Tax Consultants in Turbotax

[Christian]

As if we don't face enough issues Intuit is going to offer consultants in their tax package this year. Wonder how accurate their advice will be? 

[Lee B]

It seems to me that they have been recruiting CPAs and EAs for several years now.

[Max W]

This is something that they have been doing for several years as an add on during tax season.   

They used to pay the advisors $20/hr,  but maybe that has gone up,  and they are required to sit for 8 hours a day in front of their computer screen with few breaks.  I believe they also have a second level of advisors - CPA's - who are full time throughout the year, but no idea about their pay scale.  

Although, the advisors have to meet certain requirements and pass a short test, I'm wondering what kind of quality TT is getting for $20/hr.

This points out the difficulty DIY'ers are having in using TT.   The IRS loves these DIY tax programs.  According the IRS, the average DIY return leaves over $400 in refunds on the table. Perhaps it won't be so much now with the higher Std. Ded. 

 

[Catherine]

22 hours ago, cbslee said:

It seems to me that they have been recruiting CPAs and EAs for several years now.

One of my colleagues has done that for a couple of years.  Don't know if she still plans on it; it was during a transition after a move so her business was temporarily small.

[Roberts]

I've been getting that solicitation for at least 3 years.

 

Saw a company on Facebook advertising that they were looking for EAs and CPAs to do expat tax returns and some offer in compromise work from home. They wanted only full-time type workers and they paid you a portion of what they collected (something like 30%). It was a good hourly rate that they "predicted".

[SaraEA]

I got an email from TT today.  It said hours were flexible.  They actually called my home a couple of years ago during tax season.  I told them that I didn't have any spare time and if I did I would spend it sleeping. 

[BLACK BART]

On ‎12‎/‎19‎/‎2018 at 4:26 PM, Max W said:

...This points out the difficulty DIY'ers are having in using TT.   The IRS loves these DIY tax programs.  According the IRS, the average DIY return leaves over $400 in refunds on the table... 

IRS probably DOES love SOME of them for money left on the table, but I believe, overall, that many filers are making more money using TT rather than us.  They list as many kids with SSNs as they can birth, borrow, or buy for EIC, etc. and no preparer is asking about residence, relation, or anything that might derail the gravy train (as an applicant once put it to me: "I don't see why you won't let me use these two kids-they're my sister's, she's got 5, said she only needs 3, and that I could have these.")

Also, we won't do 'em for 40 bucks, people love a bargain, and there's lots of cheapskates out there.

I've only had a few refugees from TT - here's one memorable case:

Client: Upper-middle couple - DIYers/salaried medical professionals/one kid.  T/P: "I've used TurboTax three years, but I'm not sure I did it right.  Will you check these?"  BB: "Sure. Call me tomorrow." T/P (next day)"Anything?" BB: "They owe you $1,200." T/P: "WHAT!?..... (calms down slowly)....  What's your fee?"  BB: "$300".  T/P: "WHAAATTTTTT!!!? (calms down much more slowly).  Well...three hundred, twelve hundred...three hundred, twelve hundred....well, um, ah, yeah...okay, go ahead I guess."  

He quit me later - guess I broke his heart.

[RitaB]

Shoot - if they'd just audit all the self-prepared HOH filers in Crossville, TN, we could expand that "Effects of Leaf Blowers on Lizards Study" to include wooly worms.