Fidelity free Turbotax offer

[audreyh1]

It started with Vanguard. They were the first to offer free TurboTax to their high balance customers. After a couple of years Fidelity also offered the perk for their high balance customers. Not much later Vanguard decided to drop the perk. At that point Fidelity kept it but made it much more selective.

 

[NameTaken2]

It started with Vanguard. They were the first to offer free TurboTax to their high balance customers. After a couple of years Fidelity also offered the perk for their high balance customers. Not much later Vanguard decided to drop the perk. At that point Fidelity kept it but made it much more selective.

Yes-
That promo worked well for Quicken when Vanguard dropped the perk and I then became a paying customer.

 

[djsander]

I must be at the bottom of the barrel for private client group. This year they didn’t even put the 20% discount on my summary or portfolio page. I had to search for it. The rep I spoke with which I mentioned in an earlier post didn’t even know about it.

 

[copyright1997reloaded]

It’s on your portfolio summary page on the website.

Thanks.

I am "Active Trader Services" which states:

Trades: 120+ stock, ETF, or option trades in the past 12 months
Portfolio Value: $250,000 or complex trading needs

Well, I guess T-Bill and CD purchases count as there is no way I've done 120+ stock/option trades in the last 12 months. I think I did ONE (maybe two) option trades, maybe 20-25 stock/etf trades. Lot's of T-Bill/CD trades (just about every week and sometimes multiples per week.)

I think "before" (in past months at some point) I remember it stating private client group.

 

[Alex The Great]

I always got some 10% off TT desktop and nothing with TT Online through Fidelity before. Last two years, I ended up buying TT Premium desktop version 20% off on Amazon. But at this time, I checked and they offer a link for TT Online Premium with free federal and state tax return. I have over $1M invested with them but I do not use any paid service from them. Anyway I followed the link and signed into the TT Online at Intuit. I also saved the link as a bookmark.

Now I have a question: how do I need to access this account next time to make sure I finally get Fidelity's offer when file taxes? Do I need to use this link all the time or I can just do normal login through Intuit (assuming account somehow has been already associated with the offer)? It would be nice if someone can advise on this.

 

[JoeWras]

Every year we have this discussion. It always ends with people complaining that they'll quit Fidelity because of it. LOL!

All over $60.

Vanguard doesn't have it. Neither does Schwab. So good luck.

What Fidelity DOESN'T have are best in class money-market or settlement funds. Vanguard wins here. The difference between SPAXX and VMFXX, for example, are significant. About 0.3% right now. That's likely hundreds of dollars per year for many of us.

This is not an accident. Fidelity has to pay the bills somehow.

I'm a Fido fan-boy right now, but I recognize that VG has some advantages. As for the Turbo Tax thing: it was a nice surprise this year, but it never greatly bothered me in the past that I didn't get it.

 

[braumeister]

But at this time, I checked and they offer a link for TT Online Premium with free federal and state tax return. I have over $1M invested with them but I do not use any paid service from them. Anyway I followed the link and signed into the TT Online at Intuit. I also saved the link as a bookmark.

If you read the page closely, you should see two links, one for the online (free) version, and one for the download ($5) version. You have to follow those links into Intuit to get the deal.

 

[tdv2]

Downloaded my $5 copy....

 

[Alex The Great]

If you read the page closely, you should see two links, one for the online (free) version, and one for the download ($5) version. You have to follow those links into Intuit to get the deal.

Thank you. I followed the link for online version and signed into the existing Intuit account I have through that link. I did a few things there and signed out. Next time I'd probably sign in directly on Intuit (without using the Fidelity link). Would I still have the deal on my account? Sorry for too many questions but I'm not very familiar with TT Online version.

 

[braumeister]

I only use the download version, so I can't really answer that.

 

[MichaelB]

I was unable to find the TurboTax free/$5 offer from my Intuit account, even after following the link from Fidelity. To get it it signed out of Intuit and clicked on the Fidelity link a second time. The free/$5 option was offered and selected before logging into Intuit.

 

[Alex The Great]

I was unable to find the TurboTax free/$5 offer from my Intuit account, even after following the link from Fidelity. To get it it signed out of Intuit and clicked on the Fidelity link a second time. The free/$5 option was offered and selected before logging into Intuit.

I did not locate any traces of the deal in Intuit account, after following the online deal link first time. Therefore tried to follow the Fidelity link second time. At this time, it magically say free federal, state additional. Decided to proceed with $5 desktop version. Downloaded, installed and activated without any issues. Something is tricky about TT online deal.

 

[Dabbler]

Offer appeared at the bottom of my Summary page today. Followed the links, for the free (Federal) online version . . . but, within my account, was no sign of discount.



Perhaps because I had already started my return last week? Researching the snafu from within TurboTax turned up the caveat that Intuit agents are unable to adjust fees, along with the suggestion to delete cookies, and try once more.



Which did not work. Neither did using a different browser, or different laptop — to go back to square one, and start all over again. (Even tried using a different username)


Anyone have a quick — or not so quick — fix?

 

[Dabbler]

Now getting a "401" error to the "partner." (Could they be fixing something?)


Meanwhile, although it states "Fidelity is pleased to offer you a free federal and state tax return using TurboTax Online Premium" the Premium offer clearly says (at least on my screen) "State Additional" . . .

 

[easysurfer]

No TT offer for me.

I'll be waiting for when TT prices drop post Christmas on Amazon .

 

[jazz4cash]

What are they charging for the state return software?

 

[FiveDriver]

I had a phone call with a Fidelity Rep last week, just to confirm my RMD directions for 2024. During the call, I asked him about their Intuit offer.

He said one of the requirements is to be an Active Trader.

"What qualifies as Active Trader status," says I.

"You need 120+ Trades per year," he answers.

I transferred $150K into the QQQ's this past January. Looks like I should have transferred $1 per trade.
Dollar Cost Averaging.....One Dollar at a time !!

I'll wait for the TT Deluxe version to go on sale post-Christmas. I don't need their State Tax add-on. Our SC State Tax is relatively simple. I can copy the basic numbers from this year's FED Form and use last year's State Form as a guide/

 

[copyright1997reloaded]

I had a phone call with a Fidelity Rep last week, just to confirm my RMD directions for 2024. During the call, I asked him about their Intuit offer.

He said one of the requirements is to be an Active Trader.

"What qualifies as Active Trader status," says I.

"You need 120+ Trades per year," he answers.

I transferred $150K into the QQQ's this past January. Looks like I should have transferred $1 per trade.
Dollar Cost Averaging.....One Dollar at a time !!

I'll wait for the TT Deluxe version to go on sale post-Christmas. I don't need their State Tax add-on. Our SC State Tax is relatively simple. I can copy the basic numbers from this year's FED Form and use last year's State Form as a guide/

Yep. One share here, one share there. When buying a new CD/T-Bill, you could also put in multiple orders (for lower amounts). Heck, if I wanted to meet the 120 trades on purpose, I could do that in a day (or two to close out the positions).

 

[mrfeh]

I had a phone call with a Fidelity Rep last week, just to confirm my RMD directions for 2024. During the call, I asked him about their Intuit offer.

He said one of the requirements is to be an Active Trader.

"What qualifies as Active Trader status," says I.

"You need 120+ Trades per year," he answers.

Yeah, that's incorrect. I never come close to that and have received the offer about 6 years in a row now.

After reading this (and bogleheads) threads on the subject every year, we should all just accept that it's a big mystery.

 

[mrfeh]

What are they charging for the state return software?

The software doesn't cost anything (above the $5). They charge you to e-file.

Something like $25, IIRC.

 

[Dabbler]

What are they charging for the state return software?

Without any official Fidelity imprimatur (despite clicking through, unsuccessfully, for their FREE Premium offer) I do seem to be getting some sort of minor discount: 20% off Federal, and $20 off State. Respectively, $71.20 (instead of $89) and $39 (instead of $59).

 

[FiveDriver]

Yep. One share here, one share there. When buying a new CD/T-Bill, you could also put in multiple orders (for lower amounts). Heck, if I wanted to meet the 120 trades on purpose, I could do that in a day (or two to close out the positions).

Ha-Ha !! We'll fix their wagon !

The TT Deluxe download will import the Fido Interest/Divi data. Our Taxes are simple this year -- no ACA, no Cap Gains/Losses.

 

[audreyh1]

I had a phone call with a Fidelity Rep last week, just to confirm my RMD directions for 2024. During the call, I asked him about their Intuit offer.

He said one of the requirements is to be an Active Trader.

"What qualifies as Active Trader status," says I.

"You need 120+ Trades per year," he answers.

I transferred $150K into the QQQ's this past January. Looks like I should have transferred $1 per trade.
Dollar Cost Averaging.....One Dollar at a time !!

I'll wait for the TT Deluxe version to go on sale post-Christmas. I don't need their State Tax add-on. Our SC State Tax is relatively simple. I can copy the basic numbers from this year's FED Form and use last year's State Form as a guide/

Active Trader is only one of the ways to qualify. Most of us are not.

 

[braumeister]

From the Finance Buff's site:

Having large accounts probably helps but it doesn’t guarantee it. Some people with 5-figure accounts get the offer and some people with 7-figure accounts don’t get it.
Being in the “Private Client Group” and having an assigned advisor may help but it doesn’t guarantee it either. Some people receive the offer without an assigned advisor or the Private Client Group status and some people still don’t get the offer even though they have the Private Client Group status and an assigned advisor.
Having a taxable account isn’t required either. Some people get the offer with only retirement accounts and some people with a large taxable account still don’t get it.
There’s quite a degree of randomness and mystery in who gets the free TurboTax offer and who doesn’t.

One other wrinkle: One year I didn't get the offer, even though I expected it. But when DW logged in, it was right there despite her never having seen it in the past.

 

[audreyh1]

Yeah, when we got a new advisor the offer switched to my account probably because I was the one who’d talked to him.