H&R Block Review 2022: Features & Alternatives

H&R Block has been around for decades, operating as a tax service company since its foundation in 1955 in Kansas City. They have online tax preparation software for individuals, small businesses, and every other type of business entity. There are also thousands of H&R Block offices around the US where you can go for assistance with your taxes in person, even if you purchased the online package. 

As a well-established business, the H&R Block office employs thousands of tax professionals to assist customers in tax prep for both federal and state taxes every year. They have service packages that include unlimited access to tax advice from a professional who will help with your individual tax situation, a valuable resource for any filers who aren’t already familiar with how to fill out tax forms. 

What started as a small business in Kansas City has grown into a well-known company offering tax return preparation solutions for individuals and businesses of all sizes. They offer tax preparation software for anyone filing US taxes, with teams of tax pros on-site to help you, your small business, or your company file every year.  

What Do You Need To Know About H&R Block? 

There are many tax software companies competing for customers every year. The standout for H&R Block is their comprehensive free tax filing package that includes federal and state filing. Their package offers a little more than most other free filing packages, helping you get a little more done without having to stress over payments. Their paid tax services are also competitive, though a little is more expensive than some competitors.  

H&R Block Advantages

H&R Block provides a more polished, semi-premium experience for customers. While there are cheaper options, customers of H&R Block get superior access to tax expertise through a well-refined tax software that just works. 

Outstanding User Experience 

No matter how little you know about taxes, you can get through both the federal and state filing easily enough. The whole tax prep experience is seamless and well-directed, allowing everyone to get through the tax process with minimal stress. Flexible direction is given for small business taxes, individuals, and other business entities. 

Clear Navigation

The way the service is set up allows you to easily navigate between different sections by clicking on a tab. Everything is clearly labeled with concise instructions on how to get from start to finish. Buttons, questions, tabs, and help sections are well arranged to guide you through your tax return smoothly. 

Always-on With Context-sensitive Help

Get assistance with whatever form you’re currently filling out. Help is context-specific, giving you suggestions based on what you’re filling out. If the answer isn’t relevant, you can use the built-in search function to find something more helpful. 

Provide Thorough Explanations of Tax 

H&R Block has great resources for teaching you how to do your taxes while you’re working through it. For each type of tax form, there are written guides to direct you on how to fill it for yourself. You can also access in-depth video guides to teach you about filing your individual or business taxes. 

If you’re a small business owner who wants to become more familiar with filing your own tax return, this is a good resource to tap into. 

Outstanding Mobile App

You can do your taxes from any mobile device with the H&R Block app. It’s a very intuitive app that allows you to do everything you need to, including picking up where you left off in filling your data for your returns.  

The mobile app is only available for the web version of the software, not the downloaded version. 

Optional Expert Support Fee

H&R Block’s Online Assist add-on gives you direct, unlimited access to tax experts on demand. These tax professionals can answer your questions and help you understand how to prepare your taxes in the best way for you. 

This is an optional add-on that’s not mandatory. If you want to work with the H&R Block advisors, this is how you can get access to them. Regular customer service is always available to help you with account issues or other simple problems you may encounter. 

Advanced User Interface

H&R Block’s interface makes it easy for you to interact with each form. They present you with an interview-style questionnaire that takes you through all the prompts on your tax forms. This way, you can fill out all the paperwork without having to be anywhere close to a tax expert. The website, app, and downloadable versions are all quick and easy for customers purchasing any tax software package. 

Packages for H&R Block

H&R Block tax pro is a great choice for free filing, but their other packages are also competitively priced to give you value for money. Whether you’re filing as an individual, a company, or another business entity, you can find a plan with a price you can manage. 

Here’s the breakdown of the packages H&R Block offers and who might find value in each one. 

H&R Block Formation Packages

H&R Block Quick Overview

4.3 stars

Best Overall Value

• Great free tax filing package
• Easily import tax information from other sources
• Unlimited access to professional tax support

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Turbo Tax Customer Reviews

Customer reviews about H&R Block are mixed. Because they’re a large company, people review all aspects of the business online.

Here are some of the positive and negative reviews about the tax software itself:

My family and I would recommend H and R Block any day. Professional and got our Disability back pay which we were fighting with government for years. Deal with more than taxes and very helpful.

Tom Lahey

The wizard is easy to use. I like it better than TaxAct and TaxHawk. However, I decided to pay a premium for tax SW this year due to some life changes, so I was disappointed to encounter some avoidable issues using the SW.

Thomas Leverette

H&R Block took the guess work out of doing my own taxes. It was self-explanatory and had adequate help features for me.

Suzanne S

Very professional, superb customer service, patient and transparent. I knew immediately I was in good hands.

Vincent O

H&R Block Service Review

With all the tax software options today, how does H&R Block compare? Here’s a rundown of the main aspects of what they offer their customers. 

Is This Tax Service Right For You?

H&R Block is a great option for anyone who wants a more in-depth free option, or those who need support from a certified tax professional to fill out tax returns. If you have a more complex tax situation to account for, this may not be the cheapest option available to you. 

Cost Value 

The free version of H&R Block offers support for more federal tax forms than most competing brands. They also offer free filing for basic state tax returns, which is not common. Once you get into the paid tax filing packages, they are a bit more expensive than some competing brands, although they are all close in price. 

If you want to add expert support, the cost goes up by a lot, but it’s still more affordable in most cases than working directly with a CPA to prepare your taxes for you. 

Customer Service

When you reach out to customer service for tax help, you get support from someone with training in US tax filing. Most questions can be answered quickly, although it’s sometimes difficult to reach support over the phone if you want an immediate response. Chat support and online self-support are other options that might help you get an answer more quickly. 

H&R Block’s Online Assist plan gives you a higher level of support, but it comes at a cost. You can add it onto any free or paid tax package or purchase the package by itself. 

Ease of Use

Most customers who use H&R Block find the interface intuitive, although some prefer how other popular software is organized instead. Tax forms are set up with interview-style questions to guide you through the process and help you fill in each form without having to read and understand the complex IRS forms. 

Tax forms and certain income/expense documents or deposit accounts can be uploaded directly into your tax filings, by importing from outside sources or taking a picture via your mobile app. 

Included Features

Certain features from H&R Block are very helpful, including importing your tax documents indirectly, a knowledge base for in-depth explanations of tax topics, tax calculators, and solid brand guarantees. 

If you’re finding it difficult to complete your taxes for any reason, you can upgrade to another package and work with a tax preparer for a more hands-off experience with their enrolled agents. 

Overall

While their free tier is excellent, paid packages are a little more expensive than some competitors without offering anything significantly more valuable, especially if you purchase the Online Assist package. 

2 Top H&R Block Service Alternatives

Taxslayer

Created originally in 1965 as Rhodes-Murphy & Co., TaxSlayer is one of the cheapest options on the market. They offer a no-frills, simple service that’s good for anyone looking to save some money on filing taxes. If you need more complex filing options, you may need the higher tiers of service rather than the free package. 

TaxAct

TaxAct is a mid-range tax service provider that offers comprehensive plans for tax filers in all income brackets. It has been in business since 1998, offering tax prep and other services, including expert support for individuals and businesses to file taxes. 

Conclusion

H&R Block has a lot of great features that make it a helpful service for anyone looking for their fair shot to file taxes online, but it’s not the best option for everyone. The free package is robust, and unlimited expert customer support is available for an extra cost. However, simple filers can likely find a more affordable option with similar features. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)