West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey announced that consumers who were tricked by TurboTax’s owner Intuit into paying for free tax services will begin receiving checks from a $728,699.97 settlement — part of a nationwide $141 million multistate settlement announced in May 2022.
Approximately 4.4 million consumers nationwide will receive checks in the mail from the multistate settlement. Eligible consumers will be contacted by email about the settlement. Checks will be mailed throughout this month.
“This company allegedly took money from consumers who thought they were getting the service for free,” Morrisey said. “This agreement will put this company, as well as others who are engaging in this practice, in check.”
The multimillion-dollar settlement was announced last May. The investigation found Intuit deceived millions of low-income Americans into paying for tax services that should have been free. All 50 states and the District of Columbia signed onto the agreement.
Eligible consumers include those who paid to file their federal tax returns through TurboTax for tax years 2016, 2017 and 2018 but were eligible to file for free through the IRS Free File Program. Consumers who are eligible for a payment will be notified by email by the settlement fund administrator, Rust Consulting. These consumers will receive a check in the mail automatically, without filing a claim. Checks are expected to be mailed out starting next week.
The amount each consumer receives will be based on the number of tax years for which they qualify. Most consumers are expected to receive between $29 and $30.
For more about who is covered by the settlement and information about the settlement fund, visit AGTurboTaxSettlement.com.
