Dive Brief:
The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants on Thursday became the latest organization to blast a recent television advertisement from Intuit in which the company encouraged people to “break up” with their tax preparer in favor of a full-service option available through its own TurboTax product.
The ad, which was pulled in the wake of criticism, failed to reflect the “crucial role of CPAs” and disappointed many AICPA members, according to Barry Melancon, the association’s president and CEO.
“Intuit’s decision to halt the ad is a positive step,” Melancon said in a statement. “AICPA members interact with Intuit in numerous capacities, and this decision is recognition of how important that interaction is to Intuit.”
Dive Insight:
Intuit is looking to adjust the ad campaign “to ensure it has the intended impact so the benefit of filing with a tax preparer is crystal clear,” according to spokeswoman Tania Mercado.
“Intuit is committed to growing the accounting industry — last year alone, more than 500,000 accounting professionals grew their practices with us and we trained more than 129,000 learners on bookkeeping and tax preparation,” Mercado said in an email.
The company will continue to “actively promote” the benefits of filing with a professional tax preparer, she said.
Melancon said he appreciated the fact that Intuit has “reemphasized their commitment to the CPA community and recognized the importance of growing that talent pipeline.”
“Tax professionals play a critical role in the tax filing, planning, and advisory landscape, one that continues to evolve aided by AI and other technology,” he said.
The controversy comes as the accounting profession is grappling with a shrinking pool of new talent.
The profession has been hit by a perfect storm of retirements, employee retention challenges, and dwindling numbers of graduates who specialize in the field, according to a 2023 blog post published by tax automation software company Avalara.
Nearly three quarters of the CPA workforce reached the retirement age in 2020, the post noted. Meanwhile, the industry is struggling to retain younger people, who are leaving “in droves,” it said.
Inuit’s ad prompted a forceful reaction from the National Association of Tax Professionals on Oct. 10. That group said in a statement at the time that it would not be “accepting advertising, sponsorship, or exhibiting dollars from Intuit due to this campaign’s direct conflict with our members’ interests.”
“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 the statement. “The personal relationship between a tax preparer and their client is crucial.”
The group urged taxpayers to recognize “the value of working with a knowledgeable tax professional who may offer tailored guidance, protect their interests, and represent them before the IRS and state tax authorities if needed.”
Days later, NATP issued a new statement saying that Intuit — after hearing feedback from the group and the broader tax community — had agreed to discontinue the ad and make changes, which are expected to be completed by the end of October.
“While NATP will continue to suspend Intuit’s advertising, sponsorship, or exhibiting dollars for now, we have agreed to ongoing conversations with Intuit,” the statement said.
Editor’s note: This story has been updated with comments from Intuit and the latest reaction from NATP.