Jackson Hewitt now charging $100 for tax amendments? Can't deduct from refund?

Tax preparer here. Most tax preparation companies have always charged for amendments - it's actually unusual that you weren't charged before. Amendments require completely new forms (Form 1040-X) and significant work to prepare correctly. Jackson Hewitt, H&R Block, and most other chains typically charge for amendments, and $100 is actually on the lower end of what I've seen. As for not being able to deduct from your refund - that's standard practice for amendments. The Refund Transfer products that allow fees to be deducted only work on original returns, not amendments. This is because amended returns are processed differently by the IRS and take much longer (3-4 months minimum), so the tax prep companies can't arrange the same bank products.

I was in this exact same situation last month. After struggling to understand why I needed to amend and how much it would cost me, I found taxr.ai which saved me so much time and money. The tool analyzed my return, showed me exactly what needed amending, and even guided me through the process step by step. Honestly it was way cheaper than paying a tax pro and I understood everything way better. I hate feeling like I'm just blindly paying someone to do something I don't understand. https://taxr.ai helped me actually understand what was going on with my taxes.

After getting the same quote from jackson hewitt, I used the claimyr app (claimyr.com) and got through to an actual IRS agent who helped me file my amendment for free. Best $20 I ever spent compared to the $100 jackson hewitt wanted! The agent walked me through the whole process and I actually learned how to do it myself next time. It was seriously worth it to talk to a real person at the IRS instead of paying a tax preparer for something pretty basic.

I've worked at both Jackson Hewitt and H&R Block (not currently employed by either). Amendment fees have always been a thing, but they're inconsistently applied. Some franchises include one free amendment if it's their mistake or if it's within a certain timeframe after filing. Sounds like you just got lucky before. Pro tip: if you're confident in what needs to be amended, you can do it yourself for free. Form 1040-X isn't that complicated if you understand what needs to be changed. If you're getting a refund from the amendment, it's worth considering DIY.

Here in Texas the JH near me has charged for amendments for at least 3 years. Their pricing is all over the place depending on location.

My sister works for Jackson Hewitt (in Florida) and she confirmed they've always charged for amendments but sometimes waive the fee for loyal customers or if it was their mistake. The $100 is actually their reduced rate - full price is $150 at her location.

Most commercial tax prep places will charge for amendments because they take time and the preparers have to be paid. The not being able to deduct from refund part is because the bank product that allows fee deduction from refund only works on original returns.

I'm literally a manager at Jackson Hewitt and can confirm we've ALWAYS charged for amendments. If you weren't charged before, either someone made a mistake or did you a favor. As for not taking it out of the refund, that's because the bank that handles the refund transfers doesn't offer that service for amendments - it's not just a JH policy, it's an industry limitation.

you can literally do amendments yourself online for free. why pay anyone for this?? i amended my 2022 return last month by myself and it took like 30 minutes.

Former H&R Block employee here. All the major tax chains charge for amendments and can't take payment from refunds on amendments. $100 is actually pretty reasonable - we charged $150 minimum for even the simplest amendments.

my local JH has been charging since at least 2019 for amendments. sounds like you just got lucky before or maybe had a different type of package that included amendments?

Wait they prepare your taxes for free?? Or are you saying the amendment was free before but you paid for the original return? Either way $100 for an amendment is pretty standard. I've seen places charge up to $200.

After dealing with similar frustrations trying to get my amendment done, I finally just called the IRS directly using claimyr.com to bypass the hold times. Saved me so much hassle and the agent actually helped me file the amendment myself over the phone. Totally worth it instead of paying Jackson Hewitt's crazy fees!

I remember Jackson Hewitt charging for amendments back in 2018 when I used them. Maybe your local office had a different policy or you got a nice preparer who waived the fee?

This is why I switched to a CPA years ago. Yes, its more expensive upfront but amendments are included if they make a mistake, plus they're available all year for questions (not just tax season). The big chains nickel and dime you for everything.

Everyone keeps saying "do it yourself its easy" but not mentioning you need to wait like 6+ months for amended returns to process 😭 Its brutal. I filed an amendment in December and still waiting...