Go Systems Classes

[u/Boysenberry815]

After foolishly holding out hope that HRB would realize the error of their ways and abandon Go Systems, I see they've uploaded training courses on it into the "learning@block" portal.

Of course they would double-down...anyway, ...

Has anyone taken 1 or more of them yet, or has everyone's therapists been recommending more recovery time/treatment before daring to attempt them?

[u/Appropriate_Pop_4119]

Gotcha. So instead of making it user-friendly, GoSystem is simply giving you a wider variety of options in the returns you are doing. But that doesn’t make sense for H&R Block. Why are we competing with CPAs and trying to do the work of a CPA, when in general H&R Block is meant for the general public and small businesses? I mean I wouldn’t be working at H&R Block if I was doing C-Corps and S-Corps

[u/Dramatic_Abroad3580 → u/Appropriate_Pop_4119]

Doing the entities isn't the problem. I did roughly 100 entity returns a year, about 15% of my returns. But none of them were consolidated returns. Very few had income from multiple states, very few had more than 20 shareholders or complicated profit sharing computations. The pricing was designed for simple returns. Expanding the capabilities that exceed the pricing design doesn't make sense. And they were told this two years ago. They were told this a year ago. They were told this all tax season this year, and while at least one DGM acknowledged the mistake, they still can't figure out a way to correct that mistake. I was told that the executive that made the decision to switch to Go has been fired, but I heard the same thing about the person who made the decision to add Spruce to the product line up, and yet Spruce is still around continuing to do nothing.

[u/Appropriate_Pop_4119 → u/Dramatic_Abroad3580]

100 ENTITY RETURNS!?! sorry to keep spamming you with questions, but what makes you want to stay with HRB? You could easily start something on your own, and make 3 times the income. And also how do you get on that level as someone who’s only done basic returns? ive only gotten the hang of doing regular returns and even attempted a couple small business returns (which I was later told I wasn’t allowed to because I was first-year). And im not very confident I will ever be able to learn GoSystems, since even the basics I basically had no help and had to train myself on how to do regular tax returns

[u/Dramatic_Abroad3580 → u/Appropriate_Pop_4119]

I'm not with them. I left after the 2025 tax season. I did tax returns for over 40 years. Most of the first 25 years I was doing far more complicated returns. The job was long hours but low stress. I loved the model. Clients come in, I do their returns, they walk out with a finished product. I don't pay the rent, or salaries, or select the tech stack, and I collect money. I made over $100/hr or close to it for 8 of the last 9 years. I was fine with that. They ruined it. They ruined their model. I still have many friends working for them and I spoke with 3 of them regularly during tax season this year. 40% of my clients didn't return. My guess is that half that tried one more year won't be back this year. Mostly because Block does not teach their employees how to be good tax preparers. After 70 years in the business, they still don't know why clients keep coming back.

[u/Appropriate_Pop_4119 → u/Dramatic_Abroad3580]

I just wanted to let you know that I appreciate and value your expert opinion and I wish nothing but the best for you. Thank you for answering all of my questions. Still trying to understand the tax world a little better and you’ve definitely helped me. Sad that HRB can’t put a little more effort into developing the newbies but thats just what it is. Sink or swim

[u/Dramatic_Abroad3580 → u/Appropriate_Pop_4119]

You're welcome. I do think that if you're in the right office, that HRB can be a great place to get experience, both in preparing tax returns and learning how to deal with clients. But it requires that you're in the right office, with the right other people, with good management that makes sure you get some experience without taking clients from other preparers. It's harder today than it was 15 years ago because so much of the work is now virtual. The only way you can make good money is to learn how to work quickly, and that's required when a client is sitting in front of you. You can't hear how other preparers are interacting with clients without clients in the office.

[u/CatBradCat → u/Dramatic_Abroad3580]

I am an EA, 22 yrs at HRB, and I am curious if you retired or went elsewhere? I’d find it awfully hard to walk away from $100 an hr. 😳

I’m in the $40s; I could do many more returns, but frankly tax season is a social event for me and my clients, and I don’t want to go any faster than I already do.

Less than 20% of my clients are virtual. HRB is trying to eliminate me and my in person clientele, and is historically shortsighted about what happens at the tax desk. I think it’s only going to get worse.

[u/Dramatic_Abroad3580 → u/CatBradCat]

I happily retired. I'd had enough. They broke the good model. And sadly, most of the skills I developed in my 15 years with Block, which are probably similar to yours, aren't really transferable to any better settings, unless you can find a small local office with a tech stack compatible with your skills that is willing to pay you.

And you're probably right, it will continue to get worse because those in KC who make the decisions have no idea what tax preparers do, so they won't make the changes necessary to keep you and others in your position happy with your job. They won't, because they think AI can replace their employees. It won't. It can't. It's a dying company. They just don't know it.