H&R Block Preys on Stupid People

[Jadow]

I know of 2 people who have no investments, no business, their only source of income is their 1 job, and they also both just take the standard deduction.

Both of them told me they used H&R Block and paid around $140 to file their taxes!

ONE OF THEM EVEN TOOK OUT THE REFUND ANTICIPATION LOAN!

I thought these 2 were halfway smart, but now I really wonder.

 

[shortspanishguy]

Turbotax FTW.

 

[RaistlinZ]

A simple tax return like the one you described can be done with Turbo Tax in about 10 minutes. I know.. I do it every year.

BTW... what's the repayment interest rate on refund anticipation loans?

 

[BigJ]

Are people that use a mechanic, computer repair guy, or an electrician stupid?

 

[JS80]

Not necessarily stupid, but people who don't want to deal with numbers or who are plain lazy. My friend who is an i-banker used H&R Block to do a 1040 EZ :roll:

 

[Gibson486]

Originally posted by: BigJ
Are people that use a mechanic, computer repair guy, or an electrician stupid?

I hope not because i use 2 of the 3

 

[JS80]

But yes, they prey on stupid people with their tax refund advance. I bet effective APR is 20%+.

 

[Jadow]

Originally posted by: BigJ
Are people that use a mechanic, computer repair guy, or an electrician stupid?

Point partially taken, but still the work those people do is lot different that filling out a short form on 1 W2 and the standard deduction.

 

[raystorm]

H&R Block charges $140??!! wowzers. I understand a service charge but not that much. Shoot..I have no investments (unless you consider my rinky dink online savings account from HSBC and a cd investments) and only a simple job and I know better than to take out some stupid loan from them (and Jackson Hewitt). I can't believe people do that stuff. I know some politicians tried to go after them recently (Chuck Schumer here in NYC I think) but what can they do?? Its a business so if the people do their taxes with those guys then that is their prerogative.


I'll stick with free online software like the stuff you see at the IRS site.

 

[BigJ]

Originally posted by: Jadow

Originally posted by: BigJ
Are people that use a mechanic, computer repair guy, or an electrician stupid?

Point partially taken, but still the work those people do is lot different that filling out a short form on 1 W2 and the standard deduction.

And wiring an outlet or a light switch is simple enough to learn/do in 10-15 minutes. So is getting rid of basic spyware, or installing a hard drive. An underflated tire causing a car to drift to one side or the other is equally as simple.

Some people don't know any better, some people are purely lazy, and some people have enough money that they don't care.

 

[Jadow]

My parents use an accountant, just a guy with a small private firm, he does their taxes which are really complicated with business deductions, cap gains a ton of other stuff, and he only charges about $100 / year.

But for me, it's free turbo tax online with efile courtesy of State Farm!

 

[Jadow]

Originally posted by: BigJ

Originally posted by: Jadow

Originally posted by: BigJ
Are people that use a mechanic, computer repair guy, or an electrician stupid?

Point partially taken, but still the work those people do is lot different that filling out a short form on 1 W2 and the standard deduction.

And wiring an outlet or a light switch is simple enough to learn/do in 10-15 minutes. So is getting rid of basic spyware, or installing a hard drive. An underflated tire causing a car to drift to one side or the other is equally as simple.

Some people don't know any better, some people are purely lazy, and some people have enough money that they don't care.

I've done all those things myself, and self taught all 3! The first time you take out an outlet, even knowing the power is turned off at the breaker there's still a second of hesitation.

 

[lokiju]

I know nothing about taxes, just got married this year and moved to a new state and had 3 jobs and my wife had two this past year so for us it was worth it this year considering we got back a lot back plus the guy we dealt with really seemed to know his stuff. Next year we'll be back to Turbo Tax since it'll be much more simplified.

 

[A5]

TurboTax Tax Freedom Edition FTW!

(If you make <$27K). Free (Fed & State) prep and e-file! I got my refund last week.

 

[ryan256]

False. They prey on lazy people.

 

[FoBoT]

it is a service, just like the $50 or $75 per hour you guys tell people to charge to reinstall windows or run spysweeper
computer geeks are hypocritical, like everybody else

 

[everman]

Not necessarily lazy, they just don't have any experience with taxes and most people are afraid to screw it up.

 

[judasmachine]

TRUE.

But the idiots are out there and we live in a capitalist society, so que sera.

 

[Jadow]

Originally posted by: judasmachine
TRUE.

But the idiots are out there and we live in a capitalist society, so que sera.

agreed!

 

[xSauronx]

Originally posted by: FoBoT
it is a service, just like the $50 or $75 per hour you guys tell people to charge to reinstall windows or run spysweeper
computer geeks are hypocritical, like everybody else

i went to H&R block with my wife for our first couple of returns, cost about $100 for the two of us

after that i did it online since ours were simple enough, cant remember what it cost last year.

 

[Triumph]

Originally posted by: BigJ

Originally posted by: Jadow

Originally posted by: BigJ
Are people that use a mechanic, computer repair guy, or an electrician stupid?

Point partially taken, but still the work those people do is lot different that filling out a short form on 1 W2 and the standard deduction.

And wiring an outlet or a light switch is simple enough to learn/do in 10-15 minutes. So is getting rid of basic spyware, or installing a hard drive. An underflated tire causing a car to drift to one side or the other is equally as simple.

Some people don't know any better, some people are purely lazy, and some people have enough money that they don't care.

It probably takes as much time to get your forms together, send everything to HR Block, and answer their questions, as it does to fill out the form themselves.

 

[Gilligansdingy]

Interest rate as high as 800%

 

[DrPizza]

taxact.com is free, (although it costs to efile)

But, H&R block charges far more per hour for some of those simple returns than mechanics or electricians can ever hope for. (literally, 10 minutes = $100 or more; that's $600 an hour!)