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  • Brady Smith, the office development leader for the H&R Block office in Mankato, says the tax game is always evolving and it’s his job to make sure all his preparers stay on top of the new rules and regulations. John Cross

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  • Elver Niebuhr of H&R Block, still has a tax return form from 1913 that he was given when he joined the business more than two decades ago. John Cross

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March 21, 2010

From paper and pen to e-filing, it’s a tax game evolution

Demographics show need for Hispanic/Latino preparers

By Jim Rueda Free Press Staff Writer

MANKATO — Twenty-two years ago, Elver Niebuhr walked off his family farm in the Mankato area and applied for a job at the local H&R Block office.

He was hired, eventually rose to district manager, and remains there still in the franchise, now at 111 Star St.

Niebuhr got started figuring out taxes for himself and a few friends. When he realized he had a knack for it and enjoyed doing them, he opted for the career change.

The tax game was a lot different back in 1988. H&R Block had no office computers, and electronic filing was merely a figment of some techie’s imagination.

“We did just about everything with a form, a pen and a 10-key calculator,” Niebuhr said. “And back then, all your tabulations were supposed to come out to zero or that meant you did something wrong and had to start over.”

In the late 1980s there was no such thing as instant filing or an instant return. When Niebuhr and his client got done with all the calculations, the client would go home and the return would be sent to the back office where it was reviewed and either approved or sent back for reworking.

“The clients would usually come back in about three days, sign their federal and state returns, and then go home and mail it themselves. But before they did that we had to make copies on an old mimeograph machine. We went through a lot of blue paper in those days.”

Today, virtually all returns are prepared via computer. Technology has sped up the process, but Niebuhr says that’s not always what the clients want.

“Some people come and they basically want to know how fast you can get them out of there,” he said. “But there are others who want you to take your time. They think that if you’re going too fast, you might be missing something that could benefit them.”

Nowadays it seems there is a CPA on every corner with a shingle out advertising that he or she will do tax returns. Brady Smith, H&R Block’s office development leader, does not see that as a threat to his established firm.

“That’s just competition and we believe competition makes us better,” he said. “If you’re not being pushed, you’re not going to grow, so this keeps us growing.”

Smith says one of the things on his to-do list for next tax season is to hire a bilingual tax preparer.

“We already have a CSP (client service professional) who can translate in Spanish if we need them to,” Smith said. “But we’d like to get some preparers who can do it themselves. Our demographics show there’s a large Hispanic/Latino population in this area; it just makes sense for us.”

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