H & R Block

 

0

1

niels j.

San Francisco, CA

I've been fortunate to have a Cluster 4, its like a trust fund, but every year I have to pay extra to have someone add in the additional info from the cluster 4. I took my taxes to h&r block for the past two years and they charged me an additional $300 just to add in my cluster 4 info and it only took them an additional ten minutes to do it. So after that fee and the other fees, my total each time was well over $500 dollars. I didn't even make over 25k each year, talk about getting bent over! I think they charge way to much and I've decided to get my taxes done else where. Now I only pay $200 to have my taxes done including my cluster 4.

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Elite '08

19

82

Mary V.

San Francisco, CA

EDIT 3/08: ok, i'm dropping them down to 1 star. i would give them zero stars if possible. I JUST RECEIVED A LETTER FROM THE IRS SAYING I OVERPAID MY TAXES. which means my H&R tax preparer colossally screwed up. no telling what deductions he robbed me of. not only did i overpay, but he obviously didn't find me exceptional write-offs. i was so pissed. i called to complain, and the guys was not friendly. his manager offered my a rebate wherein i can get about $200 back. gee, thanks, according to their website there is some kind of guarantee. guaranteeing me 1/2 of my money back DOES NOT FULFILL A GUARANTEE. i am so so pissed at this corporation. even worse, i am guilty for patronizing a corporation and not an independent, local office. ug. ug ug ug.

They charged me 400 fucking dollars for 45 minutes spent doing my taxes.  that's a big WTF. granted, i had a lot of write-offs and a 1099 and a W-2, so maybe a tad complicated, but $400??? cost prohibitive, no? in addition, i asked the receptionist for an estimate when i booked my appointment, and she denied. i asked for a ballpark figure and still, i was rebuffed. BIG MISTAKE HERE = my stupid ass didn't ask my tax preparer to quote me an estimate when we sat down. i seriously would have laughed and walked out. and this is the best part: i owe $8000, so from what i can tell, there were no magic tricks in getting me any breaks. the best was when i left: the guy goes, "i hope this doesn't spoil your weekend!" even he knew he fucked up. BOO.

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4

25

Mission S.

San Francisco, CA

After years of Taxslayer, Turbotax and other menacing-sounding online programs, my financial life has become complicated enough that I can no longer whiz through answering "no, no, no" doing the DYI programs, that is, no longer am I an island, entire of itself .

I headed up to H&R block on Mission and 16th. The Mission office has hubbub of a Kinkos, but soon I was introduced to my tax preparer, Alex, who was very patient and thorough. It looked like I might owe some money, but he put my return on hold and told me to double-check with my financial adviser to make sure I wasn't paying tax twice. Turns out I was! So I came back, we finished it up and I'm getting a refund.

Now I just have to make it past the shops on Valencia without spending it all . . .

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8

40

Muriel d.

San Francisco, CA

Maybe my 3 stars is generous.

I feel uncomfortable mentioning the name of my tax preparer, because she was very nice and personable, but that did not help my return, I don't think.

I got about the same as I did last year, when I did my own taxes with Turbo Tax.  Also, I remembered to deduct my travel expenses last year, my tax person did not.  She was extremely talkative, so much so that I think she was distracted from actually caring about what I could deduct.  We were interrupted about 5 times, once so someone could bring her a gift from a client.  She took time to go through each thing in the gift package, which I thought was weird.  It took about one hour but she actually spent only about 10 minutes on my tax return, maybe 15, and all the rest talking,  and also talking about how tired she was,  and what long hours she worked.  ( I thought, "you sound like I did in grade school when I would fuck around all day and complain that it took so long to do my homework."   Seriously, that is what a teacher or my mom would have said if it was me complaining about how I was at work until 11:30 at night- they would say "well if you spent less time talking and fooling around, you wouldn't be here all night".)

   She also did not find anything that I could deduct that I didn't find myself on Turbo Tax last year.  I had a written list of things I thought I could deduct for being a freelancer at a company and trying to freelance from home, having only one paid job though besides the main one.  She said I couldn't even deduct the expensive laser printer I bought for printing out portfolio pieces, or my Mac Addict magazine (which I only bought so I could keep up with career things), or anything except office supplies like paper.  Really?  I'm not sure, but I feel a little like she didn't get that even though I had a W-2 for one job, it was still freelance and I had to spend a lot of money on things to try to get other jobs and go on several interviews last year, and that I did occasionally work from home for the main  job.  I'm not saying I know for a FACT that I could deduct some more of these things,  . .but I AM saying that I don't feel she did anything special for me to find out.

Maybe someone can tell me this- Are my other acquaintances who say they deduct everything on earth having to do with their careers just being super ballsy, or is H&R block being super cautious so they can't ever have to deal with an audit?  I don't know.  

I just really wanted someone to ask me questions, to try to think of things to deduct.  Turbo Tax with the deduction-finder did me just as well last year.  I just don't think this woman was thinking about her customer, even though she seemed to be a very nice person.  With money matters, I need someone thinking clearly and not distracted, someone who can do more than I can with Turbo Tax.  I did not feel that I got that.

If anyone has a recommendation for next year, please send me a message!  

Also, does anyone know what the deal with out of pocket medical expenses?  Why does it have to be all or nothing- a percentage of you r income?  So if I spent $2000-$3000 on medical expenses I can't deduct a thing?  Anybody know?

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53

187

Sarah D.

San Francisco, CA

I had a wonderful experience this tax season thanks to Eddie Cline of H&R Block.  I know doing your own taxes can take a few minutes, but add one complication and you can lose an entire day!  It may cost you some money...but people...time IS money and can be much more precious!

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