With Intuit scheduled to report statistics for the third quarter ended May 25, the reason for the new-found strength of the pro preparer market will likely emerge. The likely factor is Intuit’s entry into fully assisted tax preparation this year.

Whatever the reason, there 126,777,000 returns filed as of the last report, down 1.1 percent from 128,204,000 year earlier.

The professional contribution brought the total efiles for the season to date to 118,664,000, a 2.6-percent increase from 118,664,000 in last year’s corresponding period. Paid preparers submitted 64,425,000 efiles this year, compared to 58,228,000 a year ago. There were 84,840,000 self-prepared efiles for the latest reported period, down 5.6 percent  from 57,468,000.

The 84,840,000 refunds issued during the current season were 3.2-percent lower than 87,663,000 a year earlier.

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