H&R Block is dropping its bid top acquire TaxAct Software after a federal judge last  month ruled the purchase of 2SS Holdings, which owns TaxAct, would violate anti-trust laws. Block, which planned to pay $287.5 million for the deal, said it would not appeal the judge's decision. In an SEC filing, Block said it was terminating the Octobe 2010 merger agreement. The original plan was to combine TaxAct with Block's At Home digital business in a single unit.

Weak client demand led CBIZ to just over a 2-percent drop in net income on flat revenue for its third quarter ended September 30 as hours charged to clients fell for its financial services segment, the portion of its business that includes CPA firm operations. Net income for the most recently ended quarter dropped to $4.7 million, down from $4.8 million a year ago. Revenue for the quarter was $177.1 million, less than $200,000 more than in last year's corresponding period.

A federal court in Philadelphia has permanently barred Dorothea Alexander from preparing federal tax returns for others. Alexander, a resident of Leola, Pa., agreed to a civil injunction order without admitting the allegations which say she claimed bogus dependent exemptions, charitable donation and other deductions, and tax credits on customers' tax returns. The case was heard in the U.S. District Court of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

COO and president Carlos A. Rodriguez has been named  president and CEO of Automatic Data Processing, replacing Gary C. Butler who has retired from the executive position after 37 years at ADP. Rodriguez, who has been at the company since 1999, was  president of ADP's NAS and ES International businesses before becoming COO in May 2011.