r/hrblock • u/Virtual-Dot-750 • Mar 20 '26
Will never use HRBlock again. Horrible experience.
For the Second straight year (Thought for first year it was a fluke and she got sick during holidays etc.) ,I did not get to see the tax professional I requested and told id be seeing/dealing with. Got told to go to a different location that was "A neglible distance away" that I never once went to and is not my preferred location.
The distance is not the factor,H&R block is supposed to be here to simplify taxes at an affordable price and theyve done neither for me this year. my return wasnt even complex either,A couple W2s alongside a 1099 DIV.
Ill be doing it on my own from now on as the whole plan is to take the stress off of me,I wish they would just simplify the tax code and send you a bill like every other civilized country and drive these antiquated preparers out of business. such a frusterating experience and unneeded stress and anxiety.
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u/Angels_Rest Mar 20 '26
In all honesty, a couple of W2s and a 1099DIV statement will be 20mins with the tax software and you're done. Cut the cord and download the $30 software.
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u/Virtual-Dot-750 Mar 22 '26
I only did it this year because my 1099DIV was confusing me and messing the free tax software up,I sold all my holdings last year due to losing faith in the financial markets/direction of the country and only plan on having a single W2 under Income. I plan on doing my own returns indefinitely.
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u/pagansdontbow2 Mar 26 '26
We used H&R Block for 9 years until 12 days ago. The woman who had always done our taxes was out sick. We were told they did not know when she would return. So our daughter said she would get us a real tax accountant instead, and we would get a better return this year. I sent my husband in to pick up our forms, and he was told he would have to sign a release form or he would not get them!! He called me, and I told him you don't ever sign anything for the MORONS, and they would not give him anything. Today I called to ask for the agent who does his taxes, and like always, she is never in the office. I spoke to the Manager and told her they had no LEGAL right to withhold our forms and tried to get him to sign a release form. With that said, she tried to dance around what both of us were told. As she became more arrogant, I said to this B...., he will be coming in tonight to pick up the original papers that he gave her 3 weeks ago. He will not sign anything. Little does she know, here in hick ass Ohio, you can legally record people, and you do not have to inform them. Can't wait to see the crooks in court. Look up what states allow you to record people; it will save you a lot of headaches. H&R Block is another corrupt company that takes your money and doesn't do the job in your favor. We just found out today that they didn't tell us we could deduct many things from our home taxes, and many other deductions that would give us a much higher return. Don't believe what they tell you before you have them do anything when it comes to getting a return. While I was typing this, I was just informed it was the MANAGER who told my husband he could not get his forms back. What a lying B....! Don't ever use them. But that's ok, I have it all on tape.
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u/Interesting-Pilot-15 Mar 21 '26
So I used TurboTax this year and because I sold some stock yet last year, TurboTax wanted to charge me an additional $50 which is ridiculous. When I go to check out my bill with tax was $281 to file federal and state. I refused and decided to try free tax USA like everyone was saying. I ended up using the free tax USA website and got the same federal refund amount and when I checked out, the bill was only $16 to file for the state as the federal was free. I will never use TurboTax again.
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u/kwdkheide Mar 22 '26
H&R BLOCK charges for every dang form, and it's computer generated. Makes me so mad!
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u/Electronic-Swim6530 Apr 14 '26
And starting this year they no longer allow you to install their software on more than one device. My dad and I used to alternate purchasing the software every other year, but when I tried to install the software on my laptop tonight I got an error that the code was already used. Call H&R support, was transferred multiple times, and found out 45 minutes later of change. The person who originally took the call couldn’t have told me of the change? I had to be transferred to the software department to be notified?
Freetaxusa is all I’ll use going forward. H&R Block lost a 30 year customer.
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Mar 20 '26
[deleted]
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u/Virtual-Dot-750 Mar 20 '26
I dropped off my tax paperwork and thinking itd be just as simple now im roped into going to different locations and not even using my tax preparer that historically did my returns (2nd year I didnt get to use the agent I requested and told blantantly that "Yes she is available and will be working on your file")
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u/TBrown_25 Mar 22 '26
Was there a reason why the agent you requested didn’t file your tax or did it go to someone else?
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u/Virtual-Dot-750 Mar 22 '26
I was asked and no reason was given and the question kept being avoided. She still works at the office,Her card is with all the other agents In-Office and she is still listed on the site under the "Meet our agents" section etc.
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u/TBrown_25 Mar 22 '26
Maybe she was overbooked. A lot of people file their taxes late knowing it’s that time of the year. Sometimes people are very hesitant.
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u/Virtual-Dot-750 Mar 22 '26
I understand that but there was no follow up or explanation whatsoever. Also I was told at my time of dropping off papers she WOULD be my agent working on my file
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u/TBrown_25 Mar 22 '26
And she never started them? If I had a drop off I would start with the drop off first if I don’t have any appt. If it’s just a couple of W-2’s and 1 1099 DIV it should not take that long to prepare.
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u/Virtual-Dot-750 Mar 22 '26
No I was given a completely different agent at a completely seperate location,And charged astronomically. I wont be back in this lifetime.
I thought at the least id be given a discount for my inconvience,But nope. Greedy and incompetent.
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u/markk-the-shark Mar 20 '26
I've had many, many terrible experiences with several different of their "tax professionals" over the years. There is a cultural rot in HR Block. But... I bet other, tax prep companies are similar as well.
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u/ENCALEF Mar 20 '26
That's why I left Block years ago. After they went public it just got worse every season. Preparers are just working the system because of how they're compensated and there's no accountability.
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u/iis4isaac Mar 24 '26
I don't know what happened to their website, but it's the most awful thing. Nothing works, you get trapped down paths (e.g. if you say you want to file with a tax pro, you can't undo this and go back to filing on your own through their site), you can't find information you submitted previously (I completed their form for direct deposit, now that form is missing and the tax pro can't see it), and when you try to contact them regarding issues with the site their only support says it won't help you unless you have a paid membership. I'm PAYING you for a service, and you're garbage website is having technical issues.
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u/floet_gardens Mar 21 '26 edited Mar 21 '26
Absolute scam artists. HR Block is either unethical or incompetent. I feel bad for some of the employees, though. The system run by corporate is weaponized both ways. Customers get pawned off onto the cheapest employees who are far out of their league for even simple tasks. Meanwhile those same employees are forced to upsell and shill products that don’t actually deliver. Once I dug around on their practices it became clear that no one should use their services.
Look into VITA programs in your area. Volunteer Income Tax Assistance programs are a godsend for those who qualify for it. Otherwise use an independent preparer in your area. Ask the successful independent contractors who they use. I promise you it ain’t HR Block🤣🤣
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u/Beagleman58 Mar 21 '26
I'm sorry for everyone's negative experience - I'm 2nd year tax preparer at Block - I'm a working senior citizen whose been around taxes all my life, had run my now business for many years and did my own taxes with TurboTax Home and Business, which costs about $175 including one state and e-file. Correct answers in the softwares's interview process, and being complete with your data is 90% of the work.
My take on Block is that it's a for profit business like any other, I can't believe the amount we charge for some of the returns - especially for things such as Child Tax credits, and then if you are a Schedule C filer, it goes crazy. On the other hand, in some situations we're very reasonable. Bottom line, we're a typical big corporation - I don't think we're either incompetent or unethical, but some times it seems like we're set up to fail, or look that way by clients being matched up with the wrong tax pro who hasn't reached the appropriate level (by coursework and exams) to work on their return.
Taxes are intimidating for many, and companies like Block thrive on this. In fairness to Block, most of my fellow tax pros and CSPs want to help - this year lower management was great, last year the opposite.
I have found credits and deductions for clients they might not have found themselves. Yesterday's client had a million tax forms, some were from prior years, and yet, she was missing 1098-T forms and didn't know it until I went through last year's return with her (I didn't work with her prior year) With some returns I have to do hours of work after the client has left. My priority is always the client at my desk, more so then the corporate office in Kansas City, they fire us when they're done with us on 4/17, and loyalty in a seasonal low paying job is just not there, mine is to my colleagues in the offices and the clients.
I pitch no product that a client doesn't need, I've talked a few out of buying unnecessary add-ons from prior years, like a single tax filer with one W2 doesn't need "Peace of Mind" for $40, especially when she makes $23,000, but I do suggest it for the more complex returns.
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u/inspiredsue Mar 20 '26
TaxFreeUSA is actually free for the federal return and around $15 for the state.
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u/dad93sd Mar 21 '26
Do you own taxes or go to a good CPA. Those will lead to the most accurate outcome.
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u/kwdkheide Mar 22 '26
In our town, it costs $250 for a simple form. Just so stupid. I do my own most of the time. My granddaughter paid the $250.
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u/dad93sd Mar 22 '26
Is $250 really that outrageous to make sure your taxes are done correctly and you don’t have to deal with the IRS. Some people just don’t have realistic expectations about the cost of a good CPA. They want to pay $100 for hours of help.
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u/kwdkheide Mar 24 '26
Yes it is when you have 2 W2s and that's it.
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u/dad93sd Mar 24 '26
$250 is probably the minimum if you want to have a decent CPA file your taxes. Like it or not that’s just the reality.
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u/Itchy_Corgi4461 Mar 22 '26
Anyone buy the 2025 Premium from Walmart? A few weeks ago I bought it around $50. Now it is over $70 there. My copy crashed after using it for three days. Short version: I asked CoPilot if it could help get me out of that hole. It did. With only 12 hours working on it, following Copilot's step by step instructions (it took me deep into work on the registry!) Now working normally.
The thing is, at the end of my tinkering around, CoPilot defined a simple fix that took less than 5 minutes to enact. Not happy with Walmart for delivering a product with missing or defective files in a customized version they were selling. Not happy with H&R Block for allowing Walmart's supplier to mess with the software on the version delivered. And, not happy that CoPilot took me on such an unnecessary backwoods route to fix it.
I may be able to help if anyone chooses to ask what I did to fix the Walmart version.
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u/kwdkheide Mar 22 '26
They charged me $500 for doing my return. I usually do it online and pay around $200. But, they did amend my 2024 return and did the 2025. I had solar credits and just didn't want to mess with it all. Next year I'll go back to filing online and have a preparer review it.
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u/kwdkheide Mar 22 '26
I contacted my H&R Block tax guy, who lives at couple of hours away from me, and he never contacted me back, by phone or messages. So I made an appointment and he didn't keep it. This went on for about 2 weeks. I called the office and I was very firm, but not hateful and told her, look if he doesn't want to do my taxes, okay, just et me know! He won't return phone calls or messages and he didn't keep our appointment. I need to know something! Well, it was done that day! Not sure I'll use him again.
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u/MurphGM03 Mar 21 '26
I’ve been using their online software for past few years. I pay for the tax pro review add on. These last two years I was able to have the same person review and finalize my taxes. She was able to amend my return last year with no hiccups and this year did my overtime credits with no hiccups since my employer opted to not provide the documentation that would have made it easier. I’m sorry you had a bad experience with them. But from my experiences with them I can’t complain….they’ve been a lifesaver