TurboTax Live was only available “for part of the last two months of tax season by plan,” Johnson said during the recent Citi 2018 Global Technology Conference.

During a conference webcast Johnson said that meant Live missed the first peak of tax season But that will not be the case in 2019.

“We intend TurboTax Live to be growth driver through the whole year,” Johnson said.

Intuit had several tries to link consumer tax preparation with pros. But the company said results were not what it hoped until it developed Live, which enables consumers with questions to connect with tax professionals by clicking a button within the software package.

Live makes more money than other TurboTax offerings because it is “driving growth at the higher-end of portfolio revenue,” Johnson said. He explained Intuit likes having customer growth exceed revenue growth but that Live means revenue growth will lead.

“We want to make sure customer growth meets that of rivals or beats that of rivals,” he said.

Intuit’s proposition for Live is that it serves customers who have questions about their taxes, but do not need to have their return prepared by professionals. The program enables them to receive advice from CPAs, Enrolled Agents and tax attorneys.

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