I realize this is a little late, and almost totally off topic from Visual Basic, but it is a peculiar business decision, if you ask me, which, in a way, has to do with developing VB apps.

Intuit has decided, according to their support staff, that as of this year, if you purchase the CD version or download version of TurboTax (ie, the fat client), you no longer get a single E-FILE for free. You have to pay an extra 17.95 for that privilege.

Now, TurboxTax has always been a pretty good deal in my book, but with the competition in the marketplace now, I can’t see how this is possibly a good idea, other than possibly to drive business to their online offering, which does still offer a free E-File.

Oddly, though, the online version doesn’t have the same “FORMS” mode that the fat client does, thus you can ONLY use their “interview” style format to enter data, which can be cumbersome in many cases. Hence, the two aren’t interchangeable.

I suppose to their credit, they did offer to refund the E-File charge when I complained about it. But by the time their support emailed me back, I’d already printed and mailed my return.

Yet one more reason that FairTax seems more and more like a better idea.

Go there, check it out, and if you agree, and sign the petition.