Market share claims from Wolters Kluwer, parent to CCH, and Thomson Reuters are a bit like author Garrison Keillor's description of his mythical town of Lake Woebegon. It's a place where all children are above average. And during earnings Webcasts this year, top executives from the two companies each said their organization is gaining market share. But there's one difference this year.

Thomas P. Flanagan, a former partner and vice chairman of Deloitte & Touche, has been barred from practicing before the SEC over dozens of cases in which he owned or controlled securities in audit clients and concealed his ownership, lied to the firm about his compliance with its rules and used its services to prepare tax returns that covered up the improper trades. He and his son Patrick were also charged with insider trading today and agreed to pay a $1.1 million settlement. A 30-year Deloitte partner, Flanagan resigned from the firm in the fall of 2008 before his own firm sued him over these issues.

With the Internal Revenue Service not having announced conditions of any refund loan program for the 2010 tax year, things are a more than a little uncertain. But H&R Block has extended an agreement with HSBC Taxpayer Financial Services that was scheduled to expire next year.