Is this fare to get charged so much?

That is normal. My taxes cost $300 to prepare, and it was pretty easy to prepare. (no business expenses or anything complicated) I'm just lazy to do it.

You get money back if you have too much withholding, or if you only make a tiny bit of money you get money back as "Earned Income Credit". The EIC is a way to take money from everyone else and give it to the poor. It's funny that they call it "Earned" lol... but that's how politicians name things.

Actually, $160 to file a return with income from a forgien rental property sounds like a great price. I would have expected that to cost $200 to $300 or more at most places.

Its perfectly fair. Not only is the price competative with what you would have paid at any other reputable tax preparer, you also had the choice that you could have walked away before completing the return.

What you got last year is irrelevant. If your situation changed even slightly from 2010 to 2011, you should expect your tax return to be different. Each year stands on its own.

Also, you should never expect a tax prep fee to be based on your income or the size of your refund. Tax prep fees at reputable preparers are ALWAYS based on the forms required to properly file your return. Its the same amount of work and the same amount of liability on their part to file a return regardless of the numbers that are on the form. In fact the IRS website even warns taxpayers to avoid preparers who base their fees on the income or the size of the refund because preparers who do that are almost always scam artists.

Bottom line: that was actually a pretty fair deal.

it is an open market, no one lead you to H/R by the nose, you could have walked past to another preparer or done the work yourself, it is your choice to pay the fee, whether you consider it fair or not, they are in business to provide services and make a buck