H&R Block 2021 Online Tax Prep Review

H&R Block Online - Is It Really Free?

H&R Block offers free Federal and State tax filing for people in the following situations:

• W-2 income
  
• Unemployment income
• Social Security Income
• People with Student Loan Interest
• People claiming children as dependents

The free tier is also allowing users to file for their Stimulus check tax credit if they didn't receive it. Compared to the competition, H&R Block online offers one of the broadest programs available.

However, H&R Block is not supporting free filing for users with contributions to Health Savings Accounts (HSAs). These users have to upgrade to the Deluxe tier. 

See the list of the best free tax software here >>

What's New In 2021?

While H&R Block has made a few tweaks to the user experience, it did not come out with huge new innovations this year. Its most innovative change is its “Have a Pro Do It” offering which allows users to upload a virtual shoebox of documents and an enrolled agent or CPA will complete the filing. It’s a great way to go contactless in 2021.

In 2021, we were excited to see H&R continuing some of its most competitively priced offers. In particular, gig workers with less than $5,000 in business expenses may qualify to file using the Premium tier rather than the Self-Employed tier.

However, we are disappointed to see that in 2021 is not supporting HSA contributions through its free tier.

While novelty isn’t H&R Block’s strength, that shouldn’t scare users away. It is still one of the most robust platforms with expanded free to use capabilities.

H&R Block Online Prices And Plans

H&R Block has four major pricing tiers including a completely free (State and Federal filing cost $0) option. H&R Block’s Premium pricing tier is one of its most competitively priced tiers.

The real value tiers here are the Free and Premium editions.

Bonus: Right now, you can get 20% off H&R Block online if you sign up and start through this link >>

Note: Prices are subject to change, especially as it get's closer to the tax deadline. The earlier you start, the higher likelihood you have of locking in better prices. 

Online Extras

If you file your taxes through H&R Block online, you can opt to put some or all of your return on an Amazon gift card. When you do that, H&R Block will add 3.5% to your refund.

Check out the H&R Block deal on Amazon here.

H&R Block also offers free Tax Identity Theft monitoring and restoration help if someone steals your identity. At check-out, users have the option to purchase Worry-Free Audit support. This includes help from an enrolled agent if you undergo an IRS audit. 

H&R Block Virtual Tax Service

H&R Block also has a virtual tax prep service called Tax Pro Go. If you want pro to do your taxes, but still want to do them online or at home, this is a great hybrid. 

With this service, you can book at tax pro online, see the price, upload your documents, and have your return filed all from the comfort of your own home.

As of writing this, they expect to have your taxes prepared and filed within 5 days of submitting all your information online. However, as it gets busier and closer to tax season, that could change. 

This service is a premium service, with prices from $49 to $329 for the service. However, that still is better than many CPAs will charge.

This service is very similar to those offered by Picnic Tax, Visor Tax or Circle CPA.

Right now, College Investor readers can get $25 off Virtual Tax Prep with H&R Block by downloading this coupon. Enter the code from the coupon at checkout. Offer is only good for new clients. Download the H&R Block coupon here.

H&R Block In-Store And Tax Refund Advance

H&R Block is most well-known for their large network of stores that have tax preparers and tax professionals able to assist. Plus, H&R Block is also known for having some of the best tax refund advance products available.

In store, customers can expect to have an expert tax professional prepare and file their taxes. This does cost much more than the online products offered here.

The Tax Refund Advance is available up to $3,500, and is available starting January 2, 2021 in stores. You can also get $25 off your in-person tax prep with this coupon. Download the H&R Block coupon here.

H&R Block Online FAQ

Here are some common questions we get about H&R Block online:

Is H&R Block Online Free?

H&R Block does have a robust free file tier that includes a lot of common tax situations, including employment income, earned income tax credit, and more. Many users will qualify for free filing with H&R Block.

Does H&R Block Offer Tax Prep Assistance?

One of the reasons we love H&R Block is because of the ways you can get help. You can get help online, through phone, or even have a tax preparer virtually prepare your tax return. You can also visit one of H&R Block's network of locations as well.

How Much Does It Cost To File With H&R Block?

This all varies based on your tax situation. It could be as low as $0, or could be well over $100 if you own a business and have to file multiple state tax returns. You can also pay for professional tax preparation, or purchase an add-on like Worry Free Audit Support.

Is H&R Block Better Than TurboTax?

It depends. We found H&R Block to be better on price, and pretty good on usability. TurboTax does offer one of the easiest to use interfaces, though, and it can make tax filing easy.

What Are The Alternatives To H&R Block?

TurboTax is the biggest competitor to H&R Block. You can also look at FreeTaxUSA, TaxSlayer, and TaxAct. Check out our list of H&R Block Alternatives here.

Does H&R Block Support Health Savings Accounts?

Yes! But sadly, not on the free file version. You would need to upgrade to Deluxe for that.

Can you file multiple states for free?

On the free tier, you only get one free state. If you need to file a return in a second state, you would pay for that state.