Below is a copy of an e-mail I sent ot H&R Block customer service. It fully explains the issues.
I have been a customer of H&R Blcok for a few years, and have used in-store services to complete my tax returns three times.
I purchased the Tax Cut Standard software this past February, and am disappointed to say the least.
First, I feel that the product was deceptively marketed. For the initial price of the product, which was surprisingly low, I was led to believe that I would be able to complete and e-file both my Federal and State returns. Before purchasing the product, I looked over the package carefully to make sure that this was the case. I am currently in law school, and have a keen eye for disclaimers and the like. Having found none, I purchased the product.
Imagine my surprise when one of the first things the program asks me is if I would like to purchase the state version for an addtional $25, which was more than what I paid for the product originally, and more than what I could have paid for other software packages that did in fact include both State and Federal programs.
Imagine my further surprise whe I had to pay an additional $15 to actually e-file my Federal return.
Second, here it is April 15 and I finally get around to deciding that I'm just going to go ahead and purchase the State upgrade. I go through the interview process, but am unable to e-file my State return because I resided in two separate states last year. I could have let my previous disappointment go, but the straw has broken the camel's back.
Not only was I unable to file my state return, but I had to find that out for myself by winding through a maze of various pages. You would think that the program would have informed me of the problem, ideally, before I purchased the product (since it already new I was a part-year resident from my Federal return), or, failing that, when I attempted to go through the e-file process.instead, it kept sending me back to my Federal return, and ultimately telling me that I had to purchase ANOTHER program for the other state I lived in for ANOTHER $25 (a state that I had no income in, and, notably, even if I had purchased the additional software AGAIN, it wouldn't have made a difference, I still wouldn't have been able to e-file either of the State returns).
Now I find myself in a quandary because my printer is down and I am unable to print off the form and just mail it out. I contact the live customer support and receive "I don't know what to tell you" in response (a transcript of this conversation is included below). I tell the agent that I can email myself the file and print it off elsewhere, apparently this is not a possibility. After all this, I will now sit down and do my State returns on paper, having wasted $25 and about an hour of valuable time.
So, all in all, for a $19 product that advertised itself as though I could complete and e-file both Federal and State returns, here is how it breaks down.
Original purchase: $19
e-file Federal return: $15
Purchase state upgrade: $25
Total actually spent: $59, OVER 300% of the original price!
Additional things that I was advised to purchase, but was smart enough not to:
ADDITIONAL State program: $25
"Download Protection" for two State programs: $12
Grand total of potential expenditures: $96, FOUR TIMES what I originally planned on paying, based on the product's packaging, and I still wouldn't have been able to do everything the package advertised!
Needless to say, I at least expect a refund of the purchase price for the State upgrade I purchased. With a full refund I may consider using H&R Block services in the future, but I will never again use the tax Cut software, nor would I recommend it to my worst enemy.
This letter will be reproduced on usacomplaints.com as a warning to potential future purchasers of the TaxCut software. I will follow up the report with a note detailing of any satisfaction I receive.
Thank you for your consideration in this matter,
(My Name)
Michigan State program order#:
Transcript of live customer service conversation:
Ticket Number: 9892026 Status: Closed
Creation Date: 04/15/04 04:10: 31 PM Resolution Date: 04/15/04 04:15: 43 PM
Problem Short Description:
E File After Attempt
Problem Description:
Attempting to e-file return for State of Michigan, system will not allow me to because I was a part year resident. My printer is down and I am unable to print the return to mail it out.
Session Transcript:
Christopher: Thank you for contacting H&R Block TaxCut. Technical Support. My name is Chris.
Christopher: I understand you have a question regarding e-filing a part-year return.
Timothy: I was a part-year resident of Michigan. Apparently I cannto efile my return because of this. My printer is down, and the deadline is today. Need to figure something out here.
Christopher: I do not know what to tell you.
Christopher: Are you just having a printer problem in general?
Timothy: Are you tech-savvy? If I can figure out how, I can email the file off and print it elsewhere, but I'm not sure how to do that.
Christopher: I know what you are talking about, but you cannot do it with TaxCut, unfortunately.
Timothy: Thanks for your help, I understand that your capabilities are limited. I'll figure something else out. Have a good day.
Christopher: Thank you for chatting with us today. H&R Block values you as a TaxCut. Customer and looks forward to serving as your tax and financial partner in the future.
Timothy
Valparaiso, Indiana
U.S.A.
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