No offense, but

[RitaB]

"No offense, but they ask me at work why I pay you to do my taxes when I could get VITA to do them for free."

Ever notice that saying, "No offense, but," before you say something offensive is exactly zero percent effective at dissuading offense?

And, no VITA would not do your return for free or otherwise. Trust me. But I told her, "If you can get these returns done for free, that's what you should do, have at it."

[Elrod]

FREE...?       We can't even do our own for free....

[JohnH]

I had a client who had an opportunity to do "better than free" this year. I was prepared to PAY him to go somewhere else. Too bad he didn't know that before telling me he was changing.

Edited April 6, 2015 by JohnH

[kcjenkins]

Love it, John.  

[jasdlm]

It goes right along with 'I know you're busy, but . . .'

[RitaB]

It goes right along with 'I know you're busy, but . . .'

And, "Honey, I'm not trying to tell you what to do, but"

[kcjenkins]

And, "Honey, I'm not trying to tell you what to do, but"

 

I hate those!

[Elrod]

I want a HuG!...

[RitaB]

I want a HuG!...

You're a good husband for a primate.

[JohnH]

Well, bless their hearts. Most of the clients don't have a clue.

[Max W]

Everything that comes before "but" is BS.

 

Those VITA preparers get some training in vary basic returns and anything more complicated they are supposed to

tell the client to go to a professional.  

I have an EA friend that retired a few years ago but does VITA returns.  He told me that

one of the VITA preparers did a return incorrectly and the client ended up paying P&I along with the taxes.

 

The client wanted VITA to pay for the P&I and guess what? They told them it was a free return and there was no recourse.

 

So much for FREE.

[rfassett]

I had a client that I finally fired a few years back that just about everything he said started out with "no offense......"  It was just a habit with him but got so down right annoying listening to it.  Glad he is gone.

[Carolbeck]

Everything that comes before "but" is BS.

 

Those VITA preparers get some training in vary basic returns and anything more complicated they are supposed to

tell the client to go to a professional.  

I have an EA friend that retired a few years ago but does VITA returns.  He told me that

one of the VITA preparers did a return incorrectly and the client ended up paying P&I along with the taxes.

 

The client wanted VITA to pay for the P&I and guess what? They told them it was a free return and there was no recourse.

 

So much for FREE.

Yes, you get what you pay for!

[Richcpaman]

Even the IRS's own stat's show that the VITA program results in tax returns with over a 40-45% error rate.

 

You get what you pay for.

 

That is what I tell folks.

 

Rich

[schirallicpa]

I had a client get theirs done for free and then she wanted to stop in here and have me double check that it was right.

For free.

[MsTabbyKats]

I had a client who had an opportunity to do "better than free" this year. I was prepared to PAY him to go somewhere else. Too bad he didn't know that before telling me he was changing.

Please share why he was that bad...

 

The worst I had was someone I offered to reimburse...because NJ was very slow on his refund...and he thought I was supposed to do something about it (above and beyond calling every few weeks).  I got so fed up I told him I'd give him his money back...and when he ultimately got the refund he could pay me.