Customer Ratings & Reviews

I decided to give H&R Block a try this year and compare it to the software I usually use (TurboTax). After completing my taxes in both programs and comparing the return amount I was shocked with how poor the H&R Block software performed. I ended up doing my taxes in a third program just to see if something was entered incorrectly and it ended up matching TurboTax to the dollar. After some further digging I believe I have figured out one of the issues. The EV Rebate Form is incorrect within H&R Block. It was only giving me half of the amount I was owed based on the IRS website and purchase date. There is no way to correct this in the software. You are unable to return it which means if you run into any issue, you have to go through customer service to try and fix it. If they can't fix it, you wasted money. I will never purchase a physical copy of the software again. Additional areas that need improvement: * The installation process is a joke. After several failed installation attempts I was finally able to get it installed. Once the program loaded, surprise it needed to be updated. * The software feels like a beta release. It is clunky and slow. * It does a poor job gathering relevant information to see if you qualify for any tax breaks. The engineers at H&R Block should look at what TurboTax/other online services do and take some notes. * A more user friendly and aesthetically pleasing interface. Overall, I would recommend avoiding this product (at least the physical copy) as it performs like a beta product.

Let me open by saying my wife is... let's say "VERY SPECIFIC" in how she prefers we do our taxes... She has this habit every single year of using multiple platforms and checking multiple ways to file (married filing jointly / married filing separately etcetera). She even runs scenarios if we were to not be married (is she telling me something?). Kidding! But in any case she makes sure we get every advantage legally available for us, and that's great. All of that said, when I asked her to use H&R Block, she said "OK, I will but we both know it will have us paying more than most others will". She was right. I understand that every tax filing is wildly different for every person and family so your experience my be different from ours. I understand our tax situation is more complex than some but certainly much less complicated than others. H&R Block is the only platform that does not differentiate other miscellaneous income from being self employed whereas other platforms do. As for ease of use, it's not bad, but it is somewhat more "cumbersome" than some others. Again, not bad, but not great. End of the day, I would not recommend this to a friend. I would qualify with my experience that it did not meet our needs but it MIGHT meet yours. **PLEASE NOTE: This product was offered for free or reduced cost in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. That is exactly what this is, an honest and unbiased review.**

I've used this product ever since Parsons Technology was acquired by Intuit. This product uses a very easy to follow interview to prepare your returns. I even used this product for my personal returns while working as a Tax Preparer for a competing firm. I could have done my return there for free, but preferred THIS product.

I typically use Turbo Tax but this year I had an opportunity to use HR block. This software is awful. The UI isn't great, the items listed show "go to" instead of the credit or dollar amount. This software needs a much better search function. If want to find form 1099-SA there should be a link to take me directly to that form. Instead its just information ABOUT the form, useless. Error checking, what a total pain. I spent the better part of an hour fighting with this software because it would ask me to verify amounts. I had done this multiple times, it would not let me continue on. The only way I was able to get out of this endless loop was to click the state tab at the top next to the federal one. This isn't spelled out anywhere, the button just says continue after you make edits/verify the federal portion. Maybe H&R block should make the continue button say "check state", that way the user will know that the next page pertains to the state they can then verify that portion and continue on to filing. Not at all very intuitive. I will not be using this software again next year. H&R Block needs to make this more user friendly and add better functionality to it.

I've been using H & R Block since it used to be TaxCut software and came with a free copy of Microsoft Money. I've managed to do all of our taxes with ease.

In Box 12, I have both Deferred income (Code D) and Employer Cost of Employee Health Benefits (nontaxable) (Code DD). The software continues to add the two together and in the end it states that the total deferred income exceeds the Federal Limit of $25,000 and it insists on adding the excess as additional income. The software defect is that it is adding both the Code D amount and the Code DD together as an excess allowable tax deferred income. This is incorrect and needs to be corrected. I called for support and they were not able to assist. It was beyond their level of support and would escalate the issue. They told me someone will get back to me in 48 hours. This has not yet happened. I have used this software for at least 10 years and never had this issue. Until this defect is corrected or they provide me with a work around, I would not recommend this product.