We went to H&R Blockhead this year to do our taxes since they were pretty entailed. We moved (house sale), DH works in a different state than we live in, and I have a small rental property in another state. So, there were 4 states involved. For many years, we have done out own taxes when it has not been quite as complicated, but this year we thought it would just send up red flags if we did them on our own.

I figured that our bill would be around $300, but guess how much it was? Sitting down? Tax bill was $540.00!!!! I think their charges for this little form and that little form are excessive. Example, to download the form from the state where I had to claim the rental income was $70. I actually called an office in that state yesterday morning and was told that we could download the form ourselves, and most likely do it ourselves since their was $0 tax liability (rental income very minimal). (Our office had already had it done though)

Anyway, I do not believe that we will go back next year. I know our taxes will not be as complicated and the tax programs are very good at detailing everything.

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I don't suffer from insanity, I enjoy every minute of it!

We had the same kind of shocking experience you had. One year I had a lot of medical bills plus 2 different states involved. We thought since I had so many medical bills, it might help some and opted to have someone else like them do it. They charged us over $100 to do them plus my medical bills were not enough to make a dent. Ever since then, we have been doing them ourselves. H&R Block was a rip off for us anyway. I'm sorry you had a bad experience also.

My mom is an EA and does my taxes. I can't tell you how many returns she corrects that H&R Block has done wrong. I would never recommend them to anyone

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Proud to say I haven't shopped at a Wal-Mart since Sept 2003

Well H&R block is sitting on a goldmine I agree its a joke & from what I have heard the people who work their arent getting paid the best so someone high up is really hitting it big & you dont have to be an accountant to work thier either so I am sure alot of the employees dont know everything about preparing taxes

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mom of 3 greats girls

So, if something is flagged, they won't correct their own work? Or the client has just lost faith?

It was laughable, as we were finishing up yesterday, one of the agents said that if I referred four more people to their office, I would receive $15 for each one (probably a credit for NEXT year). Yes, and they would have to be referred by today! Right, and when I tell them how much I paid, those last minute people are going to run to your office?

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I don't suffer from insanity, I enjoy every minute of it!

Usually it's because the client had a bad experience at H&R like you did and felt they were overcharged and/or the return wasn't right. She usually finds the problems when she working on the current return. For example, if you go to H&R and get your 2006 return done and then next year go to my mom. Mom usually finds something that isn't jelling right on the return because of the last years figures. So, she will ask if she can go back and look it over and most of the time she can fix it and they client ends up in a much better situation.

I actually have a friend who works at H&R during tax season and trust me, she's no accountant. All you have to do is pass a tax class to work there. Heck, my brother passed the class and still can't do his own taxes correctly LOL

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Proud to say I haven't shopped at a Wal-Mart since Sept 2003

We had big problems with them last year. DH's partner took the business taxes to H&R Block to be filled out. (Now the CPA had already gotten everything pretty much ready) They completely filled them out wrong. All the W-2's were wrong. Just everything. Then they didn't send them til August or something and we ended up getting fined over $600 for their screw up. We have just in the last month gotten our $600 back.

We will never use them again!

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It's almost too late (you have to midnight) for this year tax season but next year buy Turbo Tax it doesn't cost much and it is real easy to do. Doing your own taxes doesn't send up a red flag, a home office deduction will or high contributions, such as donation of a car, these items will.

I remember when I was in High School and used H&R for my taxes...(how hard could they have been back then!!) but my mother found mistakes and went to their office to show them the mistakes they offered her a job!!

My dh and me are both accountant, but I let him do the taxes. He enjoys it!!

This may sound absurd, but could a client just refuse to use their services after H&R have already prepared your taxes? They really should give an estimate before they actually do them. But then again, many may just leave after getting the estimate.

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I don't suffer from insanity, I enjoy every minute of it!

I really don't know...you get an estimate for your car, why not your taxes?? A ballpark amount would be nice...but I guess if you owe too much you might not pay H&R or use them!!

If you live in the North East you have 2 more days to file!! My taxes would be the last thing I would be thinking about if I was flooded out! Guess you could file an extention!

IRS gives Northeast 2 extra days - MSN Money

I have heard they do give you an estimate but most people really don't know everything they have and all the stupid forms that have to be filled out for each one. There is a *standard* of what to charge for each form but I think H&R uses their own *standard*. Problem is, once they get into the return and tell you there is more than they originally thought, you have to pay for them for the time they have already spent on it so you might as well let them finish. They have your life in their hands (W-2s, etc) and they aren't going to hand those back over without $$$

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Proud to say I haven't shopped at a Wal-Mart since Sept 2003

On the other hand.................

We have used H&R for many years and have always been happy with them.
Maybe it is just the 2 women who always do them but they are quite good at it.
We asked the one who did them this year about the classes and she said she took the first class twice at her own expense. After that H&R paid for further classes each year. She said one of her classes was too big so she took it a second time to make sure she hadn't missed anything. I have confidence in her knowing that she cares about her work. There was one thing she wasn't exactly sure about so she asked the other woman about it.
We were charged $202 this year and that included ammending our 2005 taxes, but not from something they had done wrong. The employment agency that DH goes thru for one of his jobs (he has 3) screwed up. They mixed him up with another man who has the same name as DH.

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