H&R Block 685 Lighthouse Avenue, Monterey, CA 93940

"Fees: We were not informed of the cost or process at the start of the meeting. I was told it would depend on the information, which is fair to a degree. I expect to be told that there are fees associated with forms and that I was expected to pay the full filing fee that day instead of through the return process which is available elsewhere. Unpreparedness: Despite booking online, upon arrival, they did not have us assigned to a tax preparer and had to scramble to assign us someone. After we sat down with a preparer, he could pull up some forms but not others. I could see his screen and could clearly tell that he was unfamiliar with the software he was using and got stuck in click loops without actually performing a search. He forgot our names, called us each others names, and constantly talked over me to interrupt when he didn't understand what I was asking. Incompetence: The receptionist was being trained during our appt. She didn't understand anything about software or computers in general. It took her over 2.5 hours to create a password for their booking system, which she had to be coached through. The next day, she asked me to swipe my card repeatedly prior to being prompt on the EFTPOS and couldn't get the machine to prompt my payment. She was rude and completely unqualified. Overall, this branch (Monterey, CA) is outdated, underqualified, and better suited for a process that does not include computers or software. I know many people over 50 that have no problem whatsoever with new software, computers, and tech as a whole. These were not those people. This review is extensive and still does not convey the disappointment and lack of confidence I have in this branch. Btw, I ended up owing the federal government over $800 and paying a $285 filling fee on top."

"We contacted H and R block to file an extension of our taxes. We were told to approve the extension and were impressed with how quickly it was accomplished. Unfortunately, it all unraveled from there. Every time we logged in to approve the extension it told us our taxes weren’t available. We called this location and they told us “anything done on the web needs to be dealt with by the web service.” Called them and they gave us two phone numbers because they “weren’t sure which number would be able to help us.” Neither could as they referred us back to the location. We were going on vacation and wanted this resolved prior to leaving, which did not happen. This is just a simple extension. We messaged Jack a number of times and he finally did call us while on vacation. He stated there was “nothing more he could do on his end” he didn’t “know what the problem is because he had only done one of these” and “the best thing to do was for us to just file it ourselves.” This was AFTER we had paid the $99. The front office person had to call me back twice as I tried to sort this out. She then said the reason it wasn’t working was because we hadn’t paid the “total fees” but when I asked her that total she said she “couldn’t tell me because she wasn’t a tax professional.” I got a call yesterday from what I guess is a manager trying to figure out what happened but if this is the way things go, wow. I’ve had smoother experiences dealing with the IRS directly. I would not recommend them based on our awful experience. We are told the $99 will be refunded so we shall see."

"Mariam at the monterey office on lighthouse ave. She Is the best i will always come back if she is their. And the receptionist was very welcoming too. Great staff"

"The staff is incredibly friendly and helpful. Everyone was willing to answer any question I had and was also able to solve particular issues that were unique to my tax situation. I definitely see myself coming to this establishment again next year!"

"After filing online, we received notice that it was offset due to my wife’s debt and I needed to file a form absolving myself and insuring I get my share of the refund. The first H&R Block did not know what the injured spouse form was and to their credit and humility, they recommended Jeremy. He knew what was up right away and everything was taken care of within 30 min. We could not be more pleased with his professionalism. He made sure we were not overcharged as well."