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  • H&R Block Tax Course

    I've signed up to take the H&R Block Tax Course this year. Has anyone here taken it? I'm just curious what to expect.
    The Borg wouldn't know fun if they assimilated an amusement park. -- B'Elanna Torres, Star Trek: Voyager

    Math! Math, my dear boy, is but the lesbian sister of Biology. -- Peter Griffin, Family Guy

  • #2
    My aunt taught it for a while. And ran an office. My mother was a preparer.

    I never heard anything good from them.

    Unfortunately, that was about 20 years ago, so I have no idea how it goes, now.

    ^-.-^
    Faith is about what you do. It's about aspiring to be better and nobler and kinder than you are. It's about making sacrifices for the good of others. - Dresden

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    • #3
      Sounds cool, tho I don't know anyone that has done one.

      To be honest, I'd rather just pay them to do it for me. We have an awesome woman who does ours. She got me from owing both govs to getting back over $500 (plus another $500 in those monthly tax credits they do now). I most likely would have missed that. The small fee was definitely worth it!

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      • #4
        Andara, I've read good and bad things about H&R Block. I understand how experiences vary for everyone. I've done some research online. I have one friend who has taken their class, and now works for them. I've talked to her also. She seems to really enjoy her job.

        Slayer, I can understand not enjoying the headaches of doing taxes. Figuring out how the tax laws apply can be a royal pain. Plus, a lot of people have enough to do without dealing with the extra hassle. Some people also just plain don't like doing any kind of paperwork.

        I've been contemplating the H&R Block Tax Course for two years now. The year before last, I was still in school full-time. There was no way I could juggle the load between work, work-study, school, and family. I just got too many irons in the fire while in school, and it finally caught up to me. Last year, I'd taken a break from school because I was suffering from burn out. I was thinking about taking the class, but had already scheduled my vacation from work by the time tax school started. So, this year is finally the year I give it a try.

        Before I hit burn out at the university, I was studying for a bachelor's degree in computer information systems/accounting. Part of my plan was to pursue a CPA license. My wife's grandfather is a retired Salvation Army officer. As a retiree, he'd started his own accounting firm, and specialized in tax law. I've considered going to work for him for a while, but he lives 8-10 hours from my current location. That's one possibility, but not feasible right now because my wife has built her career here. The biggest challenge for me has been deciding exactly what I want to do with my education once I finally finish my degree. I think this would be a good step toward that goal.
        The Borg wouldn't know fun if they assimilated an amusement park. -- B'Elanna Torres, Star Trek: Voyager

        Math! Math, my dear boy, is but the lesbian sister of Biology. -- Peter Griffin, Family Guy

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        • #5
          My training was with the other mega-chain. As about half of the amended returns, I've done were to correct errors by preparers from Block, I would recommend a lot of self study ahead of time.

          Keep in mind that after this tax season, you will absolutely have to have a license.

          Bone up on the latest version materials mentioned here.
          I'm trying to see things from your point of view, but I can't get my head that far up my keister!

          Who is John Galt?
          -Ayn Rand, Atlas Shrugged

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          • #6
            Quoth taxguykarl View Post
            As about half of the amended returns, I've done were to correct errors by preparers from Block, I would recommend a lot of self study ahead of time.
            From my mother and aunt's time with the Block, it was SOP for preparers at the offices to just run through the returns as quickly as they could and leave it for the checkers, a separate position, to hash out. And even then, the checkers weren't actually allowed to fix every mistake made by the preparers.

            Again, it's worth noting that my info is based on how things ran 20 years ago, so it's likely that some things have changed, but it's also possible that they've just doubled down on being skeevy.

            ^-.-^
            Faith is about what you do. It's about aspiring to be better and nobler and kinder than you are. It's about making sacrifices for the good of others. - Dresden

            Comment


            • #7
              Quoth Andara Bledin View Post
              it was SOP for preparers at the offices to just run through the returns as quickly as they could and leave it for the checkers, a separate position, to hash out. And even then, the checkers weren't actually allowed to fix every mistake made by the preparers.
              OK, so why hire checkers in the first place?
              I'm trying to see things from your point of view, but I can't get my head that far up my keister!

              Who is John Galt?
              -Ayn Rand, Atlas Shrugged

              Comment


              • #8
                They hired checkers to do the majority of the grunt work as it paid less than a preparer. The preparers were supposed to be in sales as much as be tax experts. Remember, it was considered good form to push schedules that weren't strictly necessary just for the extra billable item on the invoice. Profit was also an issue with preparers charging outrageous amounts, which was actually against the company rules, but since the company got a percentage, it was just quietly ignored.

                Again, I want to stress that my info is 20 years old. And it's possible that the manager for the region was horrible and it was a localized issue.

                ^-.-^
                Faith is about what you do. It's about aspiring to be better and nobler and kinder than you are. It's about making sacrifices for the good of others. - Dresden

                Comment


                • #9
                  Taxguykarl, thank you for the IRS links. That will be helpful.

                  Okay, I can understand having checkers to check for mistakes on the chance I might miss an error. However, I don't like the idea of just doing half-assed rush jobs. I'm too much of a perfectionist for that. I also don't like the idea of trying to push people into things they don't really need in the name of sales. I don't like pushy salespeople, and I believe in The Golden Rule.
                  The Borg wouldn't know fun if they assimilated an amusement park. -- B'Elanna Torres, Star Trek: Voyager

                  Math! Math, my dear boy, is but the lesbian sister of Biology. -- Peter Griffin, Family Guy

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Update on this thread: I finished the course last week and took the final exam. I scored 95%, so now I'm waiting to be hired. I followed up with my instructor yesterday since I hadn't received the emails regarding background check and hiring paperwork. She assured me I'm on the list. They are having some issues with getting emails out to candidates. They've implemented a new system to handle new hires.

                    In the meantime, I've decided to start reviewing the course materials I have, and reorganize my notes. I've also printed a copy of the page Taxguykarl linked regarding the RTRP exam so I have it handy for easy reference. Next step will be studying state income taxes for Tennessee, Virginia, and North Carolina while preparing for the exam.
                    The Borg wouldn't know fun if they assimilated an amusement park. -- B'Elanna Torres, Star Trek: Voyager

                    Math! Math, my dear boy, is but the lesbian sister of Biology. -- Peter Griffin, Family Guy

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      They used to do my taxes and they were great. I had this really nice lady for several years who always took her time with me, showed me everything she was doing, and looked for ways to get me the biggest (legit) return possible. The only reason I stopped going to them was that their fees started getting pretty high for me, and my return is fairly simple each year. The place I go now is locally owned.
                      When you start at zero, everything's progress.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Quoth aurelemsrealm View Post
                        Taxguykarl, thank you for the IRS links. That will be helpful.
                        Glad to be of assistance. Remember after this tax season, the RTRP will be mandatory.

                        The references (1040 form, 1040 instruction, Publication 17) are webpages in the actual test site-scanning and running searches are not options...you have to go through chapters or the index.

                        The instructions for Schedules A, C, D and SE were available when I took the test.

                        I saw more questions related to e-filing (http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p1345.pdf) and ethics (http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/pcir230.pdf) than some practice tests online suggest. I recommend reading up on those.

                        Not as many EITC trick questions as our corporate-administered annual readiness test...but reading up (http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p596.pdf) certainly won't hurt.

                        As I had a little less than an hour when I got through all 120 questions, I went back through them all...changed about a dozen (the second time through I verified as much as I could in the literature provided).

                        When you arrive they make you empty your pockets and wand you with a metal detector (NO SERIOUSLY!!!).

                        You are given a locker to store your things and you aren't permitted to go there 'til you sign out.

                        I've seen less surveillance in Vegas casinos--don't even think of trying to pull a fast one, you get caught. Cameras everywhere...and nice resolution as I noticed on one monitor.

                        Good luck...or should I say skill?
                        I'm trying to see things from your point of view, but I can't get my head that far up my keister!

                        Who is John Galt?
                        -Ayn Rand, Atlas Shrugged

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Quoth taxguykarl View Post

                          The references (1040 form, 1040 instruction, Publication 17) are webpages in the actual test site-scanning and running searches are not options...you have to go through chapters or the index.

                          The instructions for Schedules A, C, D and SE were available when I took the test.

                          I saw more questions related to e-filing (http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p1345.pdf) and ethics (http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/pcir230.pdf) than some practice tests online suggest. I recommend reading up on those.

                          Not as many EITC trick questions as our corporate-administered annual readiness test...but reading up (http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p596.pdf) certainly won't hurt.

                          As I had a little less than an hour when I got through all 120 questions, I went back through them all...changed about a dozen (the second time through I verified as much as I could in the literature provided).

                          When you arrive they make you empty your pockets and wand you with a metal detector (NO SERIOUSLY!!!).

                          You are given a locker to store your things and you aren't permitted to go there 'til you sign out.

                          I've seen less surveillance in Vegas casinos--don't even think of trying to pull a fast one, you get caught. Cameras everywhere...and nice resolution as I noticed on one monitor.

                          Good luck...or should I say skill?

                          This is good to know I am going to take my test in three weeks not looking forward to it as I always test horribly Keeping my fingers crossed I pass I enjoy the job started in 04 with the red and black tax group not with the dancing statue out front
                          Lay your hands upon me
                          Like an angel from above
                          Put your arms around me,
                          'Cause you're fallin'

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            hey taxguykarl, can you help with small business taxes? or at least advice?
                            It is by snark alone I set my mind in motion. It is by the juice of the coffee bean that thoughts acquire 'tude, the lips acquire mouthiness, the glares become a warning.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Quoth Sarlon View Post
                              hey taxguykarl, can you help with small business taxes? or at least advice?
                              Sure, just PM me your question/concern/problem.
                              I'm trying to see things from your point of view, but I can't get my head that far up my keister!

                              Who is John Galt?
                              -Ayn Rand, Atlas Shrugged

                              Comment

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