Tax Preparation Course

[debtfreeme]

A friend of mine asked me recently to take a tax prep course during this fall and then help to prepare tax returns for money next Jan-April.

Has anyone done this? I don't have any problems doing my taxes, but has anyone done this for money?

I live in CA and am wondering what people could charge to help others out? There is the possibility of being hired on with a company for part time work as well. Anything to help pay off the debt i have currently and save some for the other masters program next fall..

Any info would be appreciated.

[Diolla]

I Have signed up for one through H&R Block and have been told it is very likely I could get hired by them when completed (depends how I do) I know several people who did this and worked there. I think getting the experience there first would work better than just going out on your own right away, but I am not very adventurous.

I hope to get into financial couseling after I retire in 8 years so this is just one more service I will be able to offer.

[Broken Arrow]

I'm interested, but I'll probably have to wait until next year to sign up.

[poundwise]

I'd like to do it, not for the learning tax prep for myself angle, but to do 'seasonal' work for a service like H&R Block and earn some extra money. The main problem I have with getting started is that it costs $199 to take the course according to the H&R Block web site. Apparently, however, some H&R Block's are corporate-owned while others are franchised and the some of the latter offer the course for $99. If I can find that locally, I may very well do this now. I know Jackson-Hewiit offers a course as well, but I haven't looked into it.

[debtfreeme]

i was thinking of going into financial counseling part time after i finish a certificate program in financial management through UC Davis. I started it just because i was interested in something for me and never thought about doing it as a job or leaving my current job. Then one instructor told me that with my training skills and this back ground i should consider it part time. i think i would get burned out doing it full time.

I think i am going to take the course on taxes. if nothing else i might improve my own tax returns and earn a littl on the side as well.

[scrava]

Good Luck to you! I think it will come in handy for your own personal taxes, of course. If you can swing the $199, then, you can look at any p/t work opportunities as a bonus. You might be able to help our some lower-income and/or elderly friends & family. They could have really, really easy returns that you could do and save them the $.

[MoneyHoney]

I'm currently taking the H&R Block tax prep course. Anybody else out there taking it? How's it going? I'm finding it "challenging" as they say!

[Snoopy2645]

My mom started out with H&R block she took the course but she was payed for it she didnt have to pay them!!! She worked for them for a few years I think for her it was a good learning thing before she went out on her own.

I am not a tax person so I myself would never do it but my mom & sister love that kinda stuff!!! Anyways you guys may want to look into how you get paid to train instead of paying for the training!!!

[MonkeyMama]

I have heard this is a good way to make seasonal money. The work is certainly there.

I would recommend something like H&R Block...

[geojen]

Originally Posted by MoneyHoney

I'm currently taking the H&R Block tax prep course. Anybody else out there taking it? How's it going? I'm finding it "challenging" as they say!

I am interested in signing up for the course. How flexible are they will having to miss class? Do you think you could make up the class by going to another scheduled course? What is the out of class work load like?

[MoneyHoney]

They seem to be pretty flexible about missing a session.

Usually the class is offered at several locations and times, so you could also pick up a session you missed.

[MoneyHoney]

Re: the class load.

My class is 6 hours per week and I spend an equal amount of time studying. So that's about 12 hours a week. I'm not sure how representative that is. Some chapters are definitely tougher than others.

There's a lot of reading and quite a few work-book exercises. In class, we use the H&R Block computer system. It's the computer system that does most of the actual tax computing, but we need to understand the process behind it.

[sarah]

How compatible is this with working full time. Also does anybody know hoe much money it pays

[creditcardfree]

I would guess there is a lot of available work on weekday evenings and weekends, as this is when most people are not working and able to get their taxes done. Tax seasons are very busy seasons! I worked at a mutual fund company and we were busy from JAN thru APR.

[b4freedom]

The community college near me offers a tax prep class and certification that HR Block honors. It’s cheaper and you can earn credits and/or CEU for the course. It’s also honored by other tax prep agencies. HR Block course tends to be geared towards HR Block software only.

I’ve looked into it for extra seasonal income as well. However, my main problem is that I can’t find out how much HR Block will pay. Someone told me $10/hour. I’m not paying for a course to earn $10/hour. In my area, I can earn more stocking shelves or working at a video store (which doesn’t require a course/certificate). However, I’m not sure if my source of $10/hour is correct. If I was fairly certain that I’d get a job that paid well ($18 to $25/hour, or even commissioned) on a part time basis, I’d be more inclined to do it.

[tabbycat31]

I'm doing it right now, and I also worked at HRB this Spring as the receptionist. I plan on doing tax returns this year.

[greedy4chips]

Wow you pay to learn the H&R Block computer tax system and then they pay you to work, if and only if you pass the course. What happened to hiring someone and then training them to do the job?

That being said, I would love to do taxes for people in my spare time, but most people expect you to perform some miracles when none are possible. You have income, deductions, credits, and you pay taxes on the AGI amt. No magic there folks! Problem is most people don't plan ahead and figure out how to maximize their return until they sit down with the taxman on April 12th...Doh! 3 days to go and you want how much back and why do you think you deserve that?

I would rather be the guy who sits down with them and does a budget, savings & investment planning, and tax planning versus the person who is expected to wave the magic wand over a year of poor planning.

[tabbycat31]

The course is 66 hours long. And that's just one (they offer advanced ones for their employees only).

Most companies do not spend that much time training their employees. That being said, they do charge the employees to take the class, but for a fraction of what they charge the general public ($200 for the public, $20 for employees)

[Snoopy2645]

Well when my mom worked for them they paid her for training hours & yes she always had people who expected a miracle!!!

[b4freedom]

Originally Posted by tabbycat31

I'm doing it right now, and I also worked at HRB this Spring as the receptionist. I plan on doing tax returns this year.

And how much do they pay to do tax returns?