Why I Won't Be Doing Taxes at H&R Block This Year

The past five years I have had H&R Block do my taxes. It always seemed like a convenient deal… until last year.

Last year I diligently compiled my work-related expenses hoping for a write-off on stuff like blank CDs, printer cartridges, train tickets to all kinds of conferences and seminars in NYC, etc. I also included online purchases of some minor computer hardware and books.

The first surprise was that my “financial advisor” said it would take in the range of something as ridiculous at $5,000 worth of personal, yet work-related expenses (!) to have them written off. Since I’m not crazy to spend this much on books and train tickets a year, that was a no go. Bummer.

Next was a bigger shocker. She goes, “Oh, let me take a look. The state of New York wants to charge you sales tax on your online purchases.” My jaw hit the floor.

If you purchase something from an online store which does not have presence in your state, you don’t pay sales tax! That’s the key incentive many of them offer which beats brick-and-mortar stores. Yet, being a bunch of servile suck ups, H&R made me pay taxes on online purchases to NY state. How about that?

That experience made me realize H&R does not serve your interests. Their fancy advertisements that they are there to help is merely fluff.

I've never used H&R but I have friends who have similar experiences. It's not even an issue of H&R sucking up to the Gov't so much as a personnel issue, they have to set the bar pretty low to hire enough tax preparers. I'm sure there are some great people there, but there seems to be a lot of duds too, and it's the luck of the draw as to which you get.

"If you purchase something from an online store which does not have presence in your state, you don’t pay sales tax!"

No. If you purchase something from an online store which does not have presence in your state, the online store is not required to collect the sales tax for your home state, but you are still expected to pay it. (Actually, you are paying a "use tax" which is the same level as the sales tax).

And, No, hardly anyone ever does.....

Wow, thanks for the tip-off. I have much more complex taxes this year and was considering H&R block. I won't after this.

Did you ever find out the truth on the business write off's? I didn't think there was any kind of minumum to a business write off.

Ryan, unfortunately I didn't. At that point it was a done deal and I never double checked her assertion.

As for the employee business expenses - you need to have at least 2% of your adjusted gross income in business expenses to be deductible, that is if you itemize to begin with. So if you make $50,000 after your "above the line deductions," you need $1000 to take a deduction for employee business expenses on Schedule A. If you don't itemize (say you are a renter), you don't get any benefit from such expenses unless they (combined with other deductions such as charity and taxes paid) push you over the standard deduction, which for 2005 will be $5,000

H & R Block just rips off students taking the classes. It looks like that's their main source of revenue. After taking the class and paying the fees, they told us all "your application is going to be placed on hold". If you need the district manager name send me a note. H & R block SUCKS

Here is the exact conversation I Hade with there “Customer Service Center”….hope you don’t use this service…This is a paid for service to prepare and e-file your taxes and after I had already paid for and the 2 suggestions they could come up with were “Selina P: Kyle, can you still hold for another moment, I'm trying to figure out the reason why you can not file your california state return, Is that ok?” and “Selina P: Can you please try to do your filing at a later time?
Selina P: Let see what happens, is that ok?” after over talking for 45min and waiting for 30 min just to talk to someone. How do you consider this customer service?













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You have been connected to Selina P.
Selina P: Hello Kyle, welcome to H & R Block's Live Technical Support Chat! How can we assist you today?
Kyle *****: I can not file my state
Selina P: I can help you with that, Kyle.
Kyle *****: good
Selina P: Kyle, to clarify your concern you want to file your California state return,right?
Kyle *****: yes
Selina P: I'm sorry for the inconvenience it may have caused you, Kyle.
Selina P: Kyle, May I please place you on hold while I research some information?
Kyle *****: sure
Selina P: Thank you.
Selina P: Kyle may I ask, have you already file your federal return?
Kyle *****: yes and it has ben accepted
Selina P: Have you checked the status of your federal return?
Kyle *****: though you site or thought the IRS site...I confused...I filed 2 other people taxes and was able to do all this in 1 step
Kyle *****: using your service
Kyle *****: linked thought the irs.gov web...when I did mine I went to you sight directly....why the problem or the delay
Kyle *****: should I have used the link from the IRS sight...why is it not the same?
Selina P: Kyle, when did you file your federal return?
Kyle *****: ummm....on the 3rd...it was the same day as the other 2 I did
Selina P: Kyle, were currently experiencing technical difficulties right now. Can you hold on for a while, for a minute or two?
Kyle *****: sure
Selina P: Thank you for holding.
Selina P: Kyle, your federal return should be "accepted" before you can file your state return.
Kyle *****: and it is
Selina P: Your federal return was accepted already?
Kyle *****: yes
Kyle *****: you web site says it is
Kyle *****: Federal return review entries
State Return review entries
Pay and file
Federal accepted
CAe-file or print for mailing
Print completed 2005 return print
Kyle *****: that’s the copy and past from you sight...as you can see it says federal accepred
Kyle *****: accepted*
Selina P: Kyle, so it was accepted. May I please put you on hold while I research some information?
Kyle *****: sure
Selina P: Thank you for holding.
Kyle *****: fixed?
Selina P: Kyle, can you still hold for another moment, I'm trying to figure out the reason why you can not file your California state return, Is that ok?
Kyle *****: ok
Selina P: Thanks.
Selina P: Thank you for holding. I have checked that your state interview is now available. and you have said that your federal return has been accepted, right?
Kyle *****: yes
Kyle *****: intervie?
Kyle *****: *interview
Selina P: Kyle, I'm sorry to tell you I think you have to mail your state return.
Kyle *****: why....I paid money to not have to send it in
Kyle *****: this service cost me money and now you are telling me it will not work
Selina P: Kyle, let me check again. Can you hold for a second?
Kyle *****: why did it work for other returns and not mine?
Kyle *****: sure
Selina P: When was the last time you tried to e-file your state return?
Kyle *****: right before this
Selina P: Kyle, have you encounter any error?
Kyle *****: it says I cant file state at this time...but why was i able to do it with other returns
Selina P: Can you please try to do your filing at a later time?
Selina P: Let see what happens, is that ok?
Kyle *****: lol....like how later....and if it does not work...how long to late....saying to try later is.....very ambiguous
Kyle *****: I just spent 90 min working talking to work this out and the only suggestion you have is try later
Kyle *****: do you have a phone # I can call
Selina P: May I please advice you to file at a later time because state DOR system is refreshing.
Kyle *****: is there a phone # can call?
Selina P: Kyle, please call 1-888-4TAXCUT(1-888-4829288).
Selina P: Is there anything else we can assist you with today?
Kyle *****: ok
Kyle *****: no you have help plenty
Selina P: Is there anything else we can assist you with today?
Selina P: Thank you for contacting H&R Block, Kyle, and we look forward to serving you in the future!

Have any questions? Kylesp@comcast.net

My name is Heather and I have been going to H&R block for seven years. This year they had over charged me about $125 more than the competition. When I had found out I called H&R block. All they can do is bad mouth the competition, and offer me a $75 cupon on next years taxes. YEAH like I'm going back. That was not all they had done. When I found out that they charged me so much more I decided to look into all of the other years that I had them do. I found out that they did not file my state taxes right 5 times out of the 7 times they did them. Their reason for that is becouse of my PO box. They said you can not file your taxes with a PO box. They have no clue. I called the IRS and they told me that if your PO box is your only mailing address you should use it while filing. H&R block needs to make sure of things before training the peaple off the street.

i think all H&R Blocks are different
i work at one but i am nuy noway standing up for them
at our office the 3 new girls had a somthing like a 8 or 9 week course
and then they basicley sent them out to do the rest themself
we have had a few complaints not bad for the training they got.

i am a recepionist and i got 0 training so when ppl ask me questions i realy have no anser so if you do happen to have trouble with an H&R Block office plz cut the receprionist some slack