H&R Block Review – Online Tax Filing Software for DIYers

Tax season doesn’t have to mean stress, confusion, or expensive accountant bills. If you’re willing to file your own taxes but want expert-level support without the premium price tag, H&R Block’s online filing platform delivers professional guidance at accessible prices.

The platform has evolved beyond basic form-filling. Partnering with Microsoft, H&R Block now offers AI Tax Assist powered by Azure OpenAI that answers questions in plain English, 24/7. The system draws from H&R Block’s The Tax Institute – a team of CPAs, tax attorneys, and enrolled agents with 70 years of tax expertise. Combined with unlimited access to live tax professionals on paid plans, you get dual-layer support throughout your filing experience.

The platform handles everything from basic W-2 filers to self-employed individuals with Schedule C income, rental property owners, stock investors, and cryptocurrency traders. With transparent upfront pricing that starts at free and scales logically based on complexity, H&R Block makes professional-grade tax preparation accessible without hidden fees.

Key Features

H&R Block provides four filing options designed to match increasing tax complexity, with paid tiers including AI assistance and expert access at no additional charge.

Plans and Pricing

• Free ($0 + $0 per state). Handles Form 1040 without complex deductions or investments. Includes more than 40 forms and covers unemployment income, earned income credits, and education credits, including student loan interest (1098-E) and tuition payment (1098-T). Approximately 52% of filers qualify for simple tax situations – Form 1040 with no schedules except Earned Income Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit, Student Loan Interest, and Retirement Plan Distributions.
• Deluxe ($35 + $37 per state). Suitable for itemized deductions and slightly more complex situations like homeowners and those with child and dependent care expenses. Includes AI Tax Assist and unlimited Tax Pro Support with tax experts.
• Premium ($70 + $37 per state). Designed for complex situations including cryptocurrency, stock sales, and rental property income. Provides guidance for schedules D and E. Includes AI Tax Assist and unlimited Tax Pro Support with tax experts.
• Self-Employed ($85 + $37 per state). Tailored for self-employed individuals, gig workers, freelancers, and independent contractors. Supports tracking business expenses and calculating self-employment taxes. Includes AI Tax Assist and unlimited Tax Pro Support with tax experts.

All plans include audit support, 100% accuracy guarantee, maximum refund guarantee, no surprise guarantee.

AI Tax Assist and Expert Access

The platform’s standout feature combines artificial intelligence with human expertise. AI Tax Assist, powered by Microsoft Azure OpenAI, provides conversational answers to tax questions in real-time. H&R Block CPAs, tax attorneys, and enrolled agents in The Tax Institute translate complex tax rules and program the technology to generate contextual answers about:

• Tax forms, deductions, and credits to maximize refunds and minimize tax liability
• Complex tax terms and guidance on specific tax rules
• Recently changed laws and tax policies with multiple scenarios
• Audit support and questions about IRS letters
• Product support for using H&R Block DIY products

The AI Tax Assist panel is available in the Help Center and stays open on the right side of the screen, allowing questions anytime without leaving the program. The interface allows unlimited questions with follow-up capability and conversation history.

Paid plans include unlimited expert help at no charge via chat or video screen-sharing. Tax experts are available 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. CST Monday through Friday and seven days a week during tax season. However, these professionals provide guidance but don’t review, sign, or file your return – that requires the separate Tax Pro Review add-on.

Streamlined Experience and Data Import

H&R Block streamlined the filing process from start to finish, reducing steps and simplifying data imports. Simple onboarding helps you get a price on tax prep before entering any data by asking about life events from last year. The platform provides upfront transparent pricing with no hidden fees.

Direct Import makes switching to paid plans from TurboTax seamless. When prompted, enter your TurboTax login credentials and H&R Block uses authenticated data retrieval to import up to 150 data fields from the prior year’s return, minimizing manual entry and reducing errors. The switching process typically takes less than two minutes.

Other import options include Scan & Go (take a picture of your W-2 with your phone) and Drag & Drop for importing W-2s, 1099 forms, and other financial information.

Support for Self-Employed and Students

The Self-Employed tier supports tracking business expenses, calculating self-employment taxes, and handling aspects relevant to self-employment income. Self-employed workers can claim deductions including mileage or car expenses, qualified business income (20% deduction for certain entity types), and health insurance (up to 100% deduction for qualified premiums).

For students, the free tier supports essential forms for education deductions at no additional charge, including student loan interest (1098-E) and tuition payment (1098-T). Students can claim the American Opportunity Credit (up to $2,500 with up to $1,000 refundable) and Lifetime Learning Credit (up to $2,000).

Tax Pro Review

Tax Pro Review is available as an add-on for those wanting a professional to double-check their completed DIY return and extra assurance when filing. Add Tax Pro Review at any point in DIY. After completing your return online, you’ll upload your tax documents, and submit them to a tax pro. Your tax pro will typically contact you within 24 hours to kickoff your review, look over your tax documents and entries for errors, and potentially reduce what you owe or increase your refund. Once you approve any changes, your tax pro signs and files your return for extra assurance. Cost varies based on tax filing complexity.

Guarantees and Support

H&R Block offers four guarantees:

• 100% Accuracy. If there’s an error due to H&R Block, the company reimburses you for any resulting penalties and interest up to $10,000.
• Maximum Refund. If you discover an H&R Block error entitling you to a larger refund or smaller tax liability, H&R Block refunds the tax prep fee and files an amended return at no additional charge.
• No Surprise. H&R Block tells you the price upfront and keeps you updated if anything changes.
• Audit support. This comes standard on all plans, both free and paid, providing guidance on IRS correspondence and help responding to letters.

Advantages

1. Dual AI and Human Expert Support at No Extra Cost. H&R Block provides both AI Tax Assist and unlimited live expert help included with paid plans at no additional charge. AI Tax Assist is powered by Microsoft Azure OpenAI and combines 70 years of H&R Block tax expertise from The Tax Institute with conversational AI technology.
2. Transparent Upfront Pricing. You know your costs upfront through the Dynamic Product Selector and transparent pricing display with no hidden fees or surprises.
3. Seamless TurboTax Switching. Direct Import makes switching to paid plans easy by importing up to 150 data fields from your prior year’s TurboTax return using your login credentials. The switching process takes less than two minutes.
4. Strong Guarantee Package. H&R Block offers four guarantees: 100% Accuracy, Maximum Refund, No Surprise, and Audit Support.

Disadvantages

1. Expert Help Limitations. While paid plans include unlimited access to tax experts, they provide guidance but don’t review, sign, or file your return. If you want verification before filing, that requires the paid Tax Pro Review add-on at extra cost.
2. State Filing Costs. State filing adds $37 per state across Deluxe, Premium, and Self-Employed tiers. A filer using Premium with one state pays $107 total ($70 federal + $37 state).
3. Free Plan Limitations. The free tier is limited to simple Form 1040 returns with no schedules except Earned Income Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit, Student Loan Interest, Schedule 1A, and Retirement Plan Distributions. Filers with itemized deductions, HSA contributions, freelance income, rental property, or investment income beyond basic interest need to upgrade.

Final Word

H&R Block represents a solid option for filers who want professional-level support without scheduling office appointments or paying for full-service preparation. The AI Tax Assist feature provides immediate answers backed by decades of tax expertise, while unlimited access to live tax experts on paid plans ensures expert guidance throughout the filing process.

The free option works for simple returns, and approximately 52% of filers qualify. For those needing paid plans, the Deluxe tier handles common scenarios including itemized deductions and child care expenses. Self-employed filers benefit from the Self-Employed tier with guidance on Schedule C expenses and self-employment taxes.

H&R Block makes sense for filers who want professional-level support and accuracy guarantees with transparent upfront pricing. The platform delivers expert guidance through both AI technology and human tax experts, keeping costs reasonable while providing comprehensive support throughout the filing process.

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• TurboTax Review: Online Tax Software

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