H&R Block / HRB Digital review: tax course 14

I'm sorry to hear that so many people are getting scammed by so many unethical firms. I'm a local Houston CPA with over 25 years of experience and during my career I have successfully solved thousands of tax cases in an ethical and professional way. Our small firm specializes in providing quality professional help with IRS tax problems. We also operate a website where people can get a lot of free valuable information to help them deal with their tax problems and the IRS. Please visit our website at www.TaxProblem.org

Thank goodness, I'm not the only one, going through this. I applied to H & R they called me and told e to take the online assessment test. I have been doing tax's for about 15 years including my owe corp tax's, never have I had a problem. I took the test and scored 75% (didn't pass) then they told me I could pay to take the class. You can't even tell where you are wrong or right on the test you have no idea how many question you got right or wrong! I really don't know if I really failed. I am very disappointed in H & R Block. seem as though they are just getting people to pay to take the class. Great income for H & R Block at $140.00 per person. I went to liberty tax where the classes are free to those who are looking for employment with them. After you take there class they test you and then if you pass hire you. So If a company wants to charge you for training DON'T DO IT!

I'm actually finding the course quite helpful for my purposes. Very few people who sign up for this class actually want to work for H&R Block. They want exposure and to have a better understanding of tax. It's not a difficult class, but it's not easy either. You have lecture 9 hours a week for about 6 weeks with 2 assignments and a final exam. Like anything else, if you're objective is to learn and be good at something, you have to study and practice. Tax must be practiced and studied. If you're taking H&R's tax course to make up for the college education you never got, you're probably going to hate it. If you have a full time job, keep it. If you're looking to learn something new and have the opportunity to professionally practice it as well as earn a few EXTRA dollars, then sign up. Anyone who believes they're going to pay the mortgage with this job is simple mided fool looking for a magic ticket and failed to plan ahead. If you're not a looser - if you have initiative, you're looking to learn a new skill that you can take with you anywhere and parlay it into an office job with another company, H&R is your ground zero. I'm taking the class because I'm a new accountant, I have a year before I sit for my CA exam in Canada and this will give me the info I want and open the door to experience... which is something the complainers will never have... because they'll never be done complaining about how awful things are, things aren't good enough... boohoo hoo. Everybody needs a starting place. If you don't like where you are, get some drive and change your location... and on your way check your bad attitude and foul complaining mouth at the curb because when it comes right down to it, the world doesn't care and you're responsible for yourself.

I am currently taking the 2014 H&R Block tax course in California. We are on our 3rd week and to be fair I already had some previous knowledge of taxes but have never taken a course until now. I paid $199, however, it costs more at class locations in larger cities ($299 to $399). The course is fast paced and you must be dedicated! If you fall behind and be lazy there is no point in signing up for this course. Note that you are doing double the work if you are taking the course in a state which has state income taxes (like California). The course is not very difficult but it isn't easy either! It's just a lot of information to cram in. The California course is generally 3 nights a week but drops down to 2 nights a week after the first week and the total duration is 10 weeks here.DO NOT TAKE THIS COURSE IF YOU PLAN TO WORK FOR A COMPETITOR AFTER OR PLAN TO DO OTHERS PEOPLE'S TAX RETURNS ON YOUR OWN. The purpose of the class is to learn not only taxes but also the H&R Block "Block Works" software and the course is also a POSSIBLE "pre employment" offer. That said you must sign a few legal documents on your first day of class that prohibit you from such actions. You are also not allowed to do taxes outside of H&R Block, if hired.If you pass everything you get certified. So far I am enjoying the course but find that the reading + homework assignments take on average 6 hours to complete.

H&R Block tax class is a hoax and simply a way for them to recruit (hand selected) individuals; not always based on ability of high test scores. I have no problem with this except that we were told one class before the final that if we didn't get chosen to work for H&R Block we would need to "TAKE AND PAY FOR THE CLASS AGAIN THE FOLLOWING SEASON"! So here's what H&R gets: $299 from each enrollee; hand picked students who aren't always ethical and honest (that was my situation with a girl who sat next to me. She stole my homework assignment and brought it back the next class meeting feigning ignorance; she accused me of stealing her password when there was never anything formal given for passwords which could easily be mixed up and no reason for me to steal her password, and last class during the final she had her book bag which was quite large sitting on top of my notes where I couldn't find it until I noticed it sticking out from underneath her bag. Additionally I had repeated computer problems which the teacher never addressed so my computer crashed midway through my final and I had to come back a couple days later to take the test. The teacher never questioned this student for the several incidents but simply criticized me in front of the entire class for stirring up problems!). Ok, so back to what H&R Block gets, hand picked students, everyone's money but for those who don't get hired they really get nothing more than if they had taken a tax class at community college, admin and other types of employees who don't do taxes in their offices, revenue to hold the business up during non tax season. I got an 89% on the final and was told anyone who passed would get an interview and an opportunity to get hired. I contacted the instructor 4 different times and was told by him I would get a call but never did. l

I have done a tax class with Liberty and currently certified. I've already worked a tax season and it was a success, I loved it. However I'm currently looking for work so I applied at H&R block for receptionist work. Had the interview and with me doing taxes they wanted to also offer me employment filling taxes. So they had me take this online tax exam! I didn't find it fair, you get 3 tries. The first time the test shut down, and the second to my surprise I didn't pass. The test doesn't say what your percent was or what you missed. With liberty online test for my continued education they tell you your percent and what you got wrong so that you can go study what you missed. The questions with the HR test were the hardest I've ever seen on a tax test. I agree that this is only a way for individuals to pay for a tax class even if they've already have gone and recieved the education somewhere else.

I worked for H and R block for three years. in the bigger cities they are begging for help. In the smaller towns they have no vacancies They paid me really good. I started off the first year as a receptionist. Then that summer and fall block paid for my tax classes. Then the next two years I was a preparer. I like the way they teach the course, because it is easy to understand. Every year they trained me in tax courses with a little more knowledge. It is only a seasonal part time job. I received $10 per hour and at the end of tax season I go a bonus of 5k. I only worked about 2 days a week in January the first two weeks of February everyday. then two days a week until april 15. I was very happy. If you work in a corporate store you will be paid well.

I've been preparing taxes since 1998. Before starting my own tax practice, I took the class from H&R Block and worked for the company for 3 years. I do not work for H&R Block now and haven't worked for the company since 2001. The assessment is a screening process for people who have prior tax knowledge. As you can see from the comments above, not everyone who has been "preparing taxes for years" can pass the assessment. THIS is precisely why there is an assessment process in place. There are MANY people who've been doing taxes years that simply aren't good at it. In fact, many of them suck. The class is not a "scam". You pay $140 for a hours and hours of instruction, plus a ton of printed material. Then, if you are hired, they handle the entire process of registering you with CTEC (I'm in CA) and cover your E&O insurance. They price the classes very inexpensively for a specific reason - to recruit tax preparers. H&R Block has many people taking their classes and many people attempting the assessment exam. Why do you think you deserve to be hired if you cannot pass a BASIC assessment exam? YOU are specifically the type of preparer they (and the rest of us good ones) would like to weed OUT of the business. And by the way, if you're a good tax preparer, you can make good money at H&R Block or anywhere else. Get better at your craft and stop whining!

I have started this Tax Course at 10061 McLaughlin Road in Brampton this month October 2018.
The teacher is hopeless, doesn't know what he is teaching & mumbling always.
The teacher never wants to help us. Whenever we raise any course related question, he doesn't any answer.
We always ask him to repeat, and again he never speaks loud.
We all having financial difficulties & paid this course to get a better job, but the Teacher doesn't know what he is teaching & DOESN'T CARE.
We all had families & commitments still coming to study, but now we are worrying about this teacher.
We all appreciate that if you can change this teacher & replace with a better speaking & understandable teacher.
Please change the teacher ASAP.

I tried to retake the assessment and the software doesn't provide the tool to retake it. I have been trying to do so since last couple of days. The website is not working every time you click the same page. It doesn't launch the test button.
So frustrating. All these tax offices are a big hoax. I did the training from liberty tax and before starting the class they promised they will place us if we score percent. I scored 76 and they didn't hire me. I was so shattered. They don't tell you the truth.

I took the course, and passed with a 95% on my first try. Unlike the people who "don't know where they messed up", I had a pretty good idea... because I actually studied.

If tax laws are always changing, then why the hell would you think it was "good forever"? Did you even speak to current employees before taking the test? People have to get re-certified if they don't level up. No matter what job you're going for, always speak to a group of employees with your questions, so people can correct each other.

I agree with Lucinda - grow a pair. They tell you that you get 3 tries. If you got rejected, it wasn't because you only passed on the 3rd try, it was probably your background check.

It's also not "a hoax", as DJH claims. If his claims were true, any reasonable person would've avoided that girl like the plague. Besides, if he really passed with an 89% and didn't get hired (unlikely), he could've just applied at a neighboring district under a different DGM.

This felt like a scam. I signed up in February for the self-paced course and it was supposed to last Feb-May which made it sound like I could take the course at my own pace and still get certified within that time frame. Then it appeared to be an online course because none of the links worked. Then when I called to inquire about it, a tech working from home, told me to wait for the next online registration. She never gave me a confirmation code or anything. She made it sound like I signed up too early and that I needed to wait for the next online course. I waited a few months and then got an email from a PreSeason Tax Manager letting me know it was time to sign up. When I went to sign up they wanted me to pay for the course materials again. I emailed the Tax Manager letting her know the situation, that I already paid and needed a credit, and she told me there was nothing she could do and re-directed me back to the original 800 number that I called. I called and fortunately was able to yell at the next customer service rep after he told me that I couldn't get a refund and I told him that this felt like a scam after I told him the situation. He then told me that it wasn't a scam and then called a number for me. I told him it felt like I was getting the run around because I keep getting redirected. And then he assured me that he would help me take care of it. I told him that I already know how to prepare tax returns. That I don't need pamphlets that I can easily download from the State and/or the IRS's website. That I was interested in the course and the certification. I don't need "H&R Block's" course materials. Those are tax forms you can download for free. After I mentioned that he assured me that even though he also works from home that this is not a scam. Then miraculously they refunded me. But he made it sound like I was already refunded. And when I asked for verification of when he said that they were going to refund me, not because they refund for courses, but because I was within the time frame for a refund. So it made no sense and it did sound like a scam. This course was recommended to me by a friend that works in a CPA's office. She highly recommended it, even though I've already taken college courses for tax prep. It feels like if I didn't call them out over the course materials then I wouldn't have received a refund. Buyer Beware. It does seem like they certify you for the year. Each year has new tax updates. So if they're saying that this course last forever that is probably a lie. It sounds like they're giving you a quick training in being able to prepare taxes for people for the current year. Scary.