Dear IRS/U.S. Government:
We truly are long overdue for tax reform — if for no other reason than the fact that I wouldn’t even wish my H&R Block experience on my worst enemy. Not even on Mitch McConnell, and you know how I feel about him.
Usually, TurboTax and I hang out together for a few hours. I emerge grumpy but satisfied. And I always complete the process weeks in advance of the April 15 deadline.
This year I felt there were too many variables — selling a house, moving retirement funds, freelance work — for me to feel comfortable on my own.
Friends have used H&R Block, so I decided to take a chance. Let me just say this: With friends like that, who needs enemies?
This experience was beyond awful.
I’ve mentioned before that I am Tracy Flick. I had all my receipts categorized and added up. All my documents orderly. Everything laid out in sections in a folder.
I made an appointment two weeks ago to drop off my stuff.
I was assigned to Pat, someone’s great grandmother. She went through each piece of paper with me at 1/4 the speed of a regular person.
Then she told me she’d call me if she needed more information. Over the next week, she called and sent cryptic emails every day.
Today — FILING DAY — she told Eddie and me to come in at 7 to sign. That’s right in the middle of Gideon’s baseball game. But we went.
We sat in her cubicle and watched her work for TWO HOURS.
We watched her call in backup. Repeatedly.
Eddie was dismayed.
I was dismayed.
And then I took a catnap.
We asked her if we could leave to get Gideon at his game.
She dismissed us with a wave of her grizzled claw.
We returned at 10. On a school night. Y’all, I go to sleep at 10.
The door was locked. No one appeared to be inside.
But then from the back, a person emerged and let us in.
I regret to report that Pat still wasn’t done. She had to call in managerial backup. Again.
It’s now 10:40. We just left. We were the last people there. We are much poorer and completely exhausted, but compliant with your rules.
And Pat gave us a pen as a parting gift. For real.
Please, for the love of all that is holy, fix the system so it is easier for everyone.
I never want to go to here again.
Kthxbye,
Beth
I feel I could do taxes better than those people. I always just do ours on turbo tax – I think you’ll be back to them next year 😉
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You are so right. Never again!
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