Attorney General Alan Wilson announces distribution of $141 million settlement to millions of low-income Americans deceived by TurboTax owner Intuit
May 4, 2023
Consumers to Receive Checks in the Mail from Multistate Settlement Without Needing to File a Claim
Attorney General Alan Wilson today announced that consumers who were tricked by TurboTax’s owner Intuit into paying for free tax services will begin receiving checks from a $141 million multistate settlement announced in May 2022. Approximately 4.4 million consumers nationwide will receive checks in the mail from the multistate settlement. South Carolina will receive more than $2.2 million for more than 72-thousand taxpayers who were tricked into paying to file their federal tax return. Eligible consumers will be contacted by email about the settlement. Checks will be mailed throughout May 2023.
“No one likes to fill out their tax returns, but it’s a low blow to trick people into paying to file when they could have done it for free,” Attorney General Wilson said. “Our office will continue to protect the people of South Carolina from being taken advantage of.”
In 2022, New York Attorney General Letitia James, with assistance from the attorneys general of Tennessee, Florida, Illinois, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Washington, announced a $141 million multistate agreement with Intuit for deceiving millions of low-income Americans into paying for tax services that should have been free. All 50 states and the District of Columbia have 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 information about who is covered by the settlement, and information about the settlement fund, please visit www.AGTurboTaxSettlement.com.
