Intuit TurboTax $141 Million Settlement: Payout Status

Who qualifies

• You paid to file your federal tax return through TurboTax for tax year 2016, 2017, and/or 2018.
• You were eligible to file for free through the IRS Free File Program at the time but were charged instead.
• You did not use the IRS Free File version of TurboTax (a separate product from the advertised 'TurboTax Free Edition').
• You did not need to do anything to qualify — eligible consumers were identified from Intuit's own records, notified by email, and mailed a check automatically. About 4.4 million people were covered.

TurboTax settlement payout status — what happens now

1. 1

   There was never a claim form to file

   This is the most important thing to know: the TurboTax settlement did not require a claim. Eligible consumers were identified from Intuit's records and paid automatically. Any website telling you to 'file a claim online' for this settlement is misleading — there is no such form, and no legitimate settlement charges you a fee to receive money.

2. 2

   The multistate agreement was reached in May 2022

   All 50 state attorneys general and the District of Columbia, led by New York AG Letitia James, reached the $141 million agreement with Intuit in May 2022 after a ProPublica investigation. Intuit did not admit wrongdoing but agreed to pay restitution and to stop the 'free' bait-and-switch marketing.

3. 3

   Checks were mailed automatically in May 2023

   Rust Consulting mailed checks starting the week of May 8, 2023, to approximately 4.4 million consumers. The amount was roughly $29 to $30 for each affected tax year — so someone charged in all three years (2016, 2017, and 2018) received up to about $85.

4. 4

   The distribution is complete and closed

   As of 2026 the $141 million fund is fully distributed and no active check reissue or claim window remains. Checks generally had to be cashed within about 90 days of the mail date. If you believe you qualified but never received a check, the official reference is AGTurboTaxSettlement.com.

5. 5

   The FTC order is separate — and pays nothing

   Don't confuse this settlement with the Federal Trade Commission's final order against Intuit issued January 22, 2024. That order bans Intuit from advertising products as 'free' unless they are free for everyone, but it is injunctive only and provides no money to consumers. The $141 million settlement was the only source of consumer payments.

6. 6

   Don't miss the next consumer refund — ClaimBee alerts you

   Deceptive-billing and consumer-refund settlements happen constantly, and many pay automatically only if you're on record. ClaimBee scans 2,000+ cases, matches them to your profile, and tracks every deadline so you never leave money on the table.

Frequently asked questions