How Much Did Your Business Tax Prep Cost?

[gilliandanielle]

Last year DH and I went to H&R Block to get our personal taxes done and I brought my income form like usual, but the tax prep lady said "she couldn't so it like she thought she could" and had to do my business taxes separetley. We ended up paying $300 just for my PC tax prep!! Is that right or did she screw me? I haven't heard about anyone else paying that much and I want to be prepared if they tell me that again this year! TIA!

 

[ChefMommyinOC]

Turbo TaxI personally use Turbo Tax. It breaks it down "Barney-style" for me and is very easy. Granted, I am a single mom, so I don't have to put in a spouse's taxes, but I do have to still file for Child Tax Credit. I think it's $39.99 to buy it (free for me cuz I use the software my dad buys every year), but you also get to claim that on your taxes as Tax Prep Expenses. Then I think it's $19.95 to file electronically and not have to worry that it got lost in the mail or stuck somewhere.

 

[cmdtrgd]

I just added a form, I believe it might be called a Schedule C, which did add some more cost, but it wasn't completely different. Everything went on the same thing. I also did mine through H&R block...I think you got screwed. You might want to call a regional manager to see what can be done to fix it. Worst case scenario, you get to claim the $300 you paid for tax prep on this year's taxes.

 

[gilliandanielle]

Kate- I think that is what she tried to do the first time (the schedule C) but it wouldn't let her input something in so she had to do my PC taxes totally separate. We ended up paying $100 for personal taxes and $300 for business taxes. We personally got over $8000 back so we didn't really care about it at the time, but we won't be getting much back this year, so I need to know if I need $400 for my taxes or just $100...

 

[chefann]

My DH and I use TurboTax (or equivalent), which includes a Schedule C. Dan's never had a problem with doing them himself, and he's not an accountant. So it IS completely possible to do it yourself for under $50.The most important thing is to keep on top of your expenses - the report from PP is fantastic for this!Now that I think about it, we had some short- and long-term captial gains from stock sales last year which added some complexity to the taxes. But they were still doable.

 

[pamperedtraci]

I did my taxes last year at H&R Block and it cost a little over a hundred. That was with the Schedule C and DH too! I think you need to call and see about a refund!

 

[Morvin]

I used h&r block a few years ago and they screwed me it was before PC just to get my personal taxes filed they charged me 297.00. And I had only the most basic of tax situations. It was just me and my duaghter I had 1 income 1 car and 1 house. i could have done it on my own but I was lazy!! and they said I was only getting 500.00 back. At the time my boyfriend (now my husband) looked everything over and said they screwed something up so he had his accountant redo them and and I was only charged $40.00 and I received $3,000.00 back for a return!! The accountant took all of the paper work back to H&R and got all of my money back. Needless to say that same accountant does all of our work. for my husband and I and my PC taxes it only costs about $60.00 for everything!! I don't care for H&R personally and I will never go back!! If I were you I would shop around this year!! Good Luck!!

Heather

 

[chefkristin]

H & R Block did our personal taxes and then added an extra $200 to do my PC taxes. I think I got screwed!!!! I am going for Turbo Tax this year!!

 

[rebeccastt]

My accontant charged us the same this year as he did in the past when I didn't have PC and only had to do the Schedule C form. Definately go to someone else!

 

[jentapp]

This is my first year to have PC on my taxes, but I had 2 businesses last year plus a part time job and DH had 2 jobs (one company closed and transferred most of its employees to another company). I think all of that together only cost me about $300 (could have been closer to $400, there were a LOT of forms).

I'm a HUGE fan of TaxAct, but it got to a point with all of that stuff that I was willing to pay the small fortune to have professionals do the job for me and headed over to H&R Block. I still have one of the businesses (just don't have the time for the other one), plus my part time job and my PC business and DH's job, so I'll probably be going over there again in Feb once all of the forms are in.

 

[erinyourpclady]

I am with Ann and Michelle. We use Turbo Tax and DH does it all.......we have never had a problem!!

 

[lacychef]

We went to H&R block the first year I was with PC. They charged us $200 fee, plus we ended up paying in around $500 I will never go back to them. We started going to a local accountant just because with my biz stuff we don't want to screw something up! He only charges us $85, and we've gotten good refunds back the last few years. I do not like H&R block!

 

[whiteyteresa]

My dh and I use Jackson Hewitt for the past 9 years

I like what they have done and they charge us about $250, we will go to them about 6pm in the evening and they will call us about 9:30am the next morning to come and pick up our check. So far they have been good to us (knock on wood). In the 9 years that we have gone to them I have own two different businesses (daycare and made newsletter and greeting card, wedding invitations, etc). So without any worries, they ask me questions, I answer them and then we are done.







;

 

[ange13]

boy, and I thought the $175 I paid was alot! I totally think you got screwed. There is no way they can't do your business on a schedule C, that's what it's purpose is for!!!! She must've been a newbie and didn't know how to do it! My husbands good friend used to work for H&R block at tax time just to make some extra money-he's a school teacher by trade. Most of those people only work a season and they have little training. I would definately call some higher ups and have them redo your taxes and give you a refund. That's crazy! Although, $8k is a nice return!

 

[MicheleC]

Definately utilize turbo tax or a local accountant. If you have everything lined out for them it takes very little time for them to do the preparation of the taxes. The big key to reducing fees for filing is to have your information organized and give them totals for all categories. You can go to www.irs.gov and find a Schedule C which is what you would have to file as a business to know what items should be broken out separately. Also make sure that you are keeping track of your mileage as that can be the biggest single item deduction you have.

I work with a CPA primarily doing bookkeeping and business analysis but I have worked on some of the tax returns and I know it takes very little time to add the schedule C in or even do a regular return if everything is lined out. You accountant should have a form available to give you with what information they want and if you bring it in that format it will really save you time.

 

[tlennhoff]

We use a either turbo tax or tax act and then we take them to H&R block to be reviewed. I have no idea what it actually cost us but the combination has given us peace of mind.

 

[gilliandanielle]

Thanks for all the input ladies! I am going to get the software for sure with my business stuff, but I am worried that I will mess our personal stuff up. I tried to do our taxes last year (not with software, but just filling in the reg. forms) and my result was $3000 less of a return then we got, so that shook my confidence. I like Tasha's idea of doing them yourself and getting them checked. Did it cost less than the regular tax prep?

 

[mommyhugz1978]

No she didn't try and screw you... Personal taxes are much differnt than business taxes....My family owns and operates four H&R Block offices....so I hear this all the time...just ask your tax lady more questions.

Last year DH and I went to H&R Block to get our personal taxes done and I brought my income form like usual, but the tax prep lady said "she couldn't so it like she thought she could" and had to do my business taxes separetley. We ended up paying $300 just for my PC tax prep!! Is that right or did she screw me? I haven't heard about anyone else paying that much and I want to be prepared if they tell me that again this year! TIA!

 

[mommyhugz1978]

Actually any one who works for H&R Block has a great deal of traning... it's nto what you think it is..... if you think your taxes are done wrong take them in and them checked if your not happy. So before you talk about something that you really no nothing about please make sure you have your facts straight. My family runs for H&R BLock franchies. I spend a great dela of time IN classes all year long.. it's not a seasonal job.

boy, and I thought the $175 I paid was alot! I totally think you got screwed. There is no way they can't do your business on a schedule C, that's what it's purpose is for!!!! She must've been a newbie and didn't know how to do it! My husbands good friend used to work for H&R block at tax time just to make some extra money-he's a school teacher by trade. Most of those people only work a season and they have little training. I would definately call some higher ups and have them redo your taxes and give you a refund. That's crazy! Although, $8k is a nice return!

 

[mommyhugz1978]

before you go bashing on companies and prices.. think about how you feel when customers complain about PC prices.. and bashing on US?? It's not a very fun seat to be in......

 

[PChefAbey]

I am sure H&R Block does train there employees, but they are not licensed CPA's, there might be one of them in an office but most of the employees don't even have an accounting degree. Leah, I am not trying to bash your family's company, but since each of them are individually owned and operated not everyone is recieving the same amount of training. What your family's business requires of them, is not universal for all H&R Blocks. I had a friend who looked into working for them in college and the one that she went to said well you are a business major so you have taken accounting classes and they just put her in the office with no training at all. TO me that is ridiculous, people go in there expecting a professionally trained person who knows about taxes and tax laws, etc not just a college student making some extra money for tution. H&R Block needs to make training mandatory for all franchise owners and there employees to ensure that there customers are happy. We all know what that one bad experience for a customer can do. We probably have all had to fix or solve problems with Pampered Chef, that another consultant messed up. I know I had to do it just at my show on Friday.

 

[gilliandanielle]

Thanks Guys! I can see your point Leah, but I agree with Abey. In PC there are responsible consultants that know their stuff, but there is also the consultant that could care less and won't work hard for the customer. I am sure that this is the way it is with any business. There is no gaurantee that anyone got any training. I don't care if I do have to pay $300 for the business taxes if that is what it costs, but if half the people don't pay extra and have it on the schedule C, than I should be able to do that also...

BTW- She did try to do the schedule C first, but her software wouldn't let her do it that way. If anything it was a software problem rather than a user error!

 

[Mindascookin]

My husband and I are both accountants and we use Turbo Tax at home. There is no reason that she could not have filed your taxes with a Schedule C. A software glitch seems like a flimsy excuse for me.

I think a lot of people are intimidated by taxes and pay way too much for professional tax preparation.

 

[mommyhugz1978]

If you read my three previous post you would know that not all H&R Block offices are invididually owned and Operated and doesn't matter if they are company owned or if they are franchised owned it is the same amount of training reqired by anyone who works under the H&R Block name. And no we aren't accounts the tital is Licensed Tax Prepares.. at least in Oregon you have to be licensed in capcaity to prepare taxes.. and they are tyring to make that mandated across the country. I have had to fix problems that old Pampered Chef consulants that have left me with and I sware the next I hear out of someones mouth that their PC consultant told them that we couldnt' ordered replacement parts I am going to go find that person and ask them what they are thinking. It's like the saying goes if you want something by the best you pay for it, if you want it half way done then you really pay for it.

I am sure H&R Block does train there employees, but they are not licensed CPA's, there might be one of them in an office but most of the employees don't even have an accounting degree. Leah, I am not trying to bash your family's company, but since each of them are individually owned and operated not everyone is recieving the same amount of training. What your family's business requires of them, is not universal for all H&R Blocks. I had a friend who looked into working for them in college and the one that she went to said well you are a business major so you have taken accounting classes and they just put her in the office with no training at all. TO me that is ridiculous, people go in there expecting a professionally trained person who knows about taxes and tax laws, etc not just a college student making some extra money for tution. H&R Block needs to make training mandatory for all franchise owners and there employees to ensure that there customers are happy. We all know what that one bad experience for a customer can do. We probably have all had to fix or solve problems with Pampered Chef, that another consultant messed up. I know I had to do it just at my show on Friday.

 

[lacychef]

Leah, you make good points & I"m sure the office your family runs is great. But just like any national company, I think each one is different. When we used the one in my town the first year, I was told that no one in this office was certified to do the schedule C I needed to file with biz expenses. So they sent us to the next office 30 minutes away. The guy there didn't act like he knew what he was doing; he didn't tell us everything we needed to bring & we had to go back 2 more times to take him other info. Then, it took him almost 2 weeks to finish! The whole thing was ridiculous. My guy that we use now has been a much bigger help, he told us expenses that we could write off that the other guy didn't. We should NOT have had to pay in that year; it was crazy! We should have had them checked, but didn't....

 

[jasonmva]

Go with TurboTax. There is a "WALK ME THROUGH" section for each part and it will ask you all of the questions to input the information. I just finished a tax class for my degree and all we used was TurboTax.

 

[Paige Dixon]

I had filed an extension, so I just filed my taxes on October 15th. This is the first year to do them myself being single. I take the 3 kids and the mortgage interest ($32,000 in mortgage interest!!). I have two small home based businesses. H & R Block charged me $680 to prepare them (she even cheated and printed out the State forms for me to send in myself so H&R wouldn't charge me for those, too). Then we worked and worked at it for 2 1/2 hours to get it "down" to me paying almost $700 in taxes. I was hoping to get a refund after paying all that mortgage interest! Bummer!

 

[mommyhugz1978]

If you got yoru taxes done with H&R Block bring them in or if you didnt bring them in they offer a double check challenge. For FREE!!!!! Every tax situation is differnt........

 

[Sk8Mom209]

I use HR Block online with the option to have everything I input reviewed by an accountant. I think I paid $70 last year and got $5k back. Business and persona all on one return.

 

[mommyhugz1978]

That's because you did a Scheudle C... typicaly reg business... IE salons and so forth are a seperate return.

I use HR Block online with the option to have everything I input reviewed by an accountant. I think I paid $70 last year and got $5k back. Business and persona all on one return.