Prepaid for Returns that I won't use

[morgan22]

I have unused returns that were paid for, and I can't use now due to clients cancelling their tax return preparations due to economic stress due to COVID.  Intuit says I am not allowed a refund for the prepaid amount that I paid in advance.  

This seems very unfair,  but they refused to let me talk to a supervisor about this.  Has anyone else had this issue, and possibly had a fair resolution from Intuit?

I would think that if we prepay for a service that will not be used, it should be refunded.  

[itonewbie]

That's how it has always worked.  There is nothing really unfair about it.

First, your pricing depends on the volume of your purchase (although buying fewer returns may or may not have affected your price depending on where the thresholds are).

Second, refunding unused returns had never been Intuit's policy - they used to allow you to prepare prior year returns for free whether you had any leftover but even this policy was quietly changed last year, to many's dismay.  In exchange for that, however, you now only need to commit 10 returns for pre-order to be entitled to the volume discount.  You can then buy just whatever number of returns you may need along the way at the same price during the season; this should reduce the chance of you having leftover returns.

You win some, you lose some - that's the name of the game. 

[itonewbie]

Also want to clarify that you won't "lose" those leftover returns per se.  Those credits can still be used in case you need to prepare any TY2019 returns in future years.

[sjrcpa]

"clients cancelling their tax return preparations due to economic stress due to COVID."

Don't they still need to file tax returns?

[itonewbie]

And if work has already commenced, I'd hope that your EL has terms that would allow you to bill them a certain amount to recover your cost - fair and square, although there may be discretion with some relationship/hardship clients.

[IRonMaN]

"clients cancelling their tax return preparations due to economic stress due to COVID."

I was kinda wondering about that comment too 🤔

[Accountant-Man]

That's how it has always worked.  There is nothing really unfair about it.

Read your contract.