As tax season rolls around again, I'm reminded of my experience having my taxes prepared at Liberty Tax Service last year. Our taxes were a bit complicated, from having moved across the country and thus having each more than one job's W-2, etc. However, it was not that complicated, and I feel that having to pay $400 for tax prep is insane. Insane! At that point, however, what could we do? Full disclosure: I normally pay about $120-$150 for tax preparation, and I normally go to H&R Block. However, being new to the area, I decided to try something different. I regret it. Mike, the man who did our prep, was wonderful and sweet and efficient. However, he had to have his manager review everything with us before finalizing, and she was a really downer, from delivering the bad news about the high price to the was she failed to follow-through on her follow-up calls. Mike, on the other hand, called to say everything was still being processed, etc. and he at least kept in touch and kept us informed. When I stopped by to pick up the copy of my completed taxes, the young woman who was all alone that day could not even find our file, and she had to call the aforementioned manager to locate it. I feel like poor management is the problem here, as everyone else we worked with was friendly and did their jobs well. I also like that they have a nice assortment of toys and books to keep kids busy during the tax interview. I dislike that there isn't much separation between the waiting area (a few chairs against the window) and the desks where interviews are conducted. Lack of privacy isn't wonderful during discussions about personal finances. However, I realize that most tax preparation offices try to maximize their space and are laid out that was for a reason. I won't come back here. it's just too expensive for lackluster management. read more
