Review of H&R Block’s 2022 tax year software

H&R BLOCK 2022 (TAX YEAR 2022)

Only straightforward federal tax returns should be used with H&R Block’s Free online (and Basic download) versions. Once you have a deduction to claim (other than the Child Tax Credit or student loan interest), you will need to upgrade to a higher version with more capabilities that allow you to deduct things like contributions, real estate taxes, and mortgage interest. In comparison to the competitors, the free edition does manage unemployment income, which is a welcome bonus.

The Deluxe tier is available to independent contractors who do not deduct any expenses. When you upgrade to Premium Online, you get assistance for tracking Health Savings Accounts, investment transactions, and rental income and deductions. The Self-Employed online edition provides independent contractors and freelancers with more comprehensive support, full deductions for Schedule C business costs, and assistance with filing for home office deductions, depreciation, and car expenses.

Help from tax experts has become substantially more affordable. You may contact a tax expert through Online Assist through video, phone, screen sharing, or chat (hours available are 7 a.m. to 11p.m. CT weekdays, and 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. CT weekends). Since previous tax year, Online Assist has dropped from $109.99 to just $40 (these rates reflect base cost, not “specials”). If you didn’t select professional assistance at first, you may do it at any moment using the nav bar or the pop-up ads that sporadically show to remind you of this upsell.

The price of Tax Pro Review is half that of the previous year: The upgrade now costs $59.99 and includes both Online Assist and a tax professional who will analyze and submit your taxes on your behalf. (Prices may change based on the version you’re using; for example, Premium costs $60 and $89.99.)

With both original writing and videos, H&R Block keeps expanding its library of how-to articles. The right-hand pane, which is always accessible by clicking a link in the main interface or the question-mark symbol on the top navigation bar, provides context-sensitive guidance as you navigate your online return.

Similar to what TurboTax provides, a series of on-boarding questions helped us determine which plan was best. However, the service will still urge you to upgrade to the proper product if you start with a lower tier. For instance, we began our evaluation with H&R Block Deluxe, the company’s first tier above free. When we indicated that we were self-employed, had 1099-Misc forms, and had costs, the service advised us to upgrade to that version so that we could access the proper tax forms. The same thing occurred once we told the program that we were using cryptocurrency.

Once inside, it was clear that H&R Block had lightened its interface, literally and figuratively. Gone is the black navigation pane at the left, replaced by a lighter color that’s a few shades different from the main data entry pane and larger, easier-to-understand menu icons. The responsive design works on mobile web as well as laptop. Plus, H&R Block has a mobile app.