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Ashley of San Bernardino, CA May 21, 2009
I am shocked to see so many bad experiences with H&R blocks RAL. My husband and i both have very horrible credit, and we have always been told before we leave the office whether we were approved for the ral or not. Well this year our refund was close to 6000.00 and we got the 1-2 day ral. Well our money was on our card sometime during the night, and we filed our taxes around 6 or 7 pm and our money was on our card by 6 am the next day, and we were allowed to pull off as much money from the atm as we wanted.
I am really shocked that so many people have had problems with it. We even get approved every year for the tax loan that they offer at the end of the year. I love H&R block and i wouldnt trust anyone else to prepare my taxes. Rob of Coral Springs, FL April 18, 2009
Went into HR block to do my taxes, and sat down to a wonderful nice lady who had assured me she had been doing taxes for 16 years. I explained to her I wanted to directly deposit my funds into my checking account as I have done every year. As i was calling my bank to get the info..she seemed to be stalling and single handily went out of her way to get me to signup for this RAL to get my money in 48hours. I even supplied her with my routing/banking info and she still kept persisting. I was only getting 647dollars back and going out of town in 4 days. That money looked good to me for the vacation opposed to having to wait 8-15 days. I finally caved in and took a loss for the fees to get the fast refund and settled for 502 dollars.
I kept saying over and over... so its definately going to be there within 48hours correct. Of course she told me what i wanted to hear. If she wouldve did her job and properly inform me verbally, that it was not a fast refund, it was just a loan from a independant bank that has no direct affiliation with them I would have balked. In fact if they said, there is a 1% chance i wont get the fast refund, I would have still balked. I know my credit is bad, and she never told me that i am authorizing them to run my credit. I tried to read most of the stuff she handed me. But i had like 60papers to sign.
Going back at everything i signed, i still cant see where it says It is based on credit and i authorize them to check it. All in all, this is a classic scam, or just really extreme ignorance on behalf of HR block. But it seems based on reports too much of this is happening. Why is HR block screwing their loyal customers in the worst economy in recent memory. I paid 150 dollars in fees/rapid refunds, to find out i got denied. And have to wait 2 weeks like everyone else. But this time Im cool because i have 150dollars less, and a nice shiney green card that charges me everytime I use it for normal transcation and daily ATM usage.
Oh by the way to call HR Block and tell them my story after getting hungup on and the rang around...deducted me 4.00. So as of now my tax refund is -4 dollars for the privledge of telling me I am SOL Does HR really expect to pull these pracatices and have repeat customers. Or are they only focuses on short term and knowing they will bank off the fee's and scams they are pulling off their customers.
Abel of Glendale, AZ April 8, 2009
I went to H&R Block and ask for there RAL service, but i told them that i had my filing papers with me because i have all ready did my taxes online but the reason that i went to them was that i needed my refund sooner then 8to 15 days. well at first when i talked to one of the employees on the phone they told me that they will only charge me between 25 to35 dollars because they had to redo them so they can have them on there cumputor. i said that is understandable as long as they could tell if i was not going to waste my money and not get the ral refund. they said it would not be a problem.
So a coupleof days later i go in the office to get the taxes done. well once im there and they get started on them they come up with a figure of around 170 so i explain to them what i had talk to them about my situation. the lady went to talk to the manager and said that the only thing the can do was give me a 50 dollar discount but that would take a day for comfirmation. I really didnt agree with that discision but i needed to get them filed asap so i told themas long as they could tell that i will recieve the RAL i would except. Again they said no problem soi ended up paying about 250 with there service cgerge and the banks.
well a couple of days later i call and they told me that the bank did not approve me for the RAL. i was very disappointed because i ended up paying around 250 for something that could of cost me not a single penny but a push of a button when i did them myself online.Its like they arent there to help there customers they are there only to see how much money they can squeeze out of us. i will never ever again go foer there service or even recommend there services because they are a bussiness with a bunch of lies and money hungry. I am very disappointed with H&R BLOCK SERVICES!
Kelli of Allentown, PA March 31, 2009
We told the preparer that we were in dire straits to get our refund quickly, and he offered the Emerald Card. They added on fees for doing so, then told us that, since we filed before noon, the would be on the card by 6pm. We had called the # on the card last night, and all day today. Balance - 0. Finally got through to 'check on your status'. They said that we were denied the 'loan'. Likely, it was due to our bad credit score. We were not told that this was a loan, just a quick refund for a fee. I even asked the preparer if our credit could have any consequences, and he firmly said no.
So, we called H & R Block, they apologized, but it still will not be on this card for another 8 - 15 business days. PLUS, there's a limit of 300 cash withdrawal per day, with a fee from 1.50 - 3.00 per transaction. All things we were not told. You can't take it to a bank and have the full cash taken out, since the cardholder name is H & R Block Client. They should TELL THEIR CLIENTS that it is a loan, and just like any loan, your credit score is a factor!
We have 5.00 left to our name, have been unemployed for ages, and were counting on this money. Now we not only have to wait, but are being told how to spend our money and limited on how much we can have. We have bills up the wazoo, and were counting on this to help us make a dent. I will NEVER go back to H & R Block. I feel we were hustled into doing this.
Margaret of St Charles, MO March 17, 2009
I filed my taxes w/these people and was denied a RAL. Long story short I chose to have my refund deposited onto their Emerald Card. I filed on 02/26/2009 and the IRS claims it was direct deposited on 03/13/2009 but H & R Block continues to say they don't have it. I keep getting the run around and have called the IRS, H&R Block, and to no avail. Like everyone else we have bills due and I can't seem to get my money.
We can't pay our bills as we were counting on this money to catch us up since I have been out of work due to an illness.
Angelina of New Britain, CT March 17, 2009
i have been going to h&r block for a few years. everything was good until i went to file with them this year. i got a letter in the mail about this loan up to 1000 dollars got excited christmas being around the corner. i took my last pay stub and she did her stuff got a loan for 500 dollard and the banks fee was 40 dollars. ok thats leaves 460 and my estimate refund was going to be about 2000 and that was not my last check.
to my surprises i went a few weeks later did my taxes with this old lady who look like she didnt know what the heck she was doing. she enters all my info then she ask me if i had depents i said no (dont have kids yet), so then she ask me if i went to college i said yes i paid out of pocket for 1 class. i bring in the paper to show he. when everything was done she told me that day i couldnt finish because the irs havent realesed some documents yet.
came back she explained everything to me. she told me my refund was going to be 1200 dolllars. then she told me that my loan was 527 intenrest fees. then she tell me its additional 200 dollars fee for their services. i asked her why she tells me oh those forms i was waiting for are adiitional 100 dollar it was only 2 MORE FORMS ( so she tells me my grand total was 250 out of 1200.
well i thought i was getting a nice chunk of money back since i did a little more than last year well i was really wrong really wrong.
Dede of Tuscumbia, AL March 7, 2009
I did my taxes 2/19/2009 at the local H&R Block. I chose the RALoan just like I have every year for the last fifteen years. I have never had a problem. This year I was not approved,I just chalked it up to the economy and let it go. I received deposit confirmation from the IRS today, so H&R has my refund, but I have no money from H&R Block. They told me I would receive my refund on 3/6/2009.
If I had chosen to receive a check from them it would cost 40.00 more dollars. The Emerald Card is the cheapest way to receive your refund. If I had been patient and bought software, done my taxes myself I would not only be wiser but wealthier(using that term loosely), and happier. If you haven't done your taxes yet, steer clear from H&R Block because they are truly racking up fees.
I will only describe my situation as dire enough to want to pay for an ARL so I could receive my loan quicker. I haven't received child support on a consistent basis. I truly need the money.
Marcia of Franklin, NH March 6, 2009
I filed my taxes on Jan 23,2009 as with many others i asked for the Ral 1-2 day but i informed my preparer that i would be denied as i had been in the last 3 yrs but that i would probaley get it in 8-15 day. i paid 300.00 for this service. i am a single mother of a two yr old i needed my money quickly. i waited 2 weeks and when i called the local office to see where my money was they would just say that they did not have a check for me yet to call back in 24-48 hrs so i waited, i believe i was very patient
then on feb 13, i called again and was told that h&r block had finished with me and that they did not know why my check wasnt there but that they could not help me anymore, so i called hsbc bank i was told that i only had 15 days to file a complaint before my money was returned to irs. they said my identity could not be confirmed and or a fraud alert was on my account, and that i could not get any more information at this time, i said well i would like to do what i can to fix this so i can get my money, they said i couldnt cuz as of that day the money was returned to irs. as irs had requested it back, so i called irs and was told that irs never request the money back becuase before they deposit the money they make sure that you do not owe any money
so my refund was deposited on feb 6,209 and that i should have been issued a check on feb, 7 2009, when i informed them that i hadnt received it they told me to call hsbc back so this has gone back and forth for over a month now and i still have not received my moeny, but as of yesterday march 5th i received a letter form hsbc bank saying that i was denied ral and that my money was returned to irs , and that i could expect a check with in 4-6 weeks from date on letter, letter was dated feb 28th 2009 so i could have sent a paper return for free and still get my money in that amount of time,,= or i could have filed turbo tax my self and already have my money
i beleive that something should be done and i hope that H&R block discontinues the use of RAL as it is definatly a SCAM to prey on people who are in need of receiving their money quickly otherwise why would you take a chance and loose 300 bucks, i am upset and confused as to how a company can continuely take money from innocent people and the Government hasnt stopped them and why are they doing it. this year i have read many complaints on this site and it seems to me that collectively there is enough complaints to shut a business down for such insufficient service.
Because I didnt not receive my money in the 8-15 day time frame my cell phone was shut off as i was unable to pay the bill on time, and my bills are pileing up
Tiffany of Portland, OR March 6, 2009
I went into H&R BLOCK as I normally do every tax season. I went ahead and did my taxes as usual using the RAL for the 8-15 day loan ( they dont tell you its 8-15 business days) and paid 178.00 plus a 29.95 bank fee for federal and a 15.00 for state. I recieved my state in a little over a week and they took their fees right off the top. I have been waiting for almost 4 weeks to receive my federal and was finally told today i will be receiving it my march 14th, that will be over 6 weeks and they couldnt even tell me if it will be on my card or if it will come in the mail.
I have been calling everyone i can at the H&R BLOCK company but yet i get the run around and have been told they WILL NOT REFUND my money that was paid to them already! I do not understand this if they are the ones who made the mistake, and if I had infact been told about doing my taxes for free on my own I would have done it! I do not have a hard tax return and it does not take a genius to do them! I WILL NEVER USE THE LYING THIEVING H&R BLOCK AGAIN IN MY LIFE! I WILL ALSO BE SITTING ON THE DOOR OF THE OFFICE LETTING PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT THE LIES THIS COMPANY TELLS!!!!
I am a single mother of 2 going through a very hard time in my life right now. I am going through a divorce and I just moved here to Oregon to go to school. I was depending on this money to have my rent and my bills paid. My children and i will now be sitting cold in a dark apt with an eviction notice on our door. Wow! How can these people sllep at night knowing they ruin so many hard working people who have bills to pay and depend on this money at the time they say it will be here? If anyone from Oregon would like to be involved in a lawsuit please contact me.
Regina of Cincinnati, OH March 3, 2009
Filed our taxes on 1-29-09. Still have not recevied our money on our emerald card. The IRS direct deposited it on 2-27-09 which was last friday. The bank H AND R BLOCK uses is HSBC and they claim they cant find the direct deposit. The emerald card is a scam they already took our whole State check for fees so we wont see any of that money. There emerald card is a joke and someone needs to find out where our money is.
We were depending on a huge refund and were expecting 6,905. we owe bills and need to live. this was supposed to be quicker to get our refund and they keep claiming it only takes 8-15 days and we have been waiting for near 35 days. its put a burden on us.
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