H&R Block? Should I Use Them To Do My Taxes?

[Yavin4]

Anybody have any experience with them?

[triguy46]

1. Do you have a complex tax situation?

Why not just do turbo tax? The tax stores are just doing the same thing, entering your numbers in a program. If you have a complex tax situation, go to a tax CPA, they are surprisingly affordable.

[Yavin4]

2. Not Too Complex

But it is a lot of paper work, and I just don't feel like doing it.

Also, I don't know any good CPAs.

[Kali]

3. 2nd for turbo tax

it is pretty easy to qualify for free through the IRS link AND they handls fairly complex situations fine - we have a situation of two self employed businesses, plus wages, plus farm income - they handle it all just fine

[NewJeffCT]

16. +1 to this advice

a regular CPA to do your taxes is likely quite a bit cheaper than H&R Block.

And, Turbo Tax works great as well.

[applegrove]

4. I worked for them. They knew what they were doing. very professional.

[Common Sense Party]

5. How many of them were actual CPA's?

They're always advertising for people with no credentials, no experience to help out during tax time.

[applegrove]

8. They had a manager in each office who was well trained. They train their top managers very well all

fall. Then they get smart people to do the actual work with the top manager always, always available if there are any questions. Most of the people who did the actual returns had lots of experience (plus there is a computer program). I never had a complaint that someone did something wrong ever (though customers would complain if the line ups were too long or if they couldn't get their money fast enough).

[murielm99]

9. I agree that they do a good job.

I used to go there to have my taxes done before I remarried. The year my first husband died, they took care of the somewhat complicated tax matters for me, and they did it correctly the first time.

My mother-in-law, who was a retired teacher, was the manager for an H&R Block for several years. She was a smart lady. My experiences with that company were very good.

Now we have a CPA do our taxes. We started doing that when our kids went to college and need the information early for their FAFSAs. We do need this guy's help because we have farm income in addition to our jobs. We need to pay quarterly taxes and keep up to date with all the farm tax issues. It is better to hire someone who specializes in that area of taxes.

[Crystal Clarity]

20. I'm glad I found a former H&R Block employee here

I've heard alot of people say they've had good experiences w/them. In fact, whenever I tell people what happened to me (see my post #17 below) no one seems to know what to make of it. Do you, as a former employee?

What do you think was going on w/the guy I dealt with? Do you think it was laziness, or something more personal like an issue w/single mothers or something? I'm SURE he must have known better...

If I had taken my concern to one of the managers, (had I known enough to do so at the time) do you think he would have been fired or something? And would they have fixed the issue for me?

I realize that I'm kind of beating a dead horse here... there really is nothing that can be gained by obsessing over this, (and I usually don't) but this thread brought the memory of that unfortunate experience back to me.

Sorry to bug you w/this... you're one of my favorite lounge posters btw (which is all the more reason that I hesitate to bother you w/it)... but I really would love to know why this might've happened. Have you ever heard of such a thing happening to H & R Block clients? And if this guy had been a co-worker of your's and you somehow learned of it, what would you have done?

[applegrove]

22. All I can think of it may have been someone in his first year so they didn't know

his character. I mean the people there don't get paid for piecework so why would he want to do it the wrong way. He had an expert right there in his manager. So if you had really challenged him he may have gone to her/him for clarification if he wasn't sure. Sounds like he was just being an ass and wasn't taking the situation seriously though taxes are very important people.

I'm sorry you went through that. Of course dealing with things as they come up is best but we don't know that when we are young.

I only worked there for one year and was the receptionist so I don't know the tax details myself. I can just tell you that all of our customers were very happy with their returns and I didn't get one phone call or 'in person' person complaining about the skill of our tax preparers.

[applegrove]

23. You are not bothering me at all. Thanks for the compliment.

:blush:

[driver8]

18. A friend of our family worked for them -- she said their training class was harder than any class

she took in college.

[jmm]

6. I went there a few times.

The first time the woman was amazing. The second time the person filled out my forms wrong. Last year I decided to give them another try. My last experience had been bad but I figured maybe that was a one time thing. While I was in the waiting room the receptionist kept trying to get me to go on a date with him to his church so I left and got them done somewhere else. This year I'll start doing my taxes myself again.

[hobbit709]

7. I've been using TaxAct for years.

http://www.taxact.com/

[Crystal Clarity]

17. Me too. They're pretty good. I can't say the same for H & R Block though

:grr:

Warning: Big fat angry H & R rant...

I remember filing w/them as a young single mother making next-to-nothing working in a shoe factory back in the late 80's. It was a simple 1040A form (or should have been) but I was young and intimidated by it so I (unfortunately) paid H & R Block to do it.

The guy was an unpleasant jerk to me from the git-go. I've no idea why, other then the fact that I was a single mother maybe? :shrug:

Anyway, he filed a 1040EZ instead of a 1040A so that I couldn't claim my earned income tax credit... I don't know if he was just being lazy or a jerk, but I asked him why I couldn't get EIC... my ex-husband had always managed to get it for us when we were still together, so I at least knew enough to ask about it.

The guy gave some BS answer as to why not, and though I kind-of, sort-of got the impression that he was lying, I didn't know enough at the time to challenge it...

Long, boring story short, I lost out on over $1100 dollars that year!!! Money I could have desperately used as a single mother making less then 10k a year at my full time factory job. I learned that my original instincts were right when I filed the following year's form (the right one...1040A) w/the help of a friend. I was shocked to see how easy it was and that yes indeed, I WAS allowed to claim EIC that year AND the year prior... the H & R Block year.

I learned much later that I could have put in an amendment to H & R Block's (willful?) 'mistake' but by then it was too late. I think it had to be within a 3 year time frame (or something like that)

The whole thing infuriates me still to this day... 20+ years later. I remember being so poor at the time, that I couldn't afford a telephone, or even a reasonably decent food budget. I made too much for assistance and my ex-wasn't paying child support. I remember many peanut butter 'meals' and Mac and Cheese mixed w/water because I didn't have milk or butter to mix it with. That $1100 would have been a tremendous help.

:rant:

So anyway... some food for thought if you decide to go w/H & R Block.

[old mark]

10. They did ours for years-with zero problems, and they got us a better refund than

I did the one time I did them myself.I know some have had trouble with them, but we have always had great results and not had to worry.


mark

[Highway61]

11. Turbo Tax

Using it for last six years. No problem.

[meegbear]

24. +1

[MorningGlow]

12. My mom works for them

They're legit. Tax preparers are well trained and have to pass qualification tests. (I don't know if they're all CPAs or what though.) I'd recommend them.

[EnviroBat]

13. I've been using turbo Tax for years now and have always been happy with them.

So, wouldn't you know it. my new girlfriend works for H&R. She says she can do my taxes for $22.00. Friends and family discount. I think I'll let her work her magic this year. If she screws up, well then the wedding is off!!!

[Yavin4]

15. Now, She'll Know For Sure How Much Money You Make

Don't skimp on the ring.

[EnviroBat]

19. I KNOW Right? There are some things the girlfriend isn't supposed to find out about...

:scared:

[AngryOldDem]

14. I cannot recommend them.

A few years back I went to them because that year I had an extreme change in my life situation. I also had freelance income in addition to my regular work income. The woman figured out my taxes and then told me I was going to be hit with close to a $2,000 federal tax bill for that year. I literally nearly shit my pants; I left the place near tears. State and local were not as bad, but really, really high. H&R Block did nothing by way of recommending ways to mitigate my tax obligation, such as opening an IRA, which I have done, and has helped me out taxwise considerably.

If it's a simple return, use them. Otherwise, get a CPA or other expert to do it for you. I'm convinced the person I had knew nothing about tax law and ways to cushion the blow.

As usual, YMMV.

[Curmudgeoness]

21. If you do use them, watch out for all the gimmicks.

They make lots of money on fast refunds, have even been banned from offering tax refund loans because of the abuses. Refunds get to you quickly anymore, so just pass on all the extras they will try to sell you.

And if your return isn't complicated at all, why not just do it yourself? It really isn't that difficult until you get into difficult situations. And at that time, a CPA would be a better choice anyways.

Disclaimer: I work in accounting, have complicated returns, and do them by hand.