couple weeks.
Why would anyone be willing to pay $32.90 in cash in 8-15 days instead of $15.95 on a credit card today? If that were clear, no one would use that 'feature'.
Saucypuck
Oakland,California,
U.S.A.
Not True
#7Author of original report
Mon, February 01, 2010
As you can see from the 2 comments from employee's below and the url of the picture in the body of my post, there should be no fee for direct deposit.
BravoGolfSierra
United States of AmericaLook at the Picture
#7UPDATE Employee
Sun, January 31, 2010
Even in the picture it says $15.95 fee will be charged for prepaid debit card. This fee does not even go to taxact it goes to the company that offers the debit card. Direct deposit is free.
Greg Hollingsworth
Cedar Rapids,Iowa,
U.S.A.
There is no charge for Direct Deposit of a refund
#7UPDATE Employee
Thu, May 28, 2009
Let me assure you that there are no fees associated with having your refund direct deposited into a checking or savings account at your bank. The $15.95 fee applies only if you choose to have your refund issued on a prepaid debit card. By selecting the direct deposit option you are telling the application to attach IRS Form 8888 to your return, in order to provide the IRS with the bank account information you provide. This is the exact same process that would be followed if the return was prepared by hand.
Again, I assure you that the only way to incur a fee for direct deposit is if you choose to receive your return on a prepaid debit card.
Ashley
Springfield,Missouri,
U.S.A.
Huh
#7Consumer Comment
Wed, May 27, 2009
I have used taxact to file my taxes for the last 6 years. Every year in the acceptance step it notifies you that there will be a charge for direct deposit.
At the very end when you go to PAY it tells you the fee before you pay it. You could always back out and recieve a paper check.