Missing $200 from tax refund after TPG PRODUCTS SBTPG LLC PPD ID transaction - help!

Just got my tax refund deposited and I'm freaking out because it's about $200 less than what it should be after the normal TurboTax fees! The transaction shows "TPG PRODUCTS SBTPG LLC PPD ID" in my bank statement. I double-checked all my calculations and I'm definitely missing money that should be there. I saw some threads from people complaining about this last year, but has anyone experienced this with their 2025 filing? Did I accidentally agree to some hidden fee somewhere? Is there a way to get my money back or am I just screwed? This is so frustrating because I was counting on that full amount to pay some bills.

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18 comments

Yuki Sato

•8M

What you're seeing is the Santa Barbara Tax Products Group (SBTPG) - they're the third-party bank that handles refund transfers when you choose to have your tax preparation fees deducted from your refund instead of paying upfront. When you filed with TurboTax, you likely selected the option to pay their preparation fees from your refund rather than paying separately with a credit card. This convenience comes with an additional fee (usually between $35-$45) on top of the regular TurboTax fees. The missing amount is probably this refund transfer fee plus any state preparation fees you might not have accounted for. To confirm, check your TurboTax order summary - it should show all fees including the refund transfer fee. You can find this in your TurboTax account under "Orders" or in the confirmation email they sent when you filed.

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Yuki Sato

•8M

TurboTax is required to disclose the fee, and they typically do this during the checkout process when you select your payment method. It's usually in the fee breakdown, but it can be easy to miss if you're clicking through quickly. The disclosure is there, but many people don't notice it until the money is already gone. Unfortunately, disputing after the fact is difficult because you technically agreed to the terms during filing. You can try contacting TurboTax customer service to explain that you didn't understand what you were agreeing to, but success in getting a refund varies. For future filings, selecting to pay preparation fees separately with a credit card avoids these additional refund transfer fees completely.

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Andre Lefebvre

•8M

After dealing with the exact same issue last year, I found a tool that saved me so much headache this year. I started using https://taxr.ai to analyze my tax documents and ALL the fine print before submitting. It scans everything including those tiny disclosures that most of us skip through. Their system flagged the refund transfer fee for me when I was about to make the same mistake again. It literally highlighted the section where TurboTax was adding the additional fee for processing my refund to pay their fees. Saved me around $40 just on that alone, plus found some deductions I would have missed.

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Andre Lefebvre

•8M

It works with all the major tax preparation services - TurboTax, H&R Block, TaxAct, and even the PDF forms from independent preparers. It's especially helpful with the comparison feature that shows you what each service would charge for your specific situation. The difference is that it uses AI to scan everything automatically - including the terms of service that nobody reads. It's not just about catching these fees, but it also finds potential audit flags and missed deductions that most people wouldn't know to look for. I'm not the most detail-oriented person, so having something double-check my work has been a lifesaver. It's like having a second pair of eyes that actually knows tax law.

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Zoe Alexopoulos

•8M

Just wanted to update that I tried https://taxr.ai after seeing the recommendation here and it was eye-opening! I uploaded my tax documents from last year when I had the same TPG fee issue, and it immediately identified four hidden fees I had paid without realizing. For this year's taxes, I was about to make the same mistake with the refund transfer option, but the system flagged it right away and explained exactly what the SBTPG fee was for. Ended up saving $39 just by paying my preparation fee directly instead. It also found a work expense deduction I missed that got me another $125 back. Wish I had known about this sooner!

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Mei Wong

•8M

If you're trying to contact TurboTax about this, good luck getting through their customer service maze. I spent literal HOURS trying to talk to someone about a similar issue. After being on hold forever, I discovered https://claimyr.com and their video demo at https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c - they basically wait on hold with the IRS for you and call when a human picks up. I was skeptical but tried it for reaching TurboTax's escalation team (works for most tax services). Instead of wasting my day on hold, I got a call when someone was actually available to help. The agent explained that the TPG PRODUCTS SBTPG LLC charge is indeed their refund transfer fee for processing the payment of TurboTax fees from your refund.

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Mei Wong

•8M

They have an automated system that calls and navigates the phone tree for you. When a real human at TurboTax or the IRS actually answers, they connect that person to your phone. So you're not waiting on hold - you can go about your day and just get a call when there's actually someone to talk to. They don't just transfer you - they actually keep the line active and only ring your phone when there's a live person ready to talk. If you miss the call, they have a grace period where they'll try to reconnect you, but obviously it works best if you can answer when they call. I was doing yard work while waiting and just grabbed my phone when it rang instead of listening to hold music for 2+ hours.

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Liam McGuire

•8M

I take back what I said about Claimyr. After my skeptical comment, I decided to try it anyway because I was so frustrated trying to reach TurboTax about my missing $180 from SBTPG. Submitted my request around 10am, went to the gym and ran errands, and got a call around 1:30pm with an actual TurboTax supervisor on the line! They explained that the TPG fee was indeed for processing my refund to pay my TurboTax fees, but after I explained I didn't understand this would happen, they actually agreed to refund the $39.95 fee as a "one-time courtesy." Honestly shocked this worked - saved me hours of frustration and actually got my money back. Never would have gotten through to a supervisor without it.

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Amara Eze

•8M

This seems like a widespread issue. I worked as a tax preparer for 2 years and this refund transfer fee catches SO many people by surprise. Pro tip: ALWAYS choose to pay your preparation fees upfront with a credit card rather than from your refund. The convenience fee is never worth it. Also, keep in mind the IRS doesn't charge fees to process your refund - these are solely from the tax preparation companies and their banking partners. If you're comfortable doing it, consider using the IRS Free File options next year to avoid all these extra charges.

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Amara Eze

•8M

The IRS Free File program has different options depending on your income level. If your adjusted gross income is below $73,000, you can use their guided tax preparation services which can handle most common tax situations including 1099 income and basic investments. If you make more than that threshold or have very complex situations (multiple rental properties, complicated business deductions, etc.), you can still use Free File Fillable Forms, which are basically the electronic versions of paper forms. This option requires more tax knowledge since it doesn't guide you through the process, but it's still free and handles direct deposit refunds without the extra fees.

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