Has anyone done the "tax school" at one of the big preparers?

[kcrew]

Regarding H & R Block I have worked there for 16 years so I will be happy to answer any questions. If you pass the course, they will hire you as that is the purpose of the course. You will indeed make little better than minimum wage when you start and the hours that you are given will be highly variable depending on the need in your particular area. You will more than likely get quite limited hours--if you are lucky it could be full time for a couple of weeks when it is busy (depending on your availability), but most of the season you will get only a handful of hours. There is NO LONGER a bonus for 1st year associates so your hourly wage is what you get. Frankly, it is not a great job when you start out, and the percentage of 1st years that return is pretty low. Could you make enough for a vacation? Frankly I find it very doubtful.

[Lehuaann]

Originally Posted by pklein09

I did the tax school with H&R Block. I thought I would get a seasonal job with them and decided against it. I think if I wanted a job there, I would have been hired without any problems. One of the reasons was their pricing...I thought it was high. I ended up going into business for myself. While I don't make a "killing," I make enough for some extras and I've met an lot of wonderful people in my town/township. Another reason was trying to get a job in the location in my town...there wasn't an opening. They wanted me to drive 30+ minutes to a different location. Because I would have been doing this in the evenings and on weekends, I would be driving at night on possibly icy/snowy roads. I did not want a long commute; I wanted to be right in town.

As for the education, I thought it was good. My instructor was very knowledgeable. I've been in business for myself since 2004. I'll sit for the IRS exam in October, and I don't think I'll have any problems passing it.

Good luck!

Does H&R Block still allow individuals to go into business for themself after attending their tax school?

Seems like I read somewhere that they prohibited it...but maybe the rules applied to employees only, not students?

Just wondering since I am looking into going to school to get my accounting degree...or just going through tax school/EA.

[pklein09]

Originally Posted by Lehuaann

Does H&R Block still allow individuals to go into business for themself after attending their tax school?

Seems like I read somewhere that they prohibited it...but maybe the rules applied to employees only, not students?

Just wondering since I am looking into going to school to get my accounting degree...or just going through tax school/EA.

When I attended their school, there was no requirement to work for them. I never interviewed with them, so there was no assumption on their part that I would work for them. I've never heard that a person couldn't go into business for themselves, and I guess I'm proof.

Itj's possible H&R Block may have requirements of their employees to not go into business for themselves and take clients with them. I honestly don't know.

[Lehuaann]

It might just be employees then...something like they aren't allowed to work for anyone else or take clients for x amount of years. I need to look into it more.

But I love what you did, and hope to do the same for myself. H&R Block called me last night about enrolling into their school, but I'm still trying to decide what's the best route for me at my age...being close to 40 and all. I've been doing the family taxes for several years so I know I can do this...

[pklein09]

Originally Posted by Lehuaann

It might just be employees then...something like they aren't allowed to work for anyone else or take clients for x amount of years. I need to look into it more.

But I love what you did, and hope to do the same for myself. H&R Block called me last night about enrolling into their school, but I'm still trying to decide what's the best route for me at my age...being close to 40 and all. I've been doing the family taxes for several years so I know I can do this...

I started very, very small (12 clients my first year) at age 36. I had also been doing family taxes for several years. Go for it!

[DisneyMomma81]

Originally Posted by Lehuaann

It might just be employees then...something like they aren't allowed to work for anyone else or take clients for x amount of years. I need to look into it more.

But I love what you did, and hope to do the same for myself. H&R Block called me last night about enrolling into their school, but I'm still trying to decide what's the best route for me at my age...being close to 40 and all. I've been doing the family taxes for several years so I know I can do this...

My mom is set to retire from the IRS in a few years *she'll be 52 in Oct.* she plans to have her own tax business, earlier this year she volunteered with VITA, two of my cousins are CPAs, my brother just got his accounting technician certificate *goodness he plowed through those courses quickly - I should follow in my little brother's footsteps - all 3 have mentioned assisting her/offering her work once she's no longer working for the fed.

[Lehuaann]

Originally Posted by pklein09

I started very, very small (12 clients my first year) at age 36. I had also been doing family taxes for several years. Go for it!

Thank you! My plan is to start small as well, nothing crazy. My parents gave me a real doozy this past season with Disability Repayments (IRC 1341) ...and even though I wanted to pull my eyebrows out, I loved the challenge.

May I ask, did you start in your home and eventually work your way up to an office locale?

Originally Posted by DisneyMomma81

My mom is set to retire from the IRS in a few years *she'll be 52 in Oct.* she plans to have her own tax business, earlier this year she volunteered with VITA, two of my cousins are CPAs, my brother just got his accounting technician certificate *goodness he plowed through those courses quickly - I should follow in my little brother's footsteps - all 3 have mentioned assisting her/offering her work once she's no longer working for the fed.

Awesome!! Sounds like she is already set...and her IRS employment automatically qualifies her for EA enrollment.

[pklein09]

Originally Posted by Lehuaann

May I ask, did you start in your home and eventually work your way up to an office locale?

I started in my home and I still work in my home. Someone approached me to join her firm, but I'm not ready to transition to an office locale. All of my kids are still in school with all their activities. Working out of my house allows me to schedule around my life. It also keeps my overhead really low.

[Leader of the Club]

I started classes at Jackson Hewitt this week. You should see the book! Their course is free and if they hire you, they will reimburse you for your IRS test and application fee for the PTIN. and they have paid training that starts in December.

I'm excited! And now we have an opportunity to move to Pensacola, so this is something that I can take anywhere.