Most Americans are familiar with seasonal tax preparation offices and retail kiosk locations, some affiliated with vendors like Jackson Hewitt and H&R Block. But despite the increasing use of online technologies and remote services, Intuit, the maker of the most popular do-it-yourself tax software, has decided that now’s the time for physical offices for their TurboTax tax preparation system.
The company, which also makes other consumer and professional financial technologies including CreditKarma and QuickBooks, announced on Friday that it has opened its new Intuit TurboTax flagship store in New York City’s SoHo neighborhood. It said the flagship location will combine the power of it’s software, with live human service. Intuit says it plans to launch nearly 600 Expert Office locations, in which the technology maker will partner with existing professionals that use TurboTax products.
Intuit also plans to open 20 new TurboTax Stores, with locations in New York, Southern California, Chicago, Dallas, and Phoenix.
Intuit released the following statement:
“By seamlessly merging advanced agentic AI with a network of local AI-powered human expertise, Intuit is creating a system of intelligence that anticipates consumer needs, automates the tedium of tax preparation, and gives customers the confidence they need based on their unique tax situation. Intuit’s consumer platform actively works in the filers’ best interest to find them more money, easier and faster.” – Intuit statement.
“Intuit’s latest move into in-person tax preparation rides the AI hype cycle — and a growing, dangerous assumption that traditional CPAs no longer provide differentiated value,” said Garrett Wagner, CPA, CITP, the founder of the accounting and business advisory firm C3Evolution Group.. “This didn’t happen by accident: Intuit has spent years hiring CPAs, courting firm clients, and deliberately positioning itself to siphon market share from the profession in the name of scalable growth.
“For accountants, this is a threat the marketplace has never seen,” Wagner continued. “They are a patient, well-funded competitor betting that firms won’t evolve fast enough to defend their relevance. AI isn’t the real risk; complacency is — and the question facing the profession is whether accountants will reclaim their authority, judgment, and expertise before someone else convinces the market they’re no longer needed.”
Intuit has long produced consumer and professional tax products, as well as small business and professional accounting products. This dual approach has at times caused consternation among tax professionals, as well as accountants who provide business financial management advisory services.
“We are fundamentally redefining what it means to get taxes done by delivering a first-of-its-kind seamless integration of our digital and physical experience,” said Mark Notarainni, Executive Vice President and General Manager, Consumer Group, Intuit. “This isn’t just another tax store; it is the physical manifestation of our AI+HI strategy, a modern space where our AI and local human expertise converge to provide trusted, personalized guidance. We are providing the antidote to tax-related stress and anxiety to give filers year-round control, complete confidence, and better financial outcomes.”
The addition of TurboTax preparation offices may cause additional grumbling among some tax preparers, but most accounting and tax firm consultants have been advising firms to focus on higher value client business and advisory services, with tax preparation playing a less central role. However, for firms that still rely on retail 1040 clients as a significant volume of their revenue, the addition of TurboTax preparation offices might pose a competition risk.
In conjunction with the grand opening of its flagship store in New York City, Intuit made a $100,000 donation to the New York City Public Schools. Intuit partnered with renowned architectural, design, and planning firm, Gensler on the design and architecture of its physical TurboTax Store locations, as well as BUCK, a global creative company on the Forum’s interactive content design. Leading global commercial real estate and investment management company, Jones Lang LaSalle Americas, Inc. (JLL) is its brokerage partner.
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