Justin Elliott

Reporter

Photo of Justin Elliott

Justin Elliott has been a reporter with ProPublica, where he covers business and politics, since 2012.

In 2023, he and colleagues revealed how a set of politically connected billionaires provided lavish gifts and travel to Supreme Court justices over many years. Those stories won the Pulitzer Prize gold medal for public service.

He was previously on the team of reporters documenting how the rich avoid taxes for “The Secret IRS Files” series. He co-wrote a story revealing how tech mogul Peter Thiel turned a Roth IRA into a multibillion-dollar tax haven.

His work has spurred congressional investigations and changes to federal law. His coverage of TurboTax-maker Intuit’s misleading marketing tactics led to a settlement delivering $141 million back to consumers.

His work has won numerous awards. In addition to the Pulitzer Prize, he has won a George Polk Award, the Selden Ring Award, and a Gerald Loeb Award for business journalism. His stories have been published and aired in outlets including The New York Times and NPR. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Brown University in history and classics.

You can send him feedback, story tips and documents via email at [email protected], or by Signal or WhatsApp at 774-826-6240.

Thinking about getting in touch? For more on how Justin handles tips and story ideas, read his piece on the important role of reader tips in the Supreme Court series.

Inside TurboTax’s 20-Year Fight to Stop Americans From Filing Their Taxes for Free

Using lobbying, the revolving door and “dark pattern” customer tricks, Intuit fended off the government’s attempts to make tax filing free and easy, and created its multi-billion-dollar franchise.

IRS-Funded Review Confirms TurboTax Hid Free Filing From Search Engines, but Says There’s No Need for Major Changes

An outside firm echoed ProPublica’s reporting but defended the oversight of the tax-prep program meant to help millions of Americans file their taxes for nothing.

Trump’s Tax Law Threatened TurboTax’s Profits. So the Company Started Charging the Disabled, the Unemployed and Students.

The move by TurboTax maker Intuit to charge more lower-income customers has helped boost revenue.

One Trump Tax Cut Was Meant to Help the Poor. A Billionaire Ended Up Winning Big.

Opportunity zones are meant to spur new investment in poor areas. But Under Armour’s Kevin Plank is getting a tax break for investments that are not new and not in a poor tract. And Plank’s area was picked over neighborhoods that are actually poor.

Congress Scraps Provision to Restrict IRS From Competing With TurboTax

The change comes after ProPublica highlighted the deceptive marketing practices of Intuit, the maker of TurboTax, and other major tax prep companies.

TurboTax Uses A “Military Discount” to Trick Troops Into Paying to File Their Taxes

Intuit, the maker of TurboTax, created and promoted a “military discount” that charges service members who are eligible to file for free.

Intuit CEO in Internal Video: Hiding Free TurboTax Was In “Best Interest of Taxpayers”

The video obtained by ProPublica shows the CEO defending the company as committed to “integrity without compromise.”

Did You Pay to Use TurboTax? Help Us Hold the Tax Prep Industry Accountable.

Readers have helped us figure out exactly how TurboTax maker Intuit and other companies make money off taxpayers. We want to hear more.

New York Regulator Launches Investigation Into TurboTax Maker Intuit and H&R Block

The agency is looking at whether the companies intentionally deceived customers by steering them away from Free File into paid products.

Listen to TurboTax Lie to Get Out of Refunding Overcharged Customers

TurboTax successfully lobbied to keep the IRS from offering free tax prep. Now it’s pretending the government already does it.

Senior IRS Leaders Launch Review of Agency’s Partnership With TurboTax and H&R Block

Both the IRS and its inspector general are investigating the partnership with the tax software industry in response to ProPublica’s reporting.

Elizabeth Warren and Other Senators Call for Refunds and Investigations of TurboTax and H&R Block

In letters to the IRS and the FTC, the senators are seeking inquiries into whether the companies have deceived customers and violated restraint-of-trade laws.

TurboTax and H&R Block Saw Free Tax Filing as a Threat — and Gutted It

An internal document and current and former company employees show the companies steered customers away from the government-sponsored free option and made them pay.

Have You Worked at Intuit or Another Tax Prep Company? Know Something About TurboTax? We’d Like to Hear From You.

We’d like to hear about your experience in the tax prep software industry with companies like Intuit, H&R Block or Jackson Hewitt.

Here Are Your Stories of Being Tricked Into Paying by TurboTax. You Often Need the Money.

Help us reach more people. We need you to share some things.

Si le pagó a TurboTax, pero ganó menos de $34,000, podría obtener un reembolso de la siguiente manera.

“Solo tuve que mencionar ProPublica”, dijo un lector.

Así es como TurboTax lo engañó para que pagara por la declaración de sus impuestos

¡Síganos mientras tratamos de hacer la declaración de impuestos gratis en TurboTax!

TurboTax Deliberately Hid Its Free File Page From Search Engines

The makers of TurboTax as well as H&R Block promised the IRS to offer free filing for many Americans. But they have kept Google from seeing it.

Updated: If You Paid TurboTax but Make Under $34,000, You Could Get a Refund. Here’s How.

“I just had to mention ProPublica,” one reader said.

Here’s How TurboTax Just Tricked You Into Paying to File Your Taxes

Come along as we try to file our taxes for free on TurboTax!

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