Joseph
Sarasota,#2Consumer Suggestion
Wed, May 19, 2004
I am in the tax business and what you are describing is unacceptable. Jackson Hewitt cannot control when the IRS releases your refund, that much is correct. Understand that you have as of yet not paid them a dime. However, in taking you on as a client they do have a greater responsibility that just filing your return electronically. I believe they should also offer to help you navigate the beaurocracy of the IRS to determine what the hold-up is in processing your refund and to help you comply with any additional IRS requirements. The IRS does occassionally delay refunds until they can verify the claimed withholdings. This is unfortunate and gives people a disincentive to electronic filing because no physical W-2 is sent to the IRS in the case of electronic filing. Your tax preparer should offer to send copies of your W-2 along with a letter of explanation to the IRS for you. It is in their best interest to get your refund shaken loose from the IRS because that is when they are paid for the service they provided to you.
Joseph
Sarasota,#3Consumer Suggestion
Wed, May 19, 2004
I am in the tax business and what you are describing is unacceptable. Jackson Hewitt cannot control when the IRS releases your refund, that much is correct. Understand that you have as of yet not paid them a dime. However, in taking you on as a client they do have a greater responsibility that just filing your return electronically. I believe they should also offer to help you navigate the beaurocracy of the IRS to determine what the hold-up is in processing your refund and to help you comply with any additional IRS requirements. The IRS does occassionally delay refunds until they can verify the claimed withholdings. This is unfortunate and gives people a disincentive to electronic filing because no physical W-2 is sent to the IRS in the case of electronic filing. Your tax preparer should offer to send copies of your W-2 along with a letter of explanation to the IRS for you. It is in their best interest to get your refund shaken loose from the IRS because that is when they are paid for the service they provided to you.
Joseph
Sarasota,#4Consumer Suggestion
Wed, May 19, 2004
I am in the tax business and what you are describing is unacceptable. Jackson Hewitt cannot control when the IRS releases your refund, that much is correct. Understand that you have as of yet not paid them a dime. However, in taking you on as a client they do have a greater responsibility that just filing your return electronically. I believe they should also offer to help you navigate the beaurocracy of the IRS to determine what the hold-up is in processing your refund and to help you comply with any additional IRS requirements. The IRS does occassionally delay refunds until they can verify the claimed withholdings. This is unfortunate and gives people a disincentive to electronic filing because no physical W-2 is sent to the IRS in the case of electronic filing. Your tax preparer should offer to send copies of your W-2 along with a letter of explanation to the IRS for you. It is in their best interest to get your refund shaken loose from the IRS because that is when they are paid for the service they provided to you.
Rene
Memphis,#5UPDATE EX-employee responds
Tue, May 04, 2004
As a former member of management with Jackson Hewitt, I have dealt with this same problem many times. This is truly an IRS issue. If your tax return was filed by Jackson Hewitt and received an Acceptance from the IRS, Jackson Hewitt has provided the service for which you paid. What you requested was an ACR (Accelerated Check Refund), which means that you put out no money up front, your fees were withheld from your refund and you would receive a check, printed at your JH office, WHEN the IRS released your refund. It is NOT a loan - this is a common misconception among consumers. A LOAN costs more & is generally received within 1-2 business days after your return is accepted by the IRS. At that point, your refund has NOT been deposited by the IRS & the BANK is making a loan to you. If you are having problems with the IRS not having all of the information needed to release your refund, you need to contact the Taxpayer Advocacy office of the IRS, which you can find in your telephone directory or by contacting a local JH office.
Todd
Syracuse,#6Author of original report
Wed, April 28, 2004
Shortly after filing my report, I received a letter from the IRS stating that they needed W-2 forms to substantiate my claim of Federal Income Tax withheld. I called Jackson Hewitt and they stated that the forms were sent to the IRS and that the IRS may not have received information from my employer regarding withholding. I then contacted the IRS and they politely, and helpfully stated that W-2 forms go to the Social Secirty Administration first and then are released in August or Septemberwhich makes sense when you think of audits for the current tax year, and how they occur in the fall and winter. I further contacted The SSA and they verified what I was told by the IRS. Jackson Hewitt has now still plead no contendre' to my claims and are blaming everyone else but themselves for this situation. There is now a 6-8 week delay in receiving my refund and I am now on the verge of losing my house, having utilities turned off, and starving as I was led to believe that all necessary paperwiork would be filed correctly. In 11 years of using H& R Block, I have never had a problem with paperwork being filed correctly and would like to know of anyone else that may have gone through similar problems with Jackson Hewitt. Maybe a class action lawsuit would shake the system up if enough people step forward.