What H&R Block does

H&R Block (NYSE: HRB) is a 70-year-old, publicly traded consumer tax preparation and small business financial services company headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri, serving 22 million+ individual and small business clients annually across the United States and select international markets. The company operates a multi-channel platform that combines DIY digital products (H&R Block Online, downloadable desktop software, mobile apps), assisted professional services (12,000+ physical offices, virtual, drop-off), and the Block Advisors small business sub-brand (bookkeeping, payroll, entity formation). Revenue is generated across a layered mix: tax preparation fees (free to $130+ online, $99+ assisted, $250+ small business), downloadable software licenses ($70–$95), financial products (Emerald Card prepaid, Refund Transfer $42, Emerald Advance loans 35.9% APR, Refund Advance 0% APR up to $4,000), Spruce mobile banking (transaction/interchange), and subscription protection plans (Tax Identity Shield, Peace of Mind).

Underlying the platform is an AI-powered tax preparation stack including AI Tax Assist (a 24/7 generative-AI chatbot launched in 2023 that has delivered 6.45 million+ messages and grew usage 152% since launch), Sidekick (an AI assistant for tax professionals handling 2.48 million research queries at 2–3 second latency), a Smart Product Selector recommendation engine, improved form-finding, and identity-monitoring anomaly detection. Banking and card products are issued through a core partnership with Pathward, N.A. on Mastercard rails. The company maintains over 60 years of consecutive quarterly dividends, recently transitioned CEOs (Jeffrey J. Jones II retired October 2025; Curtis Campbell appointed March 2026), and operates subsidiaries including Block Advisors, Spruce, Wave Financial (acquired 2019), and the recently launched Creator Suite.

Name

H&R Block

Legal name

HRB Tax Group, Inc.

Website

https://hrblock.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

1955

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

H&R Block (NYSE: HRB) is a publicly traded U.S. tax preparation and small business financial services company offering DIY software, in-person and virtual tax professional services across 12,000+ offices, financial products, and AI-assisted filing tools to individual and small business clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Tax Preparation Services

NAICS

Tax Preparation Services (541213), Accounting, Tax Preparation, Bookkeeping, and Payroll Services (5412), Other Accounting Services (541219)

SIC

Services-Computer Programming Services (7371)

akta.pro primary industry

Tax Planning & Personal Tax Optimization Tools (FSAGADAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Tax Refund Anticipation Loans (RAL) & Refund Advances (FSAKAOAG)

Keywords

• Tax preparation services
• Tax filing software
• Small business tax services
• Mobile banking services
• Tax professional services

Headquarters

HQ city

Kansas City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices20 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Tax Preparation Services - Online: Subscription-based and one-time fee online tax filing services ranging from free tier to $130+ for self-employed. Revenue from federal and state tax filing fees, with additional charges for premium features and tax pro review.
2. Tax Preparation Services - Software: Downloadable tax software sold as one-time perpetual licenses with tiered pricing (Basic $74, Deluxe+State $70, Premium $95, Premium & Business). Includes 5 federal e-files and optional state filing at $39.95 per state.
3. Assisted Tax Preparation: Full-service tax preparation by certified tax professionals at physical offices or virtual appointments. Starting at $99 for in-person filing with additional fees based on complexity. Includes year-round tax planning and audit support.
4. Financial Products - Emerald Card: Prepaid debit card services generating revenue through transaction fees, ATM fees, and card-related services. Issued through partnership with Pathward, N.A.
5. Spruce Mobile Banking: Mobile banking platform offering spending and savings accounts with 3.50% APY. Revenue from interchange fees on debit transactions and potential premium services. Banking products by Pathward, N.A.
6. Emerald Advance Loan: Short-term fixed-rate loans ranging from $350 to $1,500 with 35.9% APR, originated by Pathward, N.A. Revenue from interest charges on short-term lending.
7. Refund Advance Loan: Interest-free loans (0% APR) up to $4,000 for tax refund anticipation, available January-March. No loan fees, repaid through tax refund.
8. Refund Transfer: Bank deposit product allowing tax refunds to pay for tax preparation fees. $42 fee for the transfer service.
9. Small Business Services: Block Advisors provides small business tax preparation, bookkeeping, payroll, and business formation services. Tax preparation from $250+ for small business, with additional services for bookkeeping ($50/hour) and payroll.
10. Tax Identity Shield: Year-round tax identity protection and restoration service. Monitors dark web, provides SSN alerts, tax return notifications, and identity restoration assistance.
11. Peace of Mind Extended Service: Extended service plan providing audit representation and tax notice services for the life of the tax return. Reimburses up to $6,000 for additional taxes owed due to H&R Block errors.
12. ITIN Services: Individual Taxpayer Identification Number application and renewal services. Free when filing federal tax return at participating locations.
13. Income Tax Course: Tax preparation training course. No tuition fee but may require purchase of course materials. 40-81 hours of instruction depending on location. Trains potential future employees.
14. Second Look Review: Free review of past 3 years of tax returns to find errors or missed deductions. Amendment services available for additional fee starting around $99.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels13 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

H&R Block fundamentally delivers tax preparation and filing services through multiple channels: DIY online filing (Free to $130+), downloadable desktop software ($74–$95), full-service assisted preparation with certified tax professionals (starting at $99 in-person or virtual), and small business services through the Block Advisors brand. Offerings extend into tax-triggered financial products including the Emerald Prepaid Mastercard, Spruce mobile banking app, Emerald Advance and Refund Advance loans, and Refund Transfer, plus identity protection (Tax Identity Shield, Peace of Mind audit support). The company serves 22 million+ clients annually across 12,000+ offices in the U.S. and international markets.

Product overview

H&R Block operates as a multi-channel tax preparation and financial services company offering a platform-plus-modules architecture. The core offerings include H&R Block Online (browser-based filing) and downloadable Tax Software, both powered by AI Tax Assist for self-service filers. Professional services include Tax Pro Services (in-person, virtual, drop-off) and the hybrid Tax Pro Review product. Financial products encompass the Emerald Card prepaid Mastercard, Spruce mobile banking app with savings accounts, Emerald Advance and Refund Advance loans, and Refund Transfer. Protection services include Second Look Review, Peace of Mind audit protection, Tax Identity Shield, ITIN services, and Audit & Tax Notice Support. Small businesses are served through Block Advisors with bookkeeping, payroll, and business formation add-ons. International services cover expat taxes and offices in multiple countries. The Creator Suite targets content creators with specialized tools. The company blends AI-powered digital tools with human tax professional expertise across its integrated product ecosystem.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Block Advisors: Small business tax preparation, bookkeeping, payroll, and business formation services under the H&R Block umbrella.
• Creator Suite
• Spruce

Products and services

• H&R Block Online Browser-based online tax filing platform with tiered pricing from free (simple W-2 returns, ~52% of filers) to Deluxe ($65 federal), Premium ($105), and Self-Employed ($130). Includes AI Tax Assist, live expert help on Deluxe and above, Tax Pro Review option, and import-from-TurboTax capability.
• H&R Block Tax Software Downloadable desktop tax preparation software for Windows and Mac. Tiers: Basic ($74), Deluxe + State ($70 federal and state), Premium ($95, includes 1 state return), and Premium & Business. Includes 5 federal e-files, real-time refund results, AI Tax Assist, and optional expert help add-on. State filing $39.95 per state ($19.95 e-file).
• Tax Pro Services

Quantifiable outcome

• 152% growth in AI Tax Assist usage since 2023 launch
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments9 records

Ideal customer profiles7 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability5 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• MastercardcoreTechnology or IntegrationMastercard provides the payment network license for H&R Block Emerald Prepaid Mastercard and Spruce debit card. Pathward, N.A. issues cards pursuant to Mastercard license.

Scale indicators19 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Intuit: Intuit operates TurboTax, the largest direct competitor to H&R Block in US consumer tax preparation. Intuit also owns Credit Karma, QuickBooks, and Mailchimp, giving it a much broader financial software footprint that overlaps with HRB's small business and DIY offerings.
• Jackson Hewitt: Jackson Hewitt is the second-largest US retail tax preparation franchise network, directly competing with H&R Block's 12,000+ in-person offices. Targets similar value-conscious individual filers with assisted preparation services, often positioned as a lower-priced alternative.
• Liberty Tax: Liberty Tax is a franchised retail tax preparation chain that competes head-to-head with H&R Block's physical office network, particularly in seasonal pop-up locations. Targets individual filers seeking in-person assisted preparation at competitive price points.
• TaxAct: TaxAct (owned by TaxHound) is a direct DIY and assisted tax software competitor to H&R Block Online and downloadable software. Competes aggressively on price in the online/self-prep segment, particularly for filers with moderately complex returns.
• Drake Software: Drake Software provides professional tax preparation software used by independent tax preparers and small accounting firms, overlapping with HRB's Block Advisors and assisted preparation services from a B2B software angle. Targets the same SMB and pro-preparer market that Block Advisors serves.

Broad incumbents

• Thomson Reuters (UltraTax & ONESOURCE): Thomson Reuters provides UltraTax CS professional tax software, ONESource corporate tax, and Checkpoint tax research used by larger CPA firms and corporations. Competes with HRB Block Advisors in serving small/medium businesses and competes for the same professional tax pro talent pool.
• Wolters Kluwer (CCH Axcess): Wolters Kluwer's CCH Axcess and ProSystem fx Tax are professional tax platforms serving CPA firms and corporations, including small business clients that overlap with Block Advisors' target market. A broader incumbent in professional tax software and compliance content.

Emerging players

• Bench Accounting: Bench is a tech-enabled bookkeeping and tax service for small businesses, directly competing with Block Advisors' small business bookkeeping and tax offerings. Targets the same SMB segment but with a software-first model rather than HRB's office/professional model.
• Keeper Tax: Keeper Tax is an AI-driven tax filing service specifically for self-employed individuals and gig workers, directly competing with HRB's Self-Employed tier and Creator Suite offerings. Uses AI chat to automate expense finding, threatening HRB's pricing in this high-margin segment.
• Cash App Taxes (Block, Inc.): Cash App Taxes (formerly Credit Karma Tax, owned by Intuit/Block Inc.) is a free DIY tax filing service competing with HRB's Free Online tier. Targets younger, mobile-first filers — overlapping with HRB's emerging content creator and gig economy customer segments.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/hrblock
• YouTubeyoutube.com/hrblock
• Facebookfacebook.com/hrblock
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/h&r-block
• Instagraminstagram.com/hrblock
• TikToktiktok.com/@hrblock

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A3 records

Investments2 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about H&R Block