However, allegations about Intuit's advertising practices will be reviewed at a September 14 hearing by an FTC administrative law judge. Intuit completely denies the FTC's claims.

U.S. District Court Judge Charles Breyer this month refused to grant a prelinimary injunction against the company's cotinuing use ads, which the FTC alleges deceives potential TurboTax users with the word “Free” when many end up paying for use of the software. The agency accused Intuit of bait-and-switch tactics.

Breyer held there was little danger of harm to taxpayers currently because tax season has ended and Intuit’s TurboTax ads have largely ended. He also said the software company has removed “plausibly deceptive” ads and the administrative law judge will probably issue findings before the next campaign begins.

Bob Scott

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Bob Scott has provided information to the tax and accounting community since 1991, first as technology editor of Accounting Today, and from 1997 through 2009 as editor of its sister publication, Accounting Technology. He is known throughout the industry for his depth of knowledge and for his high journalistic standards.  Scott has made frequent appearances as a speaker, moderator and panelist and events serving tax and accounting professionals. He  has a strong background in computer journalism as an editor with two former trade publications, Computer+Software News and MIS Week and spent several years with weekly and daily newspapers in Morris County New Jersey prior to that.  A graduate of Indiana University with a degree in journalism, Bob is a native of Madison, Ind