How can one determine the expiration date of the retail package's included activation code?

JB · November 2020

According to Quicken FAQ :
"Can I use a retail copy of the Subscription Release of Quicken to extend my membership?
Yes, but you can only redeem the activation code in the retail copy to extend your subscription in the last six months of your current subscription term. Note: Activation codes expire 24 months after being generated."

1. Given the retail pack contains a "generated activation code" how can we tell when it will expire. Is there a date code on the retail pack?
2. Does the 24 month valid period, include the subscription period or does it mean you have 24 months once issued to initialize a 12 month subscription?
3. I see a lot of Quicken deluxe 2018 -2020 for sale online. Are the activation codes still good in those packages or are they scams?

splasher · November 2020

Yes, BUT, you better be sure that your source is 100% reputable and that they aren't selling you a box with a previously used activation code. That has happened to some folks, so it is not something to ignore when buying something so old when there is no way to tell if a code is good or not until you try to apply it and then it is too late when dealing with a fraud.

splasher · November 2020

The 2018 version activation codes do not expire. The two year expiration started with the 2019 version.

Since the versions come out in the Fall of the year before the year of the version (Fall 2019 was when Quicken 2020 was released) and they used to always release the new version in October, it has been assumed that they use a date near October 1st as the start of the two year life span of the activation code.

I looked at Quicken.com and Amazon just now and they aren't referring to any year in the most recent sales information. There are references to 2019 and 2020 at Amazon, but no year on Quicken.com.

What I am leading to is that the future isn't clear and I will flag this question for the lead moderator to investigate and hopefully provide an Official response from Quicken.

JB · November 2020

So are you saying if i purchase the 2018 deluxe I should be able to use it to renew my current subscription?

splasher · November 2020

Yes, BUT, you better be sure that your source is 100% reputable and that they aren't selling you a box with a previously used activation code. That has happened to some folks, so it is not something to ignore when buying something so old when there is no way to tell if a code is good or not until you try to apply it and then it is too late when dealing with a fraud.

TomAto · December 2020

I just contacted Quicken help to identify when a retail Quicken 2019 package I just purchased from Target expires. The Quicken agent said there is no way to know when the code was generated unless the package is opened. Unfortunately, once the package is opened it can't be returned. The agent said no one at Quicken had information on when Quicken 2019 activation codes were first produced.
Assuming the Quicken 2019 I just purchased was produced in October or November 2018, it may already be expired. Beware, even reputable retailers may be selling out of date Quicken products that cannot be activated. Be sure to only purchase Quicken with the current calendar year date on it. I will be returning the Quicken I just purchased to Target.

splasher · December 2020

TomAto said:

I just contacted Quicken help to identify when a retail Quicken 2019 package I just purchased from Target expires. The Quicken agent said there is no way to know when the code was generated unless the package is opened. Unfortunately, once the package is opened it can't be returned. The agent said no one at Quicken had information on when Quicken 2019 activation codes were first produced.
Assuming the Quicken 2019 I just purchased was produced in October or November 2018, it may already be expired. Beware, even reputable retailers may be selling out of date Quicken products that cannot be activated. Be sure to only purchase Quicken with the current calendar year date on it. I will be returning the Quicken I just purchased to Target.

@TomAto
Word of caution, posting the same complaint multiple times on this forum could be considered spamming by the moderators and get your post deleted and yourself being banned.

How can one determine the expiration date of the retail package's included activation code?

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