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Tax shop cycle?

March 11, 2020 02:28AM
Anyone still see tax shops on their boards? In your history, when is the best time to bite on them?

MF seemed to have the highest fees this year ($200), I got greedy and thought I'd wait til March. Bam! The 5 I was watching fell off the map on 3/1.

So I'd figured I'd wait for the other MSCs posting at $40 & $60 to get desperate. Now they just disappeared this evening.

Do MSCs just give up at this point? I know how to do my own, just was nice the past few years to get paid to have someone else do them!
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March 11, 2020 01:17PM
The patterns don't seem to repeat year to year. Two years ago, the shops were bonused by February. I picked up a $75 shop for the refund transfer shop and found my Tax Dude in the process. Last year, his location wasn't shopped.

This year, I got a shop for $30. It was an independent preparer and the location was closed. I picked up another one with same MSC, but they charged to meet in person.

I ended up going with a franchise for $60 and $600 toward my $710 fees. I was good with that.

"I told myself to quit you; but I don't listen to drunks." -Chris Stapleton


Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/11/2020 07:01PM by HonnyBrown.
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March 11, 2020 01:58PM
I noticed most shops were really just for the bank that sits behind the loan products. Last year, I was able to knock my $800 in fees down to $400 just by attempting to walk away. I was not about to lose money for something I could do on my own. At least for me, the fee's the brand were charging to fill out forms was way over any value that it brought me in the return.

Guess I probably just got too greedy this year. Now to go piece together the different free sites to do all my taxes (Federal/State/Local!)
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March 11, 2020 03:36PM
Certified had some. Have you checked that side of MF?
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March 11, 2020 07:04PM
Certified was how I found the $30 tax shops. After the one preparer only wanted to do everything remotely, I opt for established chains.

"I told myself to quit you; but I don't listen to drunks." -Chris Stapleton
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March 11, 2020 07:18PM
I did my first one this year- I usually do it myself. I got $60 to check the bank product- the preparer tried to talk me out of it to save money!
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