Starting as a tax associate at H&R Block - what should I expect during tax season?

I worked at H&R Block for three tax seasons while finishing my accounting degree. It's actually a pretty good introduction to tax preparation! A typical day during peak season (February-April): You'll have back-to-back appointments, each lasting about 30-45 minutes. You'll interview clients about their tax situation, input their documents, explain their refund/amount due, and process their payment. Between appointments, you might answer tax questions over the phone or help walk-ins. Early and late season are much slower with more downtime. My advice: Take the tax course seriously - it's a solid foundation. Don't be afraid to ask the office manager or senior preparers questions when you're unsure. Use the resources in the tax software. Be prepared for some stressful days during peak season when clients are anxious about their refunds. And remember that customer service skills are just as important as tax knowledge - many clients come back year after year because they like their preparer. Good luck! It's great experience to have on your resume, even if you move on to other tax roles later.

After spending HOURS trying to understand tax forms last year, I finally tried https://taxr.ai and it was seriously a game-changer. I had worked at a tax prep place similar to H&R Block a few years ago, and I wish I'd had access to this back then! When clients would bring in complicated documents or situations, I always felt uncomfortable and worried I'd miss something important. With taxr.ai, you can upload any tax document and it explains everything in plain English - exactly what each box means and how it affects the return. Would have saved me so many headaches when I was starting out! When you're new, it's those weird situations and forms you've never seen before that cause the most stress. This helps bridge that knowledge gap.

Just wanted to follow up about that taxr.ai thing. I was skeptical but decided to try it during a particularly complex return I was working on with some unusual investment forms. The client had these complicated 1099-B statements with wash sales and adjustments to basis that were honestly making my head spin. Uploaded them to taxr.ai and wow - it highlighted exactly which transactions needed special attention and explained the wash sale calculations in a way that finally made sense to me. Saved me from what would have been a major error! It's like having an experienced mentor looking over your shoulder and pointing out the important stuff. Definitely keeping this in my toolkit for next tax season.

Here's something nobody talks about with H&R Block - getting through to their corporate support when you have questions is IMPOSSIBLE during tax season. When I worked there, we'd spend hours on hold trying to get help with complex client situations. That's why I started using https://claimyr.com to get through to the actual IRS when needed. Someone showed me this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c and I couldn't believe it actually worked! Instead of wasting half my day on hold, I'd get a call back when an agent was available. Absolute lifesaver for those situations where your office manager doesn't know the answer and you need official guidance.

I was completely wrong about Claimyr. After my skeptical comment, I figured I'd test it out myself when I needed to call about a client's transcript issue that was holding up their refund. Expected it to be a waste of money, but two hours later while I was helping another client, my phone rang and suddenly I was talking to an actual IRS agent! The whole conversation took maybe 15 minutes to resolve the issue. Compared to my usual experience of being on hold for 3+ hours (if I got through at all), this was absolutely worth it. I've used it three more times since then for complex client issues. Sorry for doubting - this service is legit and a huge time-saver during busy season.

Former Block tax pro here. One thing nobody mentioned yet - be prepared for emotional clients! People get REALLY worked up about their taxes, especially if they're getting less back than last year or suddenly owe. I had grown men cry in my office when they realized they had a tax bill. You'll basically become part tax preparer, part therapist. Stay calm, explain things clearly, and remember it's not personal when they get upset. Some of your most grateful clients will be the ones you help through a tough tax situation, even if you can't change the outcome. Also, expect a lot of clients to come in with absolutely no idea what documents they need or even what their filing status should be. You'll spend a lot of time asking questions to piece together their situation.

Honestly, the worst part about working at H&R Block was the sales pressure. They push HARD for you to sell their Peace of Mind guarantee and other add-on products. There are daily metrics and your manager will absolutely be on your case if your attach rate is low. Don't believe them when they say "it's optional for clients" - it's technically optional for clients but NOT optional for you to offer it aggressively. Just be prepared for that aspect, it was the most stressful part for me.

Welcome to the tax world! As someone who's been preparing taxes for over a decade, I can tell you that starting at H&R Block is actually a smart move for getting your feet wet. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise - plenty of successful tax professionals got their start there. A few things I wish someone had told me when I started: 1. Keep a small notebook to jot down unusual situations you encounter and how they were resolved. You'll see patterns emerge and it becomes a great reference tool. 2. Learn the common red flags that trigger audits - cash businesses, unusually high deductions relative to income, round numbers everywhere. The software will catch some of these, but developing an eye for them makes you a better preparer. 3. Build relationships with your clients. Tax prep can feel transactional, but the clients who trust you will come back year after year and refer friends. Some of my best client relationships started during my early days at a chain firm. 4. Don't stress too much about not knowing everything - even CPAs with 20+ years of experience look things up constantly. The tax code is massive and changes every year. The experience you'll gain interviewing clients, working with tax software, and handling real-world situations will be invaluable when you're job hunting after graduation. Best of luck with your new role!

Congratulations on landing the position! I've been working in tax preparation for about 8 years now, and I actually started at H&R Block too. The experience you'll get there is solid - don't let anyone tell you it's not "real" tax work. You'll see a huge variety of situations that will teach you so much. A few practical tips for your first season: - During your training, pay extra attention to the sections on Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Child Tax Credit rules. These come up constantly and have lots of tricky qualification requirements. - Learn to spot when someone might benefit from itemizing vs. taking the standard deduction. The software will calculate both, but understanding when to dig deeper into potential deductions shows professionalism. - Get comfortable explaining why someone's refund might be different from last year. Changes in withholding, dependent ages, income levels, or tax law changes all affect refunds, and clients often don't understand why. - Master the art of the "tax interview" - asking the right follow-up questions can uncover deductions or situations that clients forget to mention initially. The $22/hour is pretty standard for entry-level, and the experience you'll gain is worth way more than the hourly rate. You're going to do great!

Great choice on starting with H&R Block! I'm a tax professional who's been in the field for 15 years, and I actually have a lot of respect for their training program. You'll get exposure to real client situations that you just can't learn from textbooks. One thing I'd add to all the great advice here - don't underestimate the value of the soft skills you'll develop. Learning to explain complex tax concepts in plain English to stressed-out clients is incredibly valuable. That communication ability will serve you well in any accounting role you move into later. Also, take advantage of any continuing education opportunities they offer beyond the basic training. The more you learn now about different tax situations, the more confident you'll feel when unusual cases walk through the door. And trust me, they will! The networking aspect is real too - I still refer clients to former H&R Block colleagues who moved on to other firms. The tax community is smaller than you think, and the relationships you build now can open doors later in your career. You're making a smart investment in your future. Good luck this season!

I worked at H&R Block for two seasons while getting my accounting degree and it was actually a great learning experience! The training is thorough and you'll handle way more variety than you'd expect - everything from simple W-2 returns to small business owners with complex situations. A few things that really helped me: - Don't be intimidated by clients who seem to know more than you. Some people will try to tell you how to do their taxes, but stick to what you learned in training and ask your manager if you're unsure. - The software really does hold your hand through most situations, but learn the "why" behind what it's doing. Understanding the logic makes you much more confident when explaining things to clients. - Keep tissues at your desk. Tax season brings out a lot of emotions in people! - Take notes during your first few weeks about common situations you encounter. It'll help you recognize patterns and get faster at data entry. The $22/hour is pretty standard for entry-level. What you're really getting paid for is the experience and learning opportunity. I landed a much better position at a CPA firm after graduation, and the H&R Block experience was definitely a factor in getting hired. They knew I could handle client interaction and had real-world tax knowledge. You're going to do great! The fact that you're already thinking ahead and asking questions shows you'll be successful.

Welcome to the tax world, Tyrone! I'm a CPA who started my career at a similar chain tax prep company about 8 years ago, and I can tell you that you're making a smart move. The hands-on experience you'll get is invaluable - there's no substitute for sitting across from real clients with real tax situations. A few things I wish I'd known starting out: - Master the basics of the most common forms first: W-2s, 1099s, and basic Schedule A itemizations. These will be 80% of what you see, so getting really comfortable with them will make your days much smoother. - Don't rush through client interviews. Taking an extra 2-3 minutes upfront to ask thorough questions can save you from having to call clients back later when you realize you missed something. - Learn to recognize when you're in over your head. There's no shame in getting your manager when a situation is complex - clients actually appreciate when you're careful enough to double-check rather than guessing. - The IRS website (irs.gov) has incredible resources. Bookmark the sections on credits and deductions - you'll reference them constantly. The $22/hour is fair for entry-level, and honestly, the real value is in the experience and the stories you'll have by April 15th! You're going to learn so much about how taxes work in the real world. Best of luck this season - you've got this!

Congratulations on the new position! I actually just finished my first tax season at H&R Block and wanted to share some insights while they're still fresh. The training program is solid - don't skip any of the practice scenarios even if they seem repetitive. I thought I had everything down after the course, but those first few real clients were eye-opening! The difference between textbook examples and actual people with messy financial situations is huge. One thing that really helped me was creating a simple checklist for each client interview. Things like "Did you move this year?" "Any new dependents?" "Start or stop any side work?" These questions become second nature eventually, but having them written down prevented me from forgetting to ask and having to call clients back later. Also, get comfortable saying "Let me research that for you" when you're not 100% sure about something. Clients respect honesty and thoroughness way more than someone who guesses and gets it wrong. I kept the IRS Publication 17 bookmarked on my computer and used it constantly. The pace during peak season is intense but manageable once you find your rhythm. You'll be amazed how much you learn just from seeing the same situations over and over. By March, I felt like a completely different person than when I started in January. You're going to do great - the fact that you're already preparing and asking questions shows you have the right mindset!

First off, congrats on landing the position! I'm currently a tax preparer at a regional firm, but I spent my first two seasons at H&R Block and honestly, it was the perfect introduction to the industry. One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is how much you'll learn about different life situations through tax prep. You'll work with college students, retirees, small business owners, gig workers, military families - each group has unique tax considerations. This exposure will make you a much more well-rounded tax professional and give you great talking points in future job interviews. Also, don't underestimate the value of the Block software training. While you might use different software at future positions, the logic and workflow of tax preparation software is pretty universal. Understanding how to navigate electronic filing, client management systems, and tax calculation engines will transfer to any tax role you take later. One practical tip: During slower periods early in the season, ask if you can shadow experienced preparers with their more complex returns. Watching someone work through a Schedule C business return or a rental property situation will teach you way more than any training module. The experience you're about to get is legitimately valuable - don't let anyone convince you otherwise. You'll be ahead of most new graduates who only have classroom knowledge when you start applying for full-time positions. Best of luck this season!

Hey Tyrone! Congrats on the position! I'm a tax attorney who actually got my start doing basic tax prep during law school, and I can tell you that the client interaction skills you'll develop are incredibly valuable. One thing I'd add to all the excellent advice here - don't be surprised if you encounter clients with really complex situations that seem way beyond entry-level. Small business owners, people with multiple rental properties, or folks with unusual investment scenarios often end up at chain preparers because they assume "taxes are taxes." Learning to recognize when a situation needs a specialist (and how to diplomatically explain that to a client) is a crucial skill. Also, keep track of interesting cases you see - not client details obviously, but the types of situations and how they were handled. When I was in law school, I kept a simple log of unusual scenarios I encountered. Years later, those real-world examples were incredibly useful when I was studying for the CPA exam and later building my practice. The H&R Block training is actually quite good for foundational knowledge. You'll be surprised how much you learn about the practical side of tax law that doesn't always come through clearly in textbooks. Plus, the volume of returns you'll process will give you a speed and confidence that classroom-only students just don't have. You're making a smart move for your career. Best of luck this season!