Tax course

[LawrenceGR]

Business Opportunity

This sounds like a good business opportunity for The Taxbook people. I have thought this a few times, if there were a way for them to come up with a lesson book and tests it might work. Granted one wouldn't receive a certificate or anything, but it would be very helpful to many a rookie, even the seasoned vet. Just an idea.

[ED SMITH]

Take the Block course. The course information and methodology is the best around, so long as you do all the homework.. It will give you a good basic grounding in taxes. The course is 11 weeks long and usually starts in early Sept. A 70% passing grade will earn you the California CTEC license - 80% and Block might offer you a job.

[travis bickle]

The current HRB Course is

not as good as prior years'.

The current HRB "Basic" Course is very basic. The first part of the basic course, taught in the summer time, does not even fully treat a Sch C-filer. There is also nothing about page 1 of Sch-E [let alone page 2]. If you complete this course, and work for HRB, you will be doing "simple" returns [and, quite frankly, there is nothing wrong with starting off with the simple stuff, IMHO]. During February of tax season, HRB offers Part 2 of the Basic Course, which will cover Sch-C and page 1 of Sch-E. So, now you will have some more tax knowledge under your belt.

HRB changed their course structure because the same time they are teaching tax theory, they are teaching how to use their software. Obviously that takes time, and that means there is less classroom time for tax theory.

One advantage for HRB employees is their "upper-level" courses. As an HRB preparer, you pay $20 and then you can take all the "upper-level" classes you can handle during the summer. Those courses are quite good, because they are normally dedicated to one topic [e.g., "Disposition of Business Assets"] although some courses affect many areas [e.g., "Depreciation"]. The course material is well laid out and has some good examples -- I refer to them [along with TTB] during the tax year.

HRB's Basic Course meets twice a week - M & W or T & Th [no classes on F!]. Alternatively, there is a double-long session on Sat. I always preferred Sat because then I always had 6 days to complete the homework.

There will be a District Manager in your area who can give you the full details on their courses, enrollment dates, costs, etc.

One item, HRB can be a good place for someone to start out, but why not try this? Take a GOOD tax prep course at some Community College and then contact HRB about working with them. As long as you pass the HRB final, they will hire you.

Where did all this information come from? I used to work for HRB for 8 years, 5 of which was as Office Manager, and last year I was an instructor for their Basic course and several upper-level classes; it is possible that they may do things a bit differently in your area.

Best,