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The filing states that Intuit promoted TurboTax as enabling consumers to file income tax returns for free, including “free” messaging in advertisements, while asserting that TurboTax is only free for certain users based on the tax forms and eligibility criteria they need. The complaint describes a “freemium” approach, restrictions on “simple” returns, and customer upgrade pressure to paid versions.",{"@graph":63,"@context":118},[64,80,101],{"@type":65,"itemListElement":66},"BreadcrumbList",[67,71,74,77],{"item":68,"name":69,"@type":70,"position":9},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",{"item":72,"name":10,"@type":70,"position":73},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/",2,{"item":75,"name":41,"@type":70,"position":76},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/letters/",3,{"item":78,"name":59,"@type":70,"position":79},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/intuit-inc-complaint-docket-no-9408/302744/",4,{"url":78,"name":59,"@type":81,"image":82,"author":87,"headline":59,"publisher":90,"fileFormat":93,"inLanguage":57,"description":61,"dateModified":94,"datePublished":95,"encodingFormat":93,"isAccessibleForFree":96,"interactionStatistic":97},"DigitalDocument",{"url":83,"@type":84,"width":85,"height":86},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/intuit-inc-complaint-docket-no-9408/302744.png","ImageObject",442,249,{"name":88,"@type":89},"Grenda","Person",{"url":68,"name":91,"@type":92},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-09-27","2026-09-19",true,{"@type":98,"interactionType":99,"userInteractionCount":79},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":100},"ViewAction",{"@type":102,"mainEntity":103},"FAQPage",[104,110,114],{"name":105,"@type":106,"acceptedAnswer":107},"Who is the respondent and what proceeding is this complaint filed in?","Question",{"text":108,"@type":109},"The respondent is Intuit Inc., and the complaint is filed before the Federal Trade Commission under Docket No. 9408.","Answer",{"name":111,"@type":106,"acceptedAnswer":112},"What is the complaint’s core allegation about TurboTax advertising?",{"text":113,"@type":109},"The complaint alleges that Intuit’s ads misrepresent that consumers can file their taxes for free using TurboTax, while only allowing free use for certain users depending on their needed tax forms.",{"name":115,"@type":106,"acceptedAnswer":116},"How does the complaint describe TurboTax’s “freemium” model and eligibility rules?",{"text":117,"@type":109},"It describes a “freemium” approach where TurboTax Free Edition is available only for consumers with defined “simple” tax returns, with other consumers required to upgrade to paid versions.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":78,"og:type":120,"og:title":59,"og:site_name":91,"og:description":61},"article",{"robots":122,"canonical":78},"index,follow",{"doc_id":124,"site_id":56},302744,1790048338,{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":127},{"doc_id":124,"user_id":128,"nickname":88,"user_avatar":129,"doc_module":9,"category_id":40,"category_name":41,"doc_title":59,"doc_description":61,"doc_content":130,"file_id":131,"file_url":132,"file_type":133,"file_size":134,"view_count":79,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":9,"is_downloadable":9,"audit_status":9,"page_count":135,"language":136,"language_code":57,"site_id":56,"html_lang":57,"table_of_contents":137,"faqs":138,"seo_title":139,"seo_description":61,"update_tm":140,"read_time":141},7971474921005,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_29158cc5080c5b710cf443261637dec0","192 3119  \nUNITED STATES OF AMERICA  \nBEFORE THE FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION  \nCOMMISSIONERS: Lina M. Khan, Chair  \nNoah Joshua Phillips  \nRebecca Kelly Slaughter  \nChristine S. Wilson  \nIn the Matter of:  \nIntuit Inc., a corporation.  \nDocket No. 9408  \nREDACTED PUBLIC VERSION  \nCOMPLAINT  \nThe Federal Trade Commission, having reason to believe that Intuit Inc., a corporation (“Respondent”), have violated the provisions of the Federal Trade Commission Act, and it appearing to the Commission that this proceeding is in the public interest, alleges:  \n1. Respondent Intuit Inc. is a Delaware corporation with its principal office or place of business at 2700 Coast Ave., Mountain View, California 94043.  \n2. Respondent has advertised, marketed, promoted, distributed, and sold online tax preparation products and services, including TurboTax.  \n3. The acts and practices of Respondents alleged in this complaint have been in or affecting commerce, as “commerce” is defined in Section 4 of the Federal Trade Commission Act.  \nSummary of the Case  \n4. Respondent Intuit advertises, markets, promotes, distributes, and sells TurboTax, a commonly used online tax preparation service that enables users to prepare and file their income tax returns. (As used in this Complaint,“TurboTax”only refers to online products and services.)  \n5. Much of Intuit’s advertising for TurboTax conveys the message that consumers can file their taxes for free using TurboTax, even going so far as to air commercials in which almost every word spoken is the word “free.” For example, an ad called “Auctioneer,” which depicts a cattle auction with a fast-talking auctioneer and a crowd of grizzled cowboys:  \nAUCTIONEER: And free, and free, and free, and free, and free. Now a bidder and free! Now give me another  \nbidder and free, and a free here and a free free free a  \nfree free free. Now a bidder and free! Now give me  \nanother bidder and free, and a free free free. And free, and free, and free, and free free free and free. Here we go at free, free, free and free. Free! Now give me another bidder and free. Hit free and here, free, free, free,  \nfreeeeeeeeeeeee. Free!  \nVOICEOVER: That’s right, TurboTax Free Edition is  \n[free. See details at TurboTax.com](free. See details at TurboTax.com).  \n6. In truth, TurboTax is only free for some users, based on the tax forms they need. For many others, Intuit tells them, after they have invested time and effort gathering and inputting into TurboTax their sensitive personal and financial information to prepare their tax returns, that they cannot continue for free; they will need to upgrade to a paid TurboTax service to complete and file their taxes.  \n7. Until 2021, Intuit offered a free online version of TurboTax through the IRS Free File Program, a public-private partnership with the IRS, that was available to low-income consumers regardless of which tax forms they need.  \n8. As detailed herein, Intuit has engaged in, and is engaging in, deceptive business practices in the advertising, marketing, distribution, and sale of TurboTax.  \nRespondent’s Business Activities  \nI. TurboTax’s “Freemium” Version: TurboTax Free Edition  \n9.   \n10.  involves, in part, growing Intuit’s customer base by offering free services to consumers  \n11.  also involves persuading consumers to upgrade from free to paid versions of TurboTax.  \n12.  further involves “brand loyalty,” or retention of consumers who previously filed their taxes for free in the “freemium”version of TurboTax returning to TurboTax in subsequent years when they are no longer eligible for the “freemium” version, and paying Intuit for a paid version of TurboTax.  \n13. Since at least 2017, Intuit has called the “freemium” version of TurboTax the “TurboTax Free Edition.” In 2016, Intuit called the “freemium” version of TurboTax the “Federal Free Edition.”  \n14. The “freemium” version of TurboTax is available only to consumers with “simple” tax returns, as defined by Intuit; other consumers","cbCaikCeNPTY2uWe","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaikCeNPTY2uWe","pdf",1104033,27,"English","# Summary of the Case\n## Respondent’s Business Activities\n### TurboTax’s “Freemium” Version: TurboTax Free Edition\n### Advertising Practices: Intuit’s Ads Misrepresent that Consumers Can File Their Taxes for Free Using TurboTax","[{\"question\":\"Who is the respondent and what proceeding is this complaint filed in?\",\"answer\":\"The respondent is Intuit Inc., and the complaint is filed before the Federal Trade Commission under Docket No. 9408.\"},{\"question\":\"What is the complaint’s core allegation about TurboTax advertising?\",\"answer\":\"The complaint alleges that Intuit’s ads misrepresent that consumers can file their taxes for free using TurboTax, while only allowing free use for certain users depending on their needed tax forms.\"},{\"question\":\"How does the complaint describe TurboTax’s “freemium” model and eligibility rules?\",\"answer\":\"It describes a “freemium” approach where TurboTax Free Edition is available only for consumers with defined “simple” tax returns, with other consumers required to upgrade to paid versions.\"}]","Intuit Inc. - Complaint - Docket No. 9408 | PDF",1789796530,9]