JRS Posted January 27, 2009 Report Share Posted January 27, 2009 In its first Super Bowl advertisement in five years, H&R Block invokes well known prose regarding the certainty of nothing but death and taxes. Unless of course, you're talking about Abe Vigoda. Vigoda, whose "Godfather" and "Barney Miller" roles helped make him famous, was erroneously declared dead as early as 1982. Since that time people continue to ask the same question: is Abe Vigoda dead or alive? The answer according to H&R Block? Very much alive and helping bring humor to the company's 30-second Super Bowl spot by playing the role of Death. The ad touts H&R Block's Second Look® product and will serve as a friendly reminder that tax season is upon us and everyone needs to ensure their taxes are done right. The current economy makes professional tax preparation more important than ever as many Americans are taking a closer look at their finances; not only curbing spending but trying to find extra money anywhere they can. H&R Block's people can help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janitor Bob Posted January 27, 2009 Report Share Posted January 27, 2009 Oh yes...H & R Scmuck's people will help....help you throw a ton of your money at the green box...then make you feel good cuz they did your taxes for you....people (where I live) are appalled when they discover how inflated H & R's prices are. H & R charges 2-3 times what an individual preparer charges around here! And they make more mistakes! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marie Posted January 27, 2009 Report Share Posted January 27, 2009 My clients' ex does his tax with HRB on line. He does not have custody of his daughter, but says the program won't work when he puts in that she doesn't live with him. So he puts in that she does and it works! I told her that she is eligible for EIC with her even though she doesn't claim her, but if ex puts in she lives with him he gets the EIC if eligible(I don't know AGI) This is what gets me about DIY on line. People do what it takes to make the program work, not what is correct. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Virtual Managed Solutions Posted January 27, 2009 Report Share Posted January 27, 2009 Speaking of H&R Block ads, and thinking back to KC's post on them, what appalls me the most is how (1) the prices are very inflated for the type of work/mistakes they provide, and (2) hate, hate, HATE the commercials with Benjamin Franklin and our other forefathers promoting Block. Call me stupid, but income tax wasn't even around until 1913, LONNNNNG after they had come and gone. I'd imagine the course of history and our governments action towards the forementioned would appall our forefathers to see their good name associated with the organization and probably kill them all over again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MargaretMort Posted January 27, 2009 Report Share Posted January 27, 2009 I finally heard an H&RBlock ad on the radio this morning. It was telling how someone brought in their tax info and last year's return and Block found all these errors on last year's and saved the customer so much money! I was more than a little dumbfounded. They didn't claim their corrections were accurate, thank God. Such blatancy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JRS Posted January 27, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 27, 2009 After reading some of the questions on the general public tax forums, I could get them back millions!!!!!!!!!!! It seems that the effort of the media and Hollywood to dumb down our fellow citizens is working. Where has common sense gone. "Can I claim my boy friend, he didn't work last year?" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janitor Bob Posted January 28, 2009 Report Share Posted January 28, 2009 I actually had a client call an hour ago.....his girlfriend had a baby last year and girlfriend did not work, so he can claim both girlfriend and baby....why? Because his friends told him so....Now I gotta be the bad guy.....I bet he takes his stuff and heads off to whomever did friends taxes! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldJack Posted January 28, 2009 Report Share Posted January 28, 2009 Now, Now, guys. You know all taxpayers are tax experts. Our government has simplified our tax laws so many years that all the public can give you an accurate answer regarding any tax question. Why even the IRS can tell you what is deductible on the telephone. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joanmcq Posted January 28, 2009 Report Share Posted January 28, 2009 But JB, was it his baby as well? And if they lived with him, yes, he can take them as dependents. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taxtrio Posted January 28, 2009 Report Share Posted January 28, 2009 If it is his baby he could claim the child; but here in Michigan can't claim the girlfriend. Irs Divison here follows a very old Michigan law that makes it illegal to "co-habitate" without the benefit of marriage. Making the deduction illegal here in Michigan. A lot of people do it anyway.... but IRS will throw it out if they notice. Taxtrio Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tax Prep by Deb Posted January 28, 2009 Report Share Posted January 28, 2009 I finally heard an H&RBlock ad on the radio this morning. It was telling how someone brought in their tax info and last year's return and Block found all these errors on last year's and saved the customer so much money! I was more than a little dumbfounded. They didn't claim their corrections were accurate, thank God. Such blatancy. What they forgot to mention was the errors they found were ones they made themselves (haha) Deb! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gail in Virginia Posted January 28, 2009 Report Share Posted January 28, 2009 The ad that I hear on the radio around here has them checking the return prepared by a CPA and finding numerous errors - in fact 4 out of 5 returns they check have errors! I am not a CPA, and they can make errors just like anyone else, but to imply that people hired to generate RALS for the BLock empire (and the ads to hire them even say "no experience necessary") are doing a better job than people who train for years, and work at this year round, makes me furious! Now that I have vented, back to work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janitor Bob Posted January 28, 2009 Report Share Posted January 28, 2009 But JB, was it his baby as well? And if they lived with him, yes, he can take them as dependents. Baby was his....but baby and girlfriend lived with girlfriends parents.....Sure bet that they will be dependents on parent's return...not his!...As the value of the house and utilities alone would be more than 1/2 of support. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Virtual Managed Solutions Posted January 28, 2009 Report Share Posted January 28, 2009 That's how I would picture the returns as going - BF wanting to claim them, but parents will claim them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kcjenkins Posted January 28, 2009 Report Share Posted January 28, 2009 Worst thing is, boyfriend will probably file first, because all he has is a W-2, so he will get them, then her parents will get rejected, and have to file a paper return to claim the dependents that they are in fact legally entitled to claim. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janitor Bob Posted January 28, 2009 Report Share Posted January 28, 2009 Worst thing is, boyfriend will probably file first, because all he has is a W-2, so he will get them, then her parents will get rejected, and have to file a paper return to claim the dependents that they are in fact legally entitled to claim. Not if I do boyfriend's taxes!.....which is probably why I will not do boyfriend's taxes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kcjenkins Posted January 28, 2009 Report Share Posted January 28, 2009 If you explain it to him that if he follows his 'friends' advice he will be filing a fraudulent return, and explain why clearly, he probably won't try it. And explain too, that even if he files that way, gets the extra refund, he will have to pay it back with penalty and interest. Many 'tax cheats' did not really intend to cheat, they just follow bad advice from their 'friends'. You can educate him, and help him avoid the trouble he could get himself into. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeke Posted January 28, 2009 Report Share Posted January 28, 2009 Well Bob - If you have a choice, just sit on boyfriends w-2 until after grandparents file, then decide that you cannot do his! z Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janitor Bob Posted January 28, 2009 Report Share Posted January 28, 2009 Well Bob - If you have a choice, just sit on boyfriends w-2 until after grandparents file, then decide that you cannot do his! z I will do my best to educate him....but will not put forth too much effort....I have only been charging him $25.00 for a 1040 EZ form each year...so no great loss Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daune/CA Posted January 28, 2009 Report Share Posted January 28, 2009 I will do my best to educate him....but will not put forth too much effort....I have only been charging him $25.00 for a 1040 EZ form each year...so no great loss But it appears that BF is about to become a better earner, especially should he have to support "new baby". May turn into a better fee, or just a "bigger headache" :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lion EA Posted January 29, 2009 Report Share Posted January 29, 2009 Aren't the green founding fathers on a Turbo Tax commercial? I used to work for Block, but was dismayed to hear their commercial putting down CPAs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Virtual Managed Solutions Posted January 29, 2009 Report Share Posted January 29, 2009 In about a half hour spot, I heard a radio commercial for Block 3 times! It was about how mad "John Bouchard" was, because Block found errors on the previous years return. Then towards the end John gets so frustrated it seems as if he is going to lunge at the old preparer until Block intervenes and holds him back. It was rather stupid. And yes, Lion, the founding fathers are in green on a TurboTax commercial. JB - This might be a great opportunity to get new clients. See if there is a way you could get the grandparents involved in these conversations. Let them know what BF is wanting to do and explain that you could do both of their returns to get everything straight. Maybe throw in there, you would file grandparents first so that way BF couldn't claim before them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAXBILLY Posted January 29, 2009 Report Share Posted January 29, 2009 Bad advice to JB, Kyle. Privacy issues. taxbilly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Virtual Managed Solutions Posted January 29, 2009 Report Share Posted January 29, 2009 @TAXBILLY - I was going to add that I'm not sure how ethical that would be as a tax preparer, but opted not to. If there was a way to get around that, like suggesting to BF that the grandparents would best be involved in these conversations. Then it would be on the BF inviting them, not JB. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janitor Bob Posted January 29, 2009 Report Share Posted January 29, 2009 @TAXBILLY - I was going to add that I'm not sure how ethical that would be as a tax preparer, but opted not to. If there was a way to get around that, like suggesting to BF that the grandparents would best be involved in these conversations. Then it would be on the BF inviting them, not JB. I intevierw BF last night....when he shows up un-announced at 11:15pm.....H states that GF and baby lived with him from Feb 5, 2008-current and that GF parents are aware that he is taking them as dependents.....Nott sure if I believe him, but what else can I do? Looks like he really will get to claim them.....does Due diligence require me to "investigate" further? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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