Partnerships with MyFreeTaxes, Free File Alliance, Military One Source – plus Free online product – give millions free options
KANSAS CITY, Mo., Jan. 28, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — With IRS e-file officially open the countdown to the April 15 deadline has started, and consumers need to decide how they will file their 2018 tax returns. H&R Block (NYSE: HRB) offers four free ways to file taxes – the H&R Block Online Free product and three more resulting from partnerships targeted at specific audiences. With all of these free tax preparation options, consumers get the quality, guarantees and benefits of H&R Block products.
“At H&R Block we encourage consumers to make sure they are using a quality tax prep product – whether they feel their tax situation is simple or complex,” said Heather Watts, senior vice president and general manager of digital at H&R Block. “Through H&R Block’s Free Online product and our partnerships with the United Way, the Free File Alliance and Military One Source, we are able to bring our best-in-class products to even more people at no cost. Access to quality tax prep products is important because it helps consumers file accurate tax returns that get them their maximum refund.”
H&R Block Online Free product
The H&R Block Online Free product includes a free federal and state return, plus it covers more forms than the free TurboTax product (see comparison), including some required to claim many popular tax credits and deductions. Among other things, this means millions more parents can claim the Child and Dependent Care Credit, new college graduates can deduct student loan interest, and students and parents can deduct tuition and fees and still file for free with H&R Block – but they can’t with TurboTax.
“With help from experts built into all H&R Block products, navigating changes brought about by tax reform has already been done for the user; clients won’t be working on the tax forms themselves, but instead answering questions about their life and their finances,” Watts said.
H&R Block DIY partnership with United Way continues
H&R Block and United Way, through the MyFreeTaxes initiative, have been providing free tax filing services online for federal and state taxes in all 50 states and the District of Columbia for 10 years.
Taxpayers earning less than $66,000 can enter their data through MyFreeTaxes.com, which links to a secure H&R Block website, making it easy to complete their taxes from home, at work or on mobile devices.
H&R Block remains member of Free File Alliance
H&R Block partners with the Free File Alliance, which is made up of tax preparation companies working with the IRS, to provide free online tax preparation and e-filing that could be used by nearly 100 million taxpayers whose income is less than $66,000 and between the ages of 17 and 51. To use this service, visit IRS Free File.
H&R Block offers free DIY tax prep for military
H&R Block offers free DIY tax preparation online to service members through Military One Source. Overall, 23 percent of active, reserve and Department of Defense civilian employees used H&R Block for tax preparation in 2017.
“With so many targeted offers and the various tax situations covered by the H&R Block Online Free product, some taxpayers might be surprised to find they can file for free, plus switching from Turbo Tax or another tax prep option is simple with our ‘drag and drop’ feature, which imports tax information from any source and eliminates the need to input this manually,” Watts said.
In-person and online, H&R Block has its clients’ backs. For more information about tax filing options for tax season 2019, visit hrblock.com.
About H&R Block
H&R Block, Inc. (NYSE: HRB) is a global consumer tax services provider. Tax return preparation services are provided by professional tax preparers in approximately 12,000 company-owned and franchise retail tax offices worldwide, and through H&R Block tax software products for the DIY consumer. H&R Block also offers adjacent Tax Plus products and services. In fiscal 2018, H&R Block had annual revenues of over $3.1 billion with over 23 million tax returns prepared worldwide. For more information, visit the H&R Block Newsroom.
CONTACT: For Further Information Susan Waldron, 816-854-5522, susan.waldron@hrblock.com