Intuit’s Feminist Branding: Empowerment or Distraction?
In a bold move, Intuit, the maker of TurboTax, has recently declared itself a feminist company. With a nod to the unique challenges women face with tax codes, Intuit’s official blog states their commitment to “empowering prosperity for every single person—especially the inspiring women.” This echoes the sentiment of vintage Virginia Slims ads, which targeted women with a message of progress and independence.
However, Intuit’s feminist stance is drawing skepticism. Critics point out that the company’s history includes profiting from tax filers through paid services, even when free options were viable under the Free File program. Reports by ProPublica in 2019 accused Intuit of misleading low-income taxpayers into paying for services that should have been free. The company only ceased these practices after a settlement with state attorneys general, resulting in a $141 million payout to consumers.
Despite the IRS tightening regulations to prevent such misdirection, Intuit and its rival H&R Block withdrew from the Free File program. Yet, Intuit continues to invest heavily in lobbying and public relations to oppose government-provided free tax services, such as the IRS’s Direct File program. In 2023 alone, Intuit spent $3.78 million on lobbying efforts.
The company’s recent feminist branding raises questions about its sincerity in supporting women’s rights. Advocates argue that a truly women-friendly tax code would provide substantial revenue to alleviate burdens on elder and child care, which disproportionately affect women. It would also support better compensation for female-dominated professions like teaching and nursing and enhance refundable tax credits beneficial to single parents, who are predominantly women.
Addressing these issues would require increased contributions from wealthy individuals and corporations, including Intuit itself, which benefited from tax breaks leading to an effective tax rate of just 10.5 percent in 2022. With corporate underpayment benefiting men more due to their higher representation in executive roles, and with men holding most of the highest-paying jobs, critics argue that Intuit’s feminist campaign seems more like a distraction than a genuine effort to support female taxpayers.
As the debate continues, it remains to be seen whether Intuit will adjust its strategies to align more closely with its proclaimed feminist values or if its recent campaign will be viewed as mere corporate posturing.
