The National Association of Tax Professionals expressed its disappointment over a recent Intuit ad promoting its TurboTax full-service option.
The NATP said the ad encouraged taxpayers to abandon their professional tax preparer in favor of the TurboTax offering. It argued that the campaign goes against a key component of Intuit's business model by "selling professional preparation software to the tax professional they now seem to be undermining."
"Tax preparation isn't just about entering data or completing a form; it's about trust, accuracy and making informed decisions," NATP CEO Scott Artman said in a statement. "The personal relationship between a tax preparer and their client is crucial. A professional knows you and your financial history, keeps you compliant with regulations and can adapt strategies based on your specific needs."
"Intuit will continue to actively promote the benefits of filing with, and the value provided by a professional tax preparer," an Intuit spokesperson said. "While our current TurboTax campaign is intended to encourage tax filers to file their taxes with a tax expert, we will evolve the creative to ensure it has the intended impact so the benefit of filing with a tax preparer is crystal clear. And most importantly, we will continue with our and tax preparers' shared goal of delivering financial benefits and complete confidence to tax filers by demonstrating the extraordinary value of assisted tax preparation, all at a competitive price."
Following discussions with Intuit regarding the campaign, Intuit agreed to discontinue the ad and is making changes that are expected to be completed by the end of October. Intuit clarified that the campaign's intention was to encourage taxpayers to work with a professional preparer, and the ad's focus was on serving lower-income taxpayers looking for more affordable options. (The NATP noted that this intended audience is a population of taxpayers that many of its members also serve.)
"We're glad that Intuit heard our concerns and took steps to address them," Artman said in a later statement. "Our role is to ensure that tax professionals are recognized for their essential contributions to taxpayers' financial well-being. We're committed to supporting our members and advocating for the tax profession."
The NATP will continue to suspend Intuit's advertising, sponsorship and advertising dollars, for now, "until genuine support for working with us and other stakeholders to build the tax professional community is demonstrated."
"We see this as an opportunity for greater collaboration," Artman added. "We hope to work closely with Intuit and other stakeholders to elevate the profession and ensure that tax professionals continue to provide the trusted, expert service that taxpayers rely on."
