Sunday, September 03, 2006

H & R Whack!

P-Diddy and I went to H & R Block yesterday to get some advice on our
taxes, walking out a half-hour later, $130 lighter and none the
wiser. Bloody outrage! We thought that a pro-active accountant might
be able to find loopholes or deductions that could possibly improve
the 40% deduction rate taken from my contracting work last year.
After punching up the numbers online, there still wasn't the balance
we were looking to get back. So, consult the professionals, right?
That's what they do all day long and should have easily been more
insightful than Mr. and Mrs. Joe Schmoe.

So, we met with Donna Ling in the Bondi Junction branch of H&R Block,
who seemed nice enough. She asked a battery of basic questions, all
pretty standard. We then started getting the vibe that this was an
upsell job - cost was $130 per person, not couple - she started also
suggested filing for certain exemptions and refunds that we had
already known about, slyly smiling when I asked if there was a charge
for each one. Consequentially, the numbers that she gave us were no
different than the ones we found at home. Peggy and I looked at each
other and gave a frustrated shrug. Why are these people still in
business? Is it because some people can't / won't use the internets
or fill out forms?

Lesson learned, I guess, is that if ever needed we have a second
career in accounting.

posted by ncawthon at 4:39 PM