Highly Trained Professionals at Your Service

While H&R Block provides a truly robust tax software, the real star of the show lies behind the scenes. The company employs over 80,000 highly trained tax professionals to assist you either through any of their support channels, or by visiting any of their numerous retail offices scattered throughout the United States. With more than a decade of experience as well as hundreds of hours of training under their belts, an H&R Block tax professional more than equipped to handle all of your concerns. They progress through a 14-level certification program, as well as completing at least 15 hours of continuing education annually, so you are sure that you will be served by someone fully capable.

Pricing & Features

H&R Block offers customers two ways to access their tax software. That said, whether you choose their online solution or opt to download it to your computer, the great thing is that you will be getting a feature-rich tax software, regardless.

The online version of their software comes in 4 varieties, namely: Free, Basic, Deluxe and Premium. The Free version, as the name suggests, allows you to file for simple federal returns at no cost whatsoever. State fees, meanwhile, goes for $29.99. With this plan, you will get free tax preparation, printing, and e-filing. You can also automatically import your W2 and 1095-A, as well as get access to Refund Reveal, which tells you exactly how and why your refund amount increases or decreases.

Next, the Basic goes for $39.99 for federal, as well as for state. You will get all of the previous plan’s perks plus the ability to import your 1099 and the previous year’s return., EIC, free technical support, and even the ability to store and access your tax return for 6 years.

The Deluxe, meanwhile, goes for $49.99 for federal, and $39.99 for state. This plan entitles you to all of the perks of the previous plan, plus access to guidance on home mortgage interest, assistance to your investments and dividends, as well as valuation of your charitable donations.

The Premium, on the other hand, will cost you $74.99 for federal, and $39.99 for state. Apart from getting access to all the features of the previous plans, this plan will also allow you to maximixe your business deductions, as well as receive guidance for rental property income.

If you want to download their software, meanwhile, their offering changes slightly in both price and lineup. The Free version is gone, while adding the high-end plan, Premium & Business into the mix. The features of the Basic, Deluxe, and Premium are more or less identical to their online counterparts, but the prices have been altered. The Basic, for instance, goes for $29.95 for federal, $39.95 for state, and $19.95 each, for state e-filings. Next, the Deluxe will cost you $54.95 for federal, and the rates for state and state e-filing are identical to the Basic.

Finally, the Premium and Premium & Business will set you back $74.95 and $89.95 for federal, respectively. While the state fees are still the same here as the Basic’s, take note that the first state programs for these two are already included. The Premium & Business plan will get you everything the Premium offers, plus corporate, partnership, and LLC returns, payroll and employer forms production, as well as one personal and unlimited business state program downloads.

Customer Support

One of the areas that H&R Block excels at is in providing an amazing set of customer support options. While they do not have an email option, you can contact them via phone and live chat – both of which are more ideal as they allow for faster resolutions. The best thing about their customer support options, however, is their Block Live service, which allows you to engage in a live video conference with one of their tax professionals. Phone and live chat are fine, but getting to talk to their agent, as well as see who you are talking to. If that is not enough, and you are more confident with a one-on-one session with their tax professional, it is guaranteed that you can find one of their retail offices within five miles of where you live.

What's the Verdict on H&R Block?

Worth It, Some Issues

H&R Block Review 2020 – Conclusion

H&R Block may not be the most affordable tax software solution out there, but it is certainly one of the more compelling ones – in terms of features as well as customer support options. And with some amazing guarantees, as well as the ability to engage in a live video conference with one of their highly trained tax professionals, their slightly expensive price tags suddenly feel inconsequential. And if you are still skeptical about shelling out for their higher end plans, they also have a Free edition. So, what are you waiting for? Check out H&R Block now!