Intuit Inc., the maker of TurboTax, is leaving an IRS program that offers millions of Americans the ability to file their taxes for free. For years th

TurboTax Maker Intuit Opts Out of IRS Free File Program

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2021-07-16 18:30:06

Intuit Inc., the maker of TurboTax, is leaving an IRS program that offers millions of Americans the ability to file their taxes for free.

For years the federal government has partnered with a cohort of private companies on the Free File program, which makes free online tax preparation and electronic filing services available to individuals who make $72,000 or less a year. The departure of Intuit marks a second major tax preparation company to leave the alliance: H&R Block exited in 2020.

Intuit, which participated in the program for nearly 20 years, said online this week it is leaving the program. The program’s limitations and demands from “those outside the program” means the company can’t continue to participate and “deliver all of the benefits that can help consumers make more money, save more, and invest for the future,” a blog post announcing the decision said.

The Free File program has drawn scrutiny in recent years, following a ProPublica investigation into companies, including Intuit and H&R Block, that hid free-filing options and steered customers toward paid products.