Free Republic

A group of congressional Democrats reported Wednesday that three large tax preparation firms — H&R Block, TaxAct and Tax Slayer — sent “extraordinarily sensitive” information on tens of millions of taxpayers to Facebook parent company Meta over the course of at least two years. Their report urges federal agencies to investigate and potentially go to court over the wealth of information that the three company shared with the social media giant. In a letter to the heads of the IRS, the Justice Department, the Federal Trade Commission and the IRS watchdog, seven lawmakers say their findings “reveal a shocking breach...

“Now that the Affordable Care Act has made health care a tax issue, no one can understand it,” H&R Block flatly tells taxpayers in a video that resides on its dedicated Obamacare web site. A former IRS Commissioner agrees, and cautions that the new tax requirements will be a “shock to the system,” especially afflicting low-income earners who have never itemized on their tax return.The tax preparation giant — with 24 million tax clients worldwide — reports that the Obamacare tax rules now constitute “the biggest tax code change in the last 20 years.”The company is so concerned, it has...

The US Justice Department is intervening in a private lawsuit against H&R Block for violating the Americans with Disabilities Act. H&R Block is a large provider of American tax services and informational services for tax payers.

THE BRIEFING ROOM • THE BLOG THE BLOG TUESDAY, AUGUST 4TH, 2009 AT 6:55 AM Facts Are Stubborn Things Posted by Macon Phillips Opponents of health insurance reform may find the truth a little inconvenient, but as our second president famously said, "facts are stubborn things." Scary chain emails and videos are starting to percolate on the internet, breathlessly claiming, for example, to "uncover" the truth about the President’s health insurance reform positions. In this video, Linda Douglass, the communications director for the White House’s Health Reform Office, addresses one example that makes it look like the President intends to...

Just as the Obama administration continues to reel from three major scandals, Republicans are zeroing in on yet one more — this one involving Obamacare as it nears implementation. GOP legislators are targeting Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and the solicitations she made to some of the nation’s top insurance companies and other groups for donations to Enroll America, the nonprofit group charged with selling Obamacare to the public. “Our guys on the Hill think this is the fourth scandal,” Republican strategist Matt Mackowiak told Reuters this week. “It fits into that narrative Republicans are building not only about incompetence...

(Reuters) - With the White House already reeling from three major controversies, some Republican lawmakers are zeroing in on what they perceive is another possible scandal tied to President Barack Obama's landmark health reform law just as it nears implementation. On top of the troubles the administration is facing over its handling of the attack on the Benghazi mission, the Internal Revenue Service's targeting of conservative groups, and the Justice Department's seizure of Associated Press phone records, Republicans hope to target Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. They are questioning her soliciting of funds on behalf of a non-profit...

So the Lord High Executioner of Wall Street, Eliot Spitzer, now wants to make it "fraud" to help a poor person save for retirement. That's the message of the complaint filed this week in New York State court in Manhattan in The People of the State of New York against H&R Block. Those who have been following Mr. Spitzer for years now thought they'd pretty much seen it all, but for an example of leftist ideology run amok, this lawsuit sets a new standard of cynicism, denying those of modest means a first step into the system of capitalism and...

Offered the chance to get her income-tax refund in just two days, Mary Carter went for it. The Englewood woman knew she was being charged $160 by H&R Block in tax-preparation fees. But Carter, who wanted to use her $760.05 refund to pay off credit-card bills, didn't realize until later that getting her tax refund right away had cost her about $100 more in fees -- money that was deducted from the refund. Taxpayers here and across the nation appear to be embracing offers from tax preparers like H&R Block and Jackson Hewitt of "tax refunds fast." But critics say...

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A U.S. consumer group said on Tuesday it has launched a series of protests against H&R Block Inc., the nation's largest tax preparer, saying its tax refund loans are too expensive and hurt low-income families. The Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN) said interest rates and fees on refund anticipation loans are too high, typically costing $150 or more to provide money only marginally faster. Low-income families, often cash-strapped, end up using a hefty part of their refunds from earned income tax credits, in some cases as much as half, to cover the cost...

© 2003 WorldNetDaily.com Identity theft – the fastest-growing crime in the United States – is already being used by international terrorists as a vehicle for raising money and laundering it, but law-enforcement officials fear the situation could worsen to crisis proportions as the crime becomes increasingly widespread. The issue hit home in the case of the hunt for five men suspected of illegally slipping into the U.S. from Canada last week. The FBI released photographs of the quintet, but now officials believe none of the photographs actually represent the men being sought. U.S. law-enforcement authorities searching now believe they are part of...

Dear Fellow Freepers, It seems as though H&R Block has capitulated to the high-pressure scare tactics of HCI in the form of the "Alliance for Justice" making the statement that they will make sure that they will tell anyone and everyone about who is aligned with the NRA, the "out-of-touch" and unreasonable organization. H&R Block removed their advertising connection to the NRA due to this pressure. I wrote them a little note. It goes like this: Well Sir, you've really screwed the pooch this time. I don't suppose it occurred to you while you were making up your politically correct...

The Second Amendment economic battles are escalating. The Anti-Self Defense Crowd is claming victory on another front. Apparently, we haven't even shown up to fight yet. Looks like we'd better keep the boxing gloves on, Real Americans. Next Target: H&R Block. The issue here is another controversy over an affiliate marketing program. But in this case, it was a marketing agreement between H&R Block and the NRA via the NRA magazine, First Freedom. Now, I know what some of you are saying: "Go to bat for the NRA??" When you read the complete press release below, you as that Real...

Petition Online was down for about an hour, but it's back up now. If you tried to sign the petition, try again. It is here: **LINK**. See KABA article for other actions to take -- fax number provided.

Several anti-gun groups claimed victory over National Rifle Association on Tuesday, after Hamp;R Block, the tax preparation company, severed a marketing agreement with NRA. However, Hamp;R Block wouldn't confirm or deny any change in policy, and NRA accused the anti-gun groups of misleading people. Hamp;R Block, as part of a marketing campaign promoted in NRA membership magazines, said it would make a contribution to the NRA for every member who becomes a new Hamp;R Block customer. quot;The termination of this agreement is a tremendous victory for everyone who was outraged that a reputable business like Hamp;R Block would support an...

Gun Violence PreventionGroups Claim Victory Hamp;R Block Severs Ties with National Rifle Association Washington, D.C.-In a stunning defeat for the gun lobby, Hamp;R Block, the nation's largest tax preparation firm, today severed a controversial marketing agreement it had entered into with the National Rifle Association (NRA). Hamp;R Block's withdrawal from the program came as a result of widespread protests spearheaded by the Alliance for Justice's Gun Industry Watch, and supported by the Million Mom March united with the Brady Campaign and the Mid-Atlantic Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence. quot;Let this send a loud message to other corporate partners of the...