Block Advisor

made appointment at one branch and then they called right before and canceled it. made an appointment at another branch the same day and they did the same thing due to «the person we have here is a first year and isn’t qualified to do your taxes». is there a reason that person is working here then and your wasting my time??? Thanks but if you cant keep your appointments at any branches ill take my business elsewhere.

Right after I paid H&R Block the rates they charged me they came out with a new commercial advertising for less and of course they won’t pay me back the difference so I will be looking for a new tax preparer next year. I have used H&R Block for a few years now and will never use them again.

Wow, have they become corporate!!!
First, let me preface that I went to H&R about ten years ago, walking away most pleased, and since done my own taxes.
I do not generally require a fancy return, but a couple of things changed, temporarily, this year so I thought I would be cautious and rely on the professionals. That was a mistake.
Without taking screen after screen of caustic complaint, I will just say, Not Again!!!
P. S., ask about their fees up front. You will be surprised!

…and as an update, due to H&R Block’s incompetence, I owe an additional 1k for state taxes. I reached out via email for the tax preparer to call me to discuss. No response for weeks. Absolute garbage. Avoid at all costs.

If you wish for a Tax Preparer, who is an utmost caring person, you’ll find him in a guy by the name Ara Sarkissian (H&R Block in Reseda, CA). We met him by chance and now consider it as our good luck. His manager Alma is a very nice person too. This year we had the best experience ever filing our Tax Return.
Highly recommend.

Three very rude and impatient receptionists (both over the phone and in person), and a tax preparer who did not know how to file gains/​losses for my 1-​member LLC. The only reason I will be returning to this office will be to file an addendum Schedule C on account of their ineptitude.
I have had good experiences in other H&R Blocks, but this particular branch is well deserving of a 1-​star rating.

So doing taxes is not a good time usually. It was so easy with Ron Vest. He was very professional, honest and helpful. Nice guy! I’ll be seeing him again next year!

I used to do my taxes online. TurboTax.
Then I got tired of being all, «OMG DID I DO THIS RIGHT WHAT IF MY REFUND DOESN’T COME? MAYBE I SHOULD JUST DO SOME TEQUILA SHOTS INSTEADDD.»
So then I started going to H&R Block. Much easier, and not as expensive as I’d heard.
Last year I lived in CT, but this year, I’m, well, here. So I went up to this location and Rosemary did my taxes.
She was super nice, told me entertaining stories about her divorce, and we bonded over our mutual shoe fetish. She worked hard as we talked and informed me that I’d be getting just under 2 large back.
Niiiiice.
And when I had to go back to do an amended return, because I forgot my SL interest documents, she found me another $ 210.
Dude, I’m so getting another pair of boots.

You still haven’t filed your taxes??? Slacker.
Not to worry, there’s still time and Lynne Ebert is your friend. Not only is she efficient & knowledgeable, she’ll tell you wacky stories along the way, helping lighten the dark mood that is tax time. I thought this year was going to be extraordinarily complex since we bought a house last year, but NO! It was really rather straightforward. We had a few decisions to make, but Lynne made it really super clear. Given the ridiculously complex tax laws, and the fact that I really don’t want to spend months of my life studying up on them every single year (because they’re always changing), I really don’t mind shelling out a few hundred bucks to someone who can accomplish the same thing in a matter of an hour or so.
Tip: Don’t schedule anything immediately afterward (besides an open time to meet up with a pal for drinks), because they tend to run behind schedule here.

The guy who helped me prepare my taxes was very nice, but in a confused sort of way. He did help me with my taxes, which I couldn’t do online this year because of some sort of error, but it would have been a lot cheaper and easier if I could have done it online. The biggest downside to doing my taxes here is now they continually call me to try and get me to come in and review my previous years tax returns. I’ve told them no one too many times already. Stop calling.

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?

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 16^th. 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. ..

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 ½ 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.

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!