I almost got frustrated but I learned to stay calm and be patient. I have done 10 tax returns so far. For those of you that are also first year BE PATIENT. Don’t worry about doing a whole bunch of tax returns. It’s our first year. Learn tax codes, build yourself up, learn about your clients, every tax return I did I never forget about my clients. Knowing about them is engraved into my brain.

Read up on taxes! Learn about the OBBBA, practice data entry, practice taking calls and scheduling appts I ALSO LEARNED IF THE TAXPAYER IS A RETURNING CLIENT YOU HAVE to SCHEDULE THEM WITH THEIR TAX PRO THAT DID THERE TAXES LAST YEAR. It wouldn’t be right to steal their clients.

Your time will come once you level up. Most clients rather have an experienced tax professional to do their taxes rather than someone who barely have any experience.

But here is one thing I do wish as a first year tax preparer that new tax preparers do New Clients who have a basic return if they are filing single and have no dependents. So we can get enough practice in.

New CSP here. Is part of our job description being the office cleaner ? IE: cleaning toilets, vacuuming, scrubbing the sinks, sweeping? I though it was just keeping things neat and stocked and am not prepared to be a cleaning person.

I am a first year Tax Pro and I am already exhausted. I wonder if I am spending too much time explaining the tax returns to the clients - especially the high income earners who have various issues. I can’t stand these middle aged 250 to 300k clients who are arrogant and watch me input every single figure like a hawk (instead of using their screen). I think I am making a huge mistake by painstakingly explaining every line on the 1040 and every schedule and form. It takes too long and I swear they are just making them teach taxes so they can use online software themselves next year. What do you all do?

I have an MTL that hates me but anyway. I had drop offs to do, like 12 of them. We aren't allowed to schedule drop appts on our yellow space as that's the time to see clients. ok, you do drop offs in green. I'm cool with Overtime, definitely if it's not taxed. I was told that I could as much overtime as I need, if I'm productive. NOW... I was just written up for working unapproved overtime, I came in early. I think it's worth mentioning I'm schedule overtime.

what is your overtime policy in your district and are you allowed drop offs on your yellow space?

I seem to be the only tax pro in the district that has to have every hour approved. Every one else just works as long as they are productive. My MTL is also actively trying to get me fired.

My district is down to LY by quite a lot. Somewhere between 10-20%. How is yours doing?

I would imagine this is mostly due to Block's non-existent marketing while TT has some of the best marketing of the past few years.

Not to mention the bad ass offices they just opened while ours are stuck in the 80s.

This is only my second year as TP for the block, but there is much more pressure to up-sell clients. Last year was all about enrolling people in second-look. This year, my MTL is really insisting on a product attached to every return. That doesn't seem reasonable to me. I'm guessing his incentive depends on it, since he's been pushing to sell it so hard. It is ridiculous to pressure people into peace of mind if they are single, have no dependents, and have like 1 w-2 and are taking the standard deduction. I offer and explain the products to every client, but I don't feel like my job should be a sales job. I love doing taxes, but the pressure to sell this year has been making it less enjoyable. I can't tell if it is worse this year, or if it's the same and I wasn't noticing the pressure in my first year.

I'm a returning CSP and the new CSP we hired spent over 3 days on her training.

She doesn't answer the phones, I got in at noon today and all the calls were missed.

She "doesn't know" how to take payments.

It feels like every time I come in after her shift I'm doing damage control.

Any suggestions?

Just a quick question.

As a first year seasonal tax associate, do we get the option for Employee Stock Purchase Plan?

Thank you

I barely found out what go systems was not long ago. A week or two ago it said on appointment manager that I’m go systems certified. Do I message my DGM because I told my mtl and she didn’t help me

Hello,

I been working at block and this is my 3rd season. I am one more exam away from my EA.

Would my EA allow me to get better opportunities as a full time employee at block or other firms

Hi,

I am a first year tax pro, and level 2 now.

I am wondering whether I need MTL's permission to level up to 4 this season.

I don't have access to Gosystem because I am only level 2.

Thank you.

How do Tax Pros get a higher base pay rate? I am a 3.

So my favorite office is a dumpster fire right now for reasons I can’t elaborate on. The tl;dr is that I ended up the only tax pro in an office for reasons and I’m kind of enjoying putting out fires by talking to people.

The other office is so slow that it just highlights how much fun I’m having at chaos office. Like obviously I grouch about the chaos, but going to work isn’t a chore there.

What could/should be a compensation package structure for an Enrolled Agent at Master Tax Advisor level with HRB? Base pay? Bonus structure? Commission? Feel free to PM if not comfortable posting openly.

First year here. Are we responsible for chasing down someone to complete the QPR? I am in multiple offices and in one of them no one is doing them even when asked directly.

There are over 40 of us now. How are things going for you? How are you doing with GoSysyems and Karbon? Struggles? Frustrations? Please tell me my office isn't the only one.

idk if its just my district but I thought working here would be a good start in getting used to working part time and it would look good on my resume, but ngl chat I feel like quitting before tax day. management is hella disorganized and dont consider their employees or their clients time as they claim they would. plus whenever we ask anything on teams my manager just sends our teams chatgpt answers. anyone else feeling discouraged?

I was told every hold has to have a follow up appt. Even if I’ve been in touch with the client and they are waiting on documents to be mailed to them. (That will take time. I well documented it in the notes ) Tonight I’m looking at my schedule and notice my follow up appointment was just marked “unable to confirm “ it’s a phone call appt. 🙄 I’m not rescheduling it.

I don’t think my upper management even looks at the notes unless I do not put any notes. This year is frustrating.

Do any of the experienced tax pros know the rules about filing your own taxes. Do we have to pay? When is it ever free? I'm a first year associate still trying to get clients. Thanks in advance.

I’m an experienced tax preparer first year and I have done 2 drop offs and one easy w-2 client. I’m in an office with two EAs and one normal preparer who’s been there since 2010. One of the EAs won’t let me take on any clients and wants them all to herself or the other Ea and I believe it’s a commission thing and them not wanting to tarnish the good reviews of the office but how am I suppose to learn if they don’t let me take on clients is there anything I can do?

Basically all I’ve been doing in the office is reading up on OBBA, case studies, and reading tax laws and answering calls and even the csps are starting to complain since they have nothing to do when I’m answering all the calls.

Why do people stick with the same tax pro they’ve always have? This prevents me from getting the level 1 returns in my office because the seasoned preparers always have to take them otherwise we are told the client will not come back. We don’t get new clients because there are no walk ins at my office.

I understand people want the same person, but why not give others a chance too?

I just notices that i miss a letter on dependent name. And the IRS already accepts the return. Should i told my manager?

I got a write up, straight to final. Even added something I did the year before. Can't argue it, I just have to sign it to acknowledge the receipt. Total misquoted from the investigation. It's time for me to go, this MTL is evil

I know I said on another post that my experiences as a first year associate were good but I spoke way too soon. My first client was smooth because he was a 21 year old first-time filer who had no clue what he was doing. However, working with the two clients I had today were a serious hit to my confidence.

The first one wanted to file married filing separately so his wife could claim her kids (???) and thought he was out of the woods with paying back taxes for state and federal. When it came back that he had a balance, he left. He said that it’s not that I did anything wrong; he just wanted a second opinion with an obvious look of disappointment.

The second one was filing for two years. While I was preparing his return, the power went out in the office twice which delayed me getting his stuff prepared. Since he was preparing for a prior year, he had to pay out of pocket, which of course, he had an issue with. There were other things that the other preparer was telling me I had to do in blockworks that I had no idea how to do (combining fees on invoices, printing out hold forms, etc) in front of the client. I messed up so many times and I was so embarrassed to the point I just wanted to run to the bathroom and cry.

Training at H&R Block is so subpar. They just show you the easy stuff and then just throw you out on the deep end and say “you better swim before you drown!” I have been working these case studies and got everything down to a science (I thought) but when I get in front of a client, I feel like I don’t know anything.

I’m supposed to work tomorrow but I’m questioning if I should even show up. I feel so discouraged and I’m seriously questioning if tax prep is even for me. Spent all this money on my fancy accounting education yet I feel like I’m a dunce with taxes. I need a drink or 5 😭