[mark100]

H & R Block in the shopping center across from Walmart on 27/441.

[wiltma]

AARP does taxes in the Villages free of charge. Excellent Service

Originally Posted by rogerrice60

New to the Villages, interested in finding good location for income tax preparation.
Nothing major, just SS, income from investments etc.

[Petersweeney]

Originally Posted by wsachs

How about using Turbo Tax on your computer. At their website the Federal tax form is free. Been using it for years.

Agreed - if you got online and read your mail and then posted on this site your fully able to do a Turbo Tax return ….for free…

[Marykess1802]

Originally Posted by rogerrice60

New to the Villages, interested in finding good location for income tax preparation.
Nothing major, just SS, income from investments etc.

We love Bill O’Brian of Hartman and O’Brian. Local office (Lady Lake). Our taxes are simple too but I have no doubt he could handle something complicated. Fair fees, nice guy. Filed 6 years that I “forgot”to file and did a great job. His front staff is also awesome. 352-750-6168

[rogerrice60]

Thanks so much for your input..

[DAVES]

Originally Posted by Haggar

No, No, No - I'm a CPA who has seen returns for H& R Block and except for the simplest returns (the ones you can do yourself) they would not be who I would recommend.
I agree their courses are excellent-but generally it's a three week course.
I'm speaking from knowledge of their preparers. They fill in the boxes. My experience is most of their preparers are not proactive in asking questions and therefore don't get the best result for their clients.
They are paid a low hourly rate plus a % of what is charged.
They sell "audit protection" for a fee. These easy returns are never going to be audited so this is a waste of money for the client.
I've have one case where they told a client a certain form wasn't available yet and because the client really needed his refund the return was filed without the form. A day after the return was filed he came to me because "something didn't feel right". The form was available - the preparer didn't how to file the return so he told the client the form wasn't available.
If you've got anything more than a W-2 and interest do you want your return your done my someone who's tax experience is a 3 week course?
Last story- My first bookkeeper took the course. She prepared her first tax return, had it reviewed by her supervisor. Because it was slow after the client left she reviewed the return. Found out she made a mistake which cost the client $1,000. Took it to her supervisor to find out what to do. He said the client left satisfied - he wasn't going to correct the return.
Last and not least - asking questions and being proactive both for the current year and helping for the next year is part of the job of the preparer.

Tax an interesting subject. I've read that the constitution of the United States is four pages. The current federal tax code is 186 THOUSAND pages. What is FAIR? For all what we pay is too much. What others pay is less than they should.

I seem to recall reading that the IRS hired 6,000 more people. A safe bet more people will be audited this year.

I also seem to recall that the IRS currently employs around one million people I don't think that counts our counter group, people like accountants, tax preparing companies etc. Imagine if our government ever passed a flat tax proposed by Herman Cain so many years ago. What would we do with all of these no longer needed people.