Wednesday, September 13, 2006

My first H&R Block tax class

So my first class was last night - and this one was actually open and everyone was there. =P There are 7 people in my class, but apparently they sometimes have more than 20. This year there are more open classes, though. It became crystal clear within ten minues of starting that the entire purpose of this class is to recruit new people to prepare taxes for H&R Block. Apparently they lose about 30% of the staff each year, so the classes are necessary to bring in fresh blood. If you get an 80% or better on your final exam, and had no other problems in the class, you're pretty much guaranteed to get hired. We also filled out a little card with our contact information (I left off my phone number) to give to the person whose entire job consists of herding you at every step towards working for them (and continuing to work for them in future years.) You also get paid more every year, and paid more when you take more classes too, so that's encouraging.

We spent the first half of the class hearing about H&R Block's history and hearing stories from the teacher's previous sessions as a tax preparer. (We did not have textbooks at the beginning.) Once our textbooks came, we went over the 1040, 1040A, 1040EZ, and the W-2 - just generally what all of the lines mean, what the filing statuses mean, etc. So nothing earth shattering in this class but you have to start somewhere. The class ran over and I had to leave because I had to catch a bus unfortunately so I don't know how long they ended up staying. Should be interesting though. I have some homework for me tonight - although the in class exercises consisted of correctly filling in an address header and 1040EZ, so I don't think it will take long.

25 comments:

Anonymous said...

I looked into this a few years ago, as a possible good retirement job. I was rather disappointed when I learned the pay scale; being used to tech-job pay rates, the H&R Block compensation was a lot less than I expected and only a few steps above McDonald's.

Anonymous said...

I have taken the H & R Block tax course 3 times over the last several years. I usually (depending on the instructors knowledge) enjoyed the classes and refreshed my memory because sometimes there were a couple years between preparing taxes. I knew I was going to move to another area and thought that working for Block would be good because I could go anywhere and have a job so in 2007 I took the class in FL and was very very disappointed since it was geared only to working for Block which meant it was mandatory to learn Block software. This software is directed towards sales of other Block services and learning this software took a lot of time away from actual tax prep. The instructor was a long time Block tax preparer and instructor but gave incorrect info quite often and didn't seem to care. The class only went to a certain point and then if you did not become an employee the remaining classes were on your own (news to me). I explained that I am not a sales type person and only wanted to prepare taxes and suggested that Block have one sales person appointed to present the products available and probably increase the returns prepared as well as the sales of other products. I was told that if it was not presented during the interview the client would not stay to hear the other product information.

The beginning pay has been slightly increased but even giving me credit for the other classes I had taken as well as the total years of actually preparing taxes it only increased the Return commission by 26 cents. It was stated during the first class - how much H & R Block annual revenue is.
It seems they are not a company who wants to pay their employees for making Block revenue what it is today. If the total number of required classes were taught as they used to be and the compensation increased they wouldn't lose so many employees.

I am very disappointed that Block has changed their method of teaching. With the attitude that they don't want to teach people to prepare taxes for someone else and total disregard to considering the one- sided ratio of their income to source of income their result is loss of some prospective dedicated long time employees. It is a loss to the tax industry as a whole but apparently hasn't hurt the good ole' Block continuous bottom line revenue.

CA

Anonymous said...

hi,i have one question.for homework,did u guys read a whole chapter and complete all review exercises or did u read in class,they give deomonstrations,n the rest is for homework?exactly what was ur schedule?

Anonymous said...

is the tax course in h & r block poor that not all of their students be employed at h & r block?

Kira said...

I'm not sure exactly what you mean, but many of the people who took the class with me weren't interested in working there, just in learning about taxes. Anyone who passed the class was welcome to apply for a job and if they were otherwise good workers they probably would get a job.

Anonymous said...

I took the tax course, not only did they teach me the use of the software but I can also hand prepare taxes. If you don't do the work in the workbook you will not learn to do taxes by hand and since the teacher has to teach both hand prepared and computer prepared they can't afford to teach one person how to hand prepare taxes especially when he/she obviously didn't bother to open the workbook and look at the assignments.

Anonymous said...

I took the H&R block course with the impression I would be hired. However that is not the case. I had the passing grade and wasn't hired. And when I contacted the distract manager the following year. I was told I had to retake the course and pay again, with no guarantee of a job. Fool me once but not twice. Very misleading. They only want your money. Its a good learning experience but not worth the money.

Anonymous said...

I am taking the final exam this Saturday after 3 mos. of classes. It is good information, but yest their software will drive you do drink. I am still hoping to get employed with them however, b/c the first year is chalked-up to experience anyway. If I survive the first season, it will be a great way to supplemente my income.

Anonymous said...

I can't get anybody to tell me how much the classes are in the first place. So what could be made after classes is a moot point!

Anonymous said...

The class is $99 and they are registering now.

Anonymous said...

I am wondering that final exam .
Is it very difficult?
I have a class H&R Block now.
Can I get exam sample?

Anonymous said...

How many weeks does the class last and is there a dress code ????

Kira said...

The classes are generally about three months long and there was no dress code at mine.

annc5411 said...

I paid 200.

Anonymous said...

I am slightly over halfway through my course in CA. I simply am taking it as a refresher, and am truly disappointed in the poor quality of course materials--errors throughout, poor instructor with limited knowledge - base --often incorrect, and a computerized grading system with flaws...add to this inadequate facilities and and instructor and district manager who fear sharing their contact info....so, save your $200, and take a tax course at your jr college. You'll be miles ahead!

Anonymous said...

H&R Block Tax Class my friend & I took was extremely a do it yourselfer and a waste of $200. Silly stories about the instructors (30) years of experience, no exposure to Block Works, again than was a do it yourselfer.
Work experience the clients are great, the folks you get to work with sleaze buckets, steal your appointments, racial slurs to describe customers after they left, using your HR Block ID # to access your PTIN number to complete returns in your name and under your PTIN number, without your knowledge or being present, Office Manager stealing your completed RTN's so her favorites could get paid for them, a district manager (Badio) real snake in the grass, another sleaze bucket who strives to sustain the hostile work environment and maintain the dishonest, cheating and stealing in the work place both for customers and the victimized employees. Think twice or find a friend whose currently working for them in a safe office and hope they take you in.

Anonymous said...

I am in the course now. The instructor can't spell, communicate or conduct a proper class. Asking the instructor a questions seems to be a huge mistake. She will go into a tandem, avoid the answer, or put you down for asking. However, she does brag about her years in the business and how she give advice to unmarried couples to become married on paper and to have kids for a full tax benefit. And of course put others down for being hire by the IRS or other agencies. She is pathetic and a poor educator. Although she does have some clueless kiss ups which is entertaining. On a scale from 1-10 this class was a 3. The instructor ( if she knew how to teach) could of made the materials more interesting and encouraging to learn.

SweetnessesMom said...

That is not the case every where. The H&R Block district I am in hires from the classes.

SweetnessesMom said...

The class cost is different everywhere.

Unknown said...

It varies. Pretty sure the class itself is free but you have to pay for materials. It is $149 in Louisville,KY. If you go to the website and find a class near you it should tell you the cost.

Unknown said...

It varies. Pretty sure the class itself is free but you have to pay for materials. It is $149 in Louisville,KY. If you go to the website and find a class near you it should tell you the cost.

Anonymous said...

H&R Block is a company that pushes the boundaries of what's legal...with respect to both clients and employees. I worked for them twice, ten years apart. Not much changed. The course the second time around was easier because the instructor gave us the answers to the exams before the exams...and it was open notes, pretty much making it idiot proof and guaranteeing every one employment. They paid slightly above minimum wage. The course ended in November, we were employed a week later and spent two 20 hour weeks taking 30 must pass quizzes about their banking products. Christmas week we had a mandatory staff meeting and two half day classes about city and state taxes. We began working in January, getting maybe 10 to 15 hours a week. Peak season is the first two weeks of February..you may work 14 days straight without a break. Then first year tax preparers are let go, except for a handful. I was one of four asked to stay on until April 15. We were pressed to sell the banking products, schedule clients for the next years season, visit neighborhoods trying to book clients, solicit charitable contributions from clients, etc. However, the majority of first year preparers spent their own money and three months of their lives training for a job that lasted about 8 weeks. To return the next year, you have to pay for advanced classes, pass those exams and re-apply. The only people I know who were making any money had worked there ten plus years and Block allowed them to collect unemployment between seasons, but shhhhh that's a secret that only a select few get.

Unknown said...

Reading these reviews are very sad. I’ve been with HRBlock for20 years. Thank god my district had none of those crazy problems. I do hate selling products but being a business owner for40 years there’s always something a job has that isn’t for everyone. Madison wi has s great district any I’ve wintered I San Antonio and worked there and they are terrific. Be reassured I wouldn’t have stayed 20 years!

Virginia Ridgeway said...

Well-- it is still sucky. I took the class this year-- and I just quit a bit more than halfway through. First of all their Inkling on-line book that costs $149 is horrid to try to read. tiny chunked down pages and hard to move from page to page. AND then they keep referencing info that was back a few pages ago, that you need for the summary questions-- so you have to leap back indeterminate pages. I finally spent an ADDITIONAL $40+ dollars to get the paper version of the book which was much easier to read.

BUT-- it is bad enough to have tons of reading and homework--BORING, mind bending SHIT, I might add (but that is the fault of the IRS who makes crazy laws and conditions for everything-- WAY overly complex, and I say that as someone who was a Mortgage Broker for 20+ years-- and who has two Master's degree, so I am not dumb)-- ANYWAY-- having two attend TWO 3 hour classes every week SUCKED. All they did in the class was project the ebook onto a screen and re-read it. NO REAL NEW INFO. And the teacher's delivery style was simply ANNOYING-- though she seemed like a nice person.

The most beneficial part of the class was getting on-line and practicing with their BlockWorks-- tax prep system. THAT made sense and I felt like I was learning something. THEN after the 11th class-- and I was doing fine, passing every test though I HATED the material and the class-- I finally re-researched the pay scale of First Year Tax Preparers. MINIMUM WAGE-- but a few scant bonuses-- and LONG ODD HOURS-- etc.

I had read somewhere before I started the class about how one could make TONS of money during tax season-- but I realized from the mid-class research that that is only for more experienced tax prep people. As the instructor noted when I quit the class yesterday-- with MORE (tedious, boring, time consuming) education-- I can make even more money for the three months of tax season. YIPPEE!!


All I have to say this morning is I am glad I quit the class, I am annoyed there is NO REFUND on the materials (especially since pre-class, I got a call where they were soliciting attendees by offering NO MATERIALS FEE-- but I had already paid). AND I DO NOT KNWO WHAT I WAS THINKING when I decided to do the whole Tax Preparer thing as a short-term income boost.

ANYWAY FOLKS-- IN CASE YOU DON'T GET WHAT I AM SAYING-- DON'T DO THE HR BLOCK TAX PREP CLASS. IT SUCKS!!

Anonymous said...

I'm Абрам Александр a businessman who was able to revive his dying lumbering business through the help of a God sent lender known as Benjamin Lee the Loan Consultant. Am resident at Yekaterinburg Екатеринбург. Well are you trying to start a business, settle your debt, expand your existing one, need money to purchase supplies. Have you been having problems trying to secure a Good Credit Facility, I want you to know that Mr Benjamin will see you through. Is the right place for you to resolve all your financial problems because I am a living testimony and i can't just keep this to myself when others are looking for a way to be financially lifted.. I want you all to contact this God sent lender using the details as stated in order to be a partaker of this great opportunity Email: 247officedept@gmail.com  Or  WhatsApp/Text +1-989-394-3740.