After having a simple return (1040 EZ form) filed, via a Walmart Location H & R Block service, our son was charged $200 for the service.
The H & R tax prepares told him that the only, and quickest, way to e-file his return, would be to accept it through their Emerald Credit Card. The man rushed our son through the signing stage of paperwork and rushed him out of the cubical, to start on the next return, of a long line of people waiting.
Less then 1 hour, after this event, our son phoned, then returned to the cubical to cancel the Emerald Credit Card. Our son had, by then, read all of the fine print about this card. It was full of hidden charges and fees, that would have cost him another $200 of his return. Total benefit for H&R Block and affiliated Credit Provider, well over $400.
H&R Block told him it was too late and that no matter what he would try to do, he would still be charges these amounts and fees. The tax prep guy became infuriated with our son, even stooping so low as to use profanity, in front of a line of waiting customers, then claiming that it was started by me, his mother. (I wasn't even there, and had only had a very brief phone conversation with the man???)
After contacting our local IRS office, our son was told that H&R Block was scheduled to send back the money, they had received from his tax refund, within just one week. (Which would have been Feb. 6 2009)
Our son has called the IRS daily, since then, only to be told that the funds still have not been returned by H&R Block.
H&R Block is telling him that the funds were put on to the Emerald Credit Card, that was issued to him. However, he was not issued a card, and all paperwork related to this was kept by the tax. Prep. Guy.
They have been giving him the run around since his first encounter with these swindlers. We have been told by local IRS office, that H&R Block complaints have sky rocketed and that an official investigation of their, highly questionable, service is planned.
Bottom line is. Do NOT use H&R Block. The rest of our family has been using www.TaxAct.com for the past few years. They are inexpensive and are always up to date with Tax Info. It is incredibly easy to use, and has not failed to work for any of us.
To date, our son is still being given the run around by H&R Block.
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