Tax Service Launches Informational Campaign
CEO of Top-Rated Franchise Offers Insight to Surviving the Recession  

(Virginia Beach, VA)  While corporate doors have been shutting on millions of employees, and unemployment has reached 9.4 percent, Liberty Tax Service has been developing an informational campaign to extol the benefits of franchising in a down economy.  With the deluge of the economic stimulus tax changes taking effect, and with the certainty of taxation, the concept of franchise opportunities available is appealing to a diverse America, those who may be interested in firing their boss before their boss fires them.

Liberty Tax Service launched a new campaign, “Ask John Hewitt” to help people wade through the complexities of choosing and opening a franchise concept.  In twelve years, CEO and Founder John Hewitt and his team have developed an operating system that’s ranked as the #1 tax franchise on Entrepreneur magazine’s 2009 “Franchise 500,” and #3 overall.  During that time that Liberty Tax has set the pace as the fastest growing international tax service ever, the door has always been open to John Hewitt’s CEO suite at Liberty Tax Service. 

“Franchising is gaining even more popularity as a proven business model for those who want to create equity in their own business and control their future,” according to John Hewitt.  “At Liberty we refuse to participate in the recession.  It helps that we don’t require a tax background, and have a relatively low start-up cost when compared to the other top franchise opportunities.”

With 41 years of tax industry experience, Hewitt stands as the most experienced CEO in the tax preparation business, having also founded Jackson Hewitt Tax Service (NYSE: JTX). 
From his entry into the industry in 1969 as an H&R Block tax school student, he’s firmly established himself as a pioneer in computerized tax preparation and electronic filing.  Yet Hewitt’s accessibility to his team of franchisees, employees, stakeholders and the media is just as legendary. 

No one at Liberty Tax is afraid to just ask John an operating or industry question.  Hewitt’s availability and devotion to Liberty’s operations and its people helped coin the adage, “Just Ask John,” a natural theme for the company’s latest franchise opportunity campaign developed by Planet Central.  John Hewitt has recruited over 3,000 franchisees into the franchise industry through the two companies he founded, and is the catalyst for the creation of thousands of jobs.  Liberty Tax will hold fall tax schools in an effort to educate the public about tax preparation and hire employees for the upcoming tax season.

About Liberty Tax Service:

Liberty Tax Service was founded in 1997 by CEO John T. Hewitt, and has prepared over 7,000,000 individual income tax returns.  In tax season 2009, Liberty Tax Service added 400 offices, and now has over 1,700 franchisees in its North American operating system.  The company is poised to open additional 400-500 new offices by January 2010.
 
Liberty Tax Service completed the fiscal year (2009) with a 15% increase in tax returns prepared, and a 22% increase in revenue for the 2009 tax season. The company provides computerized income tax preparation, electronic filing and refund loans. An online product, eSmart Tax is available for customers who prefer a technological choice to prepare their own taxes.  With an emphasis on customer service including audit assistance, a money back guarantee, and free tax return checking, Liberty Tax Service is well known for its strong commitment to its client base.

Liberty Tax Service CEO John Hewitt is available for interview. Contact Martha O’Gorman, LTS Chief Marketing Officer at (800) 790-3863 ext. 8022 or martha.ogorman@libtax.com.    

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