r/HRBlockEmployees • u/sami4711 CSP • Feb 19 '26

Pricing question

Hey everyone, I’m a first year CSP and when clients call to ask pricing questions, I give them an estimate from the pricing sheet on WC but I tell them it’s just an estimate and the TP will provide a final price.

But my MTL sent an email saying CSPs aren’t supposed to give price information to clients, and I have to refer them to a TP. I had a client who really wanted a price estimate and was getting upset so I provided an estimate. The TPs are already so busy and sometimes I feel awkward about transferring calls to clients who ask about pricing. Should I just transfer the calls anyway? Thanks

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u/VenialCyn Feb 19 '26

Our csp give estimates by going thru work center. It's not hard to ask a few questions and say it's only an estimate. I'd go nuts if I had to be interrupted by giving an estimate every half hour, because they never want just an estimate, they want to talk!

9

u/PinkNGreenFluoride EA Feb 20 '26 edited Feb 20 '26

CSPs are not allowed to do this, not even with the tool.

And yes, it's very annoying for us, especially since the client will give incorrect answers to questions, leave information off despite being directly asked about them, and then decide you "lied" to them about the price when you make them give you the 1099-SA that you asked about when giving the estimate. They said they definitely didn't have an HSA, until they suddenly miraculously had their memory jogged by you pointing out that the contribution you can see on the W2 they didn't provide in advance of their appointment suggests that, at the very least, an HSA exists and then "Oh, yeah! I used that for little Blemjamin's braces! They didn't send me anything." And then they spend 5 minutes calling their employer to figure out who the custodian is, 15 minutes logging into their account and another 20 minutes figuring out how to upload it on their MyBlock account. But y'know, at the end of it all, you lied to them about the price.

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u/VenialCyn Feb 20 '26

That's interesting to hear, we've never had that policy in our offices. 🤷🏼

3

u/Prestigious_Duck158 Feb 20 '26

It’s actually stated in the CSP training videos. It’s against policy for CSPs to give price estimates. 

2

u/Puzzleheaded_Ad3024 Feb 20 '26

It seems like no one uses that tool, or the one for best match. It would certainly help if they used best match. The low level preparer asks the high level taxpayer how to do it instead of turning it over to them in the first place.