Is it better to pay the high fees for H&R Block, or file free with the IRS?

Just do FreetaxUSA, AverageTax, or Taxact on line. eFile on the Federal only and the free Federal eFile. Then go to your State website. You can find it in any search engine. You type in your State along with department of taxation. E.g, I typed in New York Department of Taxation on altavista and "New York State Department of Taxation and Finance" came up. That's the government body that collects income tax for the State of New York. I say all of that because several States do not charge on their website to do income taxes. So you may be able to iFile {eFile} the State return for free. If the IRS accepts your return, you should get your State back in 5 business days and your Federal in 10-15 business days depending upon how late in the season. This also depends upon the software not messing up. You have to keep checking to make sure it went through. I've bought very expensive software before (drake) and it didn't go through. I got all kinds of lies and excuses for why it didn't go through, depending upon which rep answered the phone.

Do your taxes online. If your return is complicated, look up an enrolled agent on the National Association of Enrolled Agents website. Click on "find an enrolled agent". Type in your city, town, State or zip. Enrolled agents are professional and have power of attorney with the IRS.
Block has to vacate their boiler room. Firstly, the firm is not to print the SS# of the client on any of the Tax software they send out.
Secondly, they are not to advertise "refund anticipation loans". Not only were they never necessary, they are not ethical, the interest rate annualized - especially when you add the fees and figure them in - is outrageous. Senator Schumer testified that it is as high as 1700% APR. In addition, it is unwise to do what boiler room unscrupulous preparers do. Their motivation violates IRS ethics, block should not want to be associated with such unconscionable shenanagans. In the case of refund anticipation loans, the motivation is NOT to help the client. The client is seldom informed that he/she may be turned down for the loan due to a government agency seizure or the IRS wanting to examine the return. That means you pay the ERO and bank fees in vain. Here's a couple that may be decent: AverageTax, Tax-act and may be FreeTaxUSA. I used Tax-act for the first time. It is slow; you have to start over again in the questions for that particular category if you want to change a business or capital gain/loss entry for example. But it is free so long as you only do the Federal and ignore all the pop-ups for upgrades. They are the last 2 of the references I listed. Unless you are in a complicated tax situation, you do not need
expensive software. I found this out the hard way.

Wow! One thing to watch out for: refund anticipation loans {RALs}: Don't do it. What they do is USURY and should be illegal. These "emerald" loans are just as unscrupulous as the whole life insurance companies. Instead of being remorseful and ceasing to attempt to bleed the public, they came out with universal life. What a ripoff!! Now, Block with their refund anticipation loans, instead of ceasing such things, have come out with the "emerald
loans", or "green emerald loans". They want to trap you in to having no choice but to return to them. That's the same as whole life insurance. I heard more prospective clients tell me "I've put too much in to it. I can't get out". Same scenario. So don't go to Block.
Here is a testimonial: "If you got an emerald advance line done from them in December probably yes {you're trapped in to returning to that outfit}. If you can, do not go to H&R Block this year. My sister got an advance done in December and she paid through the teeth this tax season. She paid
almost double what she did in 2006. Also, they are not issuing checks anymore, either. They are giving the early anticipation loans now on a debit card. My advice for you is to go to a local private tax preparer who will probably do the return for under $100. They can e-file the tax return and you won't have to pay the outrageous fees. So if you did have H&R Block do an advance in December you'll have to have them finish the other part of the return for 2007. If you didn't then you won't have to return there." Senator Schumer testified that it is as high as 1700% APR.
Another testimonial. Evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse. Certainly applies to H&ripoff: Beware of the H&R Block Emerald card..Tell your friends!? {sic. Means ! or !!} I got my 2007 taxes on the H&R Block pre paid emerald card. I was buying my wife a car and had the guy run the card. The card machine didn't say or print anything. We didn't know what to do, the guy said "for some reason this card isn't working."{sic} We paid with a different card. When I got home and checked my account, the money had been deducted from the card and put on hold for an 8 week length to be paid to the dealership. We essentially have paid for the car twice! The dealership has done everything they can to get the money released. My wife has went into the h&r block office and made dozens of calls to the 1 800 number. Most calls you get hung up on. All I want is for them to release my money back to me so that I can pay off the other card. I am being charged interest on the amount. I am thinking about taking them to small claims court and exposing them to the media! Warn everyone you know....this card is a hoax!
Latest Better Business Bureau report regarding H&ripoff: http://kansascity.bbb.org/commonreport.html?bid=46030004&language=1&bureau=&bbbid=

When my ex and I went to H&R dilldocks, we found we "owed" a large tax bill when we did not. They calculated penalty and interest for us! That's up to the taxpayer
and the IRS!! We had claimed 4 exemptions. Then the H& dumbbell rep said "drop 'em". That's what she said. All the things you can legally do to save on your taxes; all the deductions and credits; all the ways you can save on your income taxes and you can find more ways every year. That's what she said: "drop 'em" {!!!!}. No questions; no deductions; no asking about receipts and diaries of expenses; no list to prepare to save on taxes in future years - worse than worthless! In a subsequent year, the moron told us that we were employers and had to withhold social security from our babysitter.
The limit for reporting income then was $125 or $150 per quarter. We didn't have to file Schedule H!! So we didn't have to withhold Federal taxes!! I want H&R lying thieves to pay me back for the double charges plus interest and penalty! We only paid around $50 to the babysitter for the entire year, if that much. Yet H&R dumb dumb told us that we were employers and had to withhold tax from this poor lady!! We were NOT employers!!! We did not have to fill out a W-2 nor did we have to fill out a 1099, for that matter. They did not tell us to get a second opinion!!! Those idiots did not know the tax law that they professes to know!! Further, the brain dead and thief told us that their company {H&R ripoff} would graciously amend our income tax return. We didn't need the return amended!! They didn't even know the tax law for child care providers!! Then they charged us the equivalent fee without any advance warning!! They said they would do it. They did not have to; they lied. then they made it appear as if they would do it without a fee, since there was only one entry to "change". They lied to us!!
We did not need to file a Schedule H!!!! Whether we babysat or not was none of their business!!! They had no business even asking that question !!! They are agents for the Feds. They added interest and penalty on that we were not liable for!!!!!!!!!! They certainly are not interested in you the client paying the least possible legal tax! The fact that they are still in business show how illiterate taxpayers are about their taxes. That's what started my business. I got tired of overpaying frightfully on my taxes. I went into
competition with H&dishonest and exposed them. If they had been right, they should have mentioned FUTA!!! They did not mention FUTA!!!! H&R lying, abominable criminal thieves are the most lying, brain dead idiots on earth!!! They have no business calling themselves "income tax preparers"!!
Another testimonial. You see how this all ties together. H&R ripoff is not looking out for you, the taxpayer: "Dont! They work with the government to screw you! Yes I've had them done there. I also have a accountant friend who worked there one day and quit when she saw how they were doing people. She was trying to help save people money and her boss pulled her aside and said we don't do that here!"