Just lost a client.....

[Armando Beaujolais]

Okay, okay! I give up. You've got good points--but I don't want to "give 'til it hurts;' I just want to get a lukewarm noble feeling with a minimum of pain. And, yeah, they may blab to a few people and create a price problem for me, but like Sova--I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.

Just curious, but have you ever conceded a point?

Sure, but if it's just an opinion deal, why would I concede the point? I like to argue too much.

I did discounts before I learned the "regular price or free" approach. It's just that in my experience, having done both, the discount approach caused several different kinds of headaches. I had clients who were upset with me for raising their prices and I was upset with them for not remembering what I did for them. I had clients who found out I'd prepared their neighbor's return for half the price. I had referrals who expected the same pricing. It seemed that every time I discounted a return, instead of being looked at as a decent guy, I ended up having to defend my actions somewhere down the line. It wasn't right, but it happened. It's a human nature thing.

On the other hand, I haven't ever had a problem or confusion with the regular price or free approach.

[Unregistered]

Snag I almost forgot you were a fellow picker. We still need to get together some day.

I think I can top them all. I had a client come in JUST THIS MORNING who has been my client for years.

His wife died in the first part of 2005 and he re-married toward the end of 2005.
Well he tried every way he could to convince me that he should be able to claim both his dead wife and his present wife.

I couldn't kick him out of my office,... I was laughing too hard.
I guess he finally saw the humor in it too so he also started laughing.

The only one who didn't think it was funny was his present wife.

That is toooo funny. I have been toooo serious until I began reading this board, now I am more relaxed. Thank you guys!!! Geneva

[Jen]

I agree with you all. If the IRS ever questioned them about their return they will probably say you told them to do this. We don't need to get into this kind of trouble. I would have trouble sleeping at night if the returns I prepare are not done the correct way.

I am with you on that too. I have never been audit with a client and don't want to ever.
One client wanted me to depreciate chickens and their eggs. People are so dense sometimes. They were very serious too.

[Black Bart]

I did discounts before I learned the "regular price or free" approach. It's just that in my experience, having done both, the discount approach caused several different kinds of headaches. I had clients who were upset with me for raising their prices and I was upset with them for not remembering what I did for them. I had clients who found out I'd prepared their neighbor's return for half the price. I had referrals who expected the same pricing. It seemed that every time I discounted a return, instead of being looked at as a decent guy, I ended up having to defend my actions somewhere down the line. It wasn't right, but it happened. It's a human nature thing.

You're half-right. For instance, clients not remembering what you did for them. Two years ago I dropped my price from $425 to $375 for a "C" client who was having a bad time. He picked it up--never mentioned the price--left. Next time I went right back to $425 and he said "Going up $50 on me, eh?" I could've strangled the nitwit.

I've done a few for free and nobody's complained, but I think it's 'cause they kept their mouths shut so nobody would think they were "charity cases." On the other hand, if I followed your method frequently, I can just picture somebody running into the office shouting "Doing Jones' taxes for free, eh? Whatsamatter with the Smiths? Aren't we just as deserving as those #%@&*# bums? I've been with you lots longer than them and you never gave me any freebies. I'm quitting you, you dirty, rotten, low-down, inexcrupulous discriminator!"

What would you say to the Smiths?

[Bees Knees]

On the other hand, if I followed your method frequently, I can just picture somebody running into the office shouting "Doing Jones' taxes for free, eh? Whatsamatter with the Smiths? Aren't we just as deserving as those #%@&*# bums? I've been with you lots longer than them and you never gave me any freebies. I'm quitting you, you dirty, rotten, low-down, inexcrupulous discriminator!"

What would you say to the Smiths?

I'd say, "I'm sorry, I didn't know your house burned down too. That's terrible. You should of let my wife and I know about your tragedy and we would have come over to help you in your time of need. We had the Jones' with their seven kids living with us at the time in our basement, but I'm sure we could have made some extra room for your family too."

[Unregistered]

I have a simple test I always use with clients like these. I ask myself, What would Jack Bauer do?

WWJD (What would Jesus Do?)

[Don B]

My 2 cents worth..

Just want to say that a lot of good (and funny) stuff comes out of these pages...

I am a first year preparer for HRB. Guess that makes me some kind of ogre. I see that much of what has been said here is absolutly true. There are some that were hired this year that don't qualify to work at a Waffle House, but there are some that are good, and hopefully will get better. I look at this first few years with Block as nothing but a training venture. I know my limitations, and stick within my bounds. I am capable of completing most of the returns that come my way in the office; I am also capable of knowing when a return should be passed to a more experienced preparer.

Now, if there is a better way of gaining experience than taking the many of HRB courses, and doing simple returns, please guide me.... where are they?

The office I work in has two EAs that keep pretty good strings on the first and second year people.

I'm just venting......

Don B

[Bees Knees]

Don,

Thanks for your experience. But please do not apologize or feel the need to defend your working for H&R Block. Some of the best and worst tax preparers work for Block. Some of the best and worst tax preparers work for CPA firms. Some of the best and worst tax preparers are non-licensed accountants. Some of the best and worst tax preparers are EAs. Some of the best and worst tax preparers work....

Do you get my point?

Everyone should stop generalizing. When you point a finger at someone, three are pointing back at you.

[Armando Beaujolais]

Just want to say that a lot of good (and funny) stuff comes out of these pages...

I am a first year preparer for HRB. Guess that makes me some kind of ogre. I see that much of what has been said here is absolutly true. There are some that were hired this year that don't qualify to work at a Waffle House, but there are some that are good, and hopefully will get better. I look at this first few years with Block as nothing but a training venture. I know my limitations, and stick within my bounds. I am capable of completing most of the returns that come my way in the office; I am also capable of knowing when a return should be passed to a more experienced preparer.

Now, if there is a better way of gaining experience than taking the many of HRB courses, and doing simple returns, please guide me.... where are they?

The office I work in has two EAs that keep pretty good strings on the first and second year people.

I'm just venting......

Don B

I've never worked for Block, but when anybody asks me the best way to get into the tax business, I tell them to do the Block program. Take the courses (Block were my first tax courses), then sign on and do tax returns. The courses are great, and trial by fire is the only way I know of to gain experience in this profession.

I agree with Bees on this one (if you look at this board you'll understand how very rare that is). There are good and bad preparers everywhere. Block is simply an easy target, and like Bees said, an easy generalization. I'll bet I've had good tax professionals look at my returns and wonder why how an idiot like me ever got into the business. Hopefully that's less so with a few years experience under my belt.

[Black Bart]

Newbie Don B

I am a first year preparer for HRB. Guess that makes me some kind of ogre.

if there is a better way of gaining experience than taking the many of HRB courses, and doing simple returns, please guide me.... where are they?

Don B

Nah, you're not an ogre; you're just a new tax preparer. Just as everyone on this board once was. You can take Block courses or any other CPE (continuing professional education) courses that are scheduled in your area--everything helps--it doesn't hurt just to be at a seminar--you can pick up quite a few tips during break just shooting the breeze with other preparers or quizzing the speakers one-on-one. There's a lot of good correspondence courses you can take--try PES out of Roseville, CA (800-998-5024)--they've got good books and very reasonable prices. Other than that, just do what you're doing now, which is learning taxes by doing taxes, getting a "feel" for how clients think and react by talking to them, and asking questions on this board about the stuff you don't know and want to know.

Just keep on keepin' on and you'll be okay. Remember that in many, if not most, cases the customers don't know what you're doing and even if you do make a mistake, odds are they won't recognize it as such. I've been hackin' at this mess for thirty years, but after I discovered this board, it became invaluable to me as far as getting answers you can't get from the IRS. It will be to you too.

The modest self-described idiot, Armando, above (how did he get in this business?) and his associate (Bees) are editors and run this joint. I didn't know that when I first signed up and I thought "My God, my God; if these guys are typical tax preparers, then I'm hopelessly inept and doomed! Their little fingers contain more tax knowledge than my entire body." Fortunately, it turned out that they were editors and simultaneously, vastly more knowledgeable than the run-of-the-mill taxer that checks in here on a regular basis (although some of them are extremely sharp too).

Anyway, nice to have you. Don't worry about asking or saying something stupid--you'll have plenty of company (just read a few of my old posts).

.

[Don B]

Thanks for the comments.
I'll be hanging around, this season is just about over for me,but the new courses will be starting soon. Can't wait.

Don B

[BOB W]

Hard Card

Back in the beginning of PC computers you would only have floppy drives, two. One for programs and the other floppy drive was for data. Extremely slow. Then [they] came out with small hard drive (10 megs) that was mounted on a card that you plug into one of the motherboard slots. Well, that was speedy and so convient, all info in one spot. This was on a computer that ran on dos at 4.7 mega hrtz, what a speed demon....

Boy, computer life sure has changed since then..........

[winnie]

I was telling a potentional client with more problems than she has a clue about, that I did not have the time to take on her tax issues. Here is the problem. In these discussions, they usually want a recommendation. Well, I don't want the client because I think they are a pain in the___, or becuase I think they are pushing for every deduction they do not deserve or don't want to pay me anything for my work. This is not someone I would recommend to any of my friendly, local collegues. In this case, the woman clearly needed a CPA or a very experienced tax person, not HRB. By the way, I don't know of any firm that I have a grudge against that I would want to send these folks to, either! How do you get them to go on to someone else?

[Gretel]

Very good question. I will have a client come in this afternoon, local CPA firm recommended me. Go figure. I already know they are trouble.

[erchess]

How to get a client to move on??

When I worked for HRB I had the opinion that we or an HRB Premium Office could handle anything. That actually is still my opinion if you let me work at any office in the District and get to hand pick the people to whom I send them. When I worked for HRB I had a procedure that resulted in my being paid $25 for referring them to a Premium Office. I did that frequently my first few years. Where I have been, the Premium Offices worked with Tax Attorneys who handled anything an EA could not.

Now that I work for myself, I have yet to meet a potential client whose return I do not feel competent to handle. Returns I can't do certainly exist but in this market they don't seem to seek me out. However, I know a tax attorney and a CPA both of whom I have great respect for. I cannot imagine a return that I could not comfortably refer to one of these individuals.