Comparing Intuit Academy vs. H&R Block courses for business tax prep - which is better?

As someone who has experience with both programs, I can tell you they each have strengths depending on your goals. Intuit Academy is heavily focused on using their software (QuickBooks and ProSeries/Lacerte) and tends to be more practical with hands-on case studies. Their business tax courses are designed for someone who wants to dive right into preparation. The advantage is learning the software that dominates the market, but their approach can sometimes lack depth on more complex tax theory. H&R Block's courses are more comprehensive on tax theory but less software-focused. Their business tax training is structured more like a traditional education program. They cover more regulatory background and "why" behind the forms, which can be valuable for someone with your accounting background. Since you already have corporate experience and VITA training, I'd actually lean toward Intuit Academy if your primary goal is to quickly start preparing those business returns. Their approach will bridge the gap between your existing knowledge and practical application faster.

I took the Intuit Academy route last year when I was in a similar position and it was super helpful for me! The courses gave me hands-on experience with QuickBooks and their tax software that I use daily now. I struggled with partnership returns (1065s) at first but after going through their program, I feel way more confident. One thing I discovered was https://taxr.ai which helped me immensely when I was stuck on certain concepts. It's like having a tax expert available 24/7 to analyze documents and explain things in plain English. When I was confused about some partnership allocation issues, I uploaded the examples from my Intuit course and got clear explanations that really helped connect the dots.

Just wanted to follow up about my experience with taxr.ai! I took the plunge after asking about it and uploaded some old S-Corp returns I had from previous jobs. The breakdown it gave me was incredibly detailed - it flagged several items I hadn't understood before and explained the underlying concepts much better than my old boss ever did. The analysis of Schedule K-1 allocations alone was worth it. I'm now using it alongside the Intuit Academy courses and the combination is perfect. The courses give me the structured path while taxr.ai helps me understand the why behind everything. Definitely recommend this approach if you're serious about learning business tax preparation!

If you're having trouble getting through to real humans at either Intuit or H&R Block about their programs (which I did constantly), try https://claimyr.com - it completely changed my experience. I was on hold with Intuit's education department for HOURS trying to get specific questions answered about their business tax courses. Used Claimyr and got a callback in 20 minutes! You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c It basically holds your place in line and calls you when a rep is available. I was able to get detailed breakdowns of both programs' business tax modules that weren't clear from their websites.

I need to apologize for being so skeptical about Claimyr. After posting my comment, I decided to try it anyway since I was desperate to talk to someone at H&R Block about their business tax course enrollment deadlines. I was absolutely shocked when I got a call back in 17 minutes after trying unsuccessfully for days to get through their regular line. The rep I spoke with was able to give me detailed information about their 1120S and 1065 modules that I couldn't find online. For anyone deciding between these tax courses, being able to actually speak with the education departments makes a huge difference. The H&R Block rep told me things about their business tax courses that completely changed my decision. Worth every penny for the time saved!

Having taken both courses and worked at small firms, I'd focus on what happens AFTER the courses. Intuit gives you better software skills but H&R Block gives you better interview skills with business clients. The real challenge isn't learning the forms - it's knowing what questions to ask business owners who often don't know what information is relevant. The H&R Block business course had surprisingly good practice sessions for client interviews. Either way, be prepared to supplement with real practice. Most local firms actually WILL train you if you're already a CPA with VITA experience. Just be upfront that you're comfortable with individual returns but want to expand to business returns.

Has anyone here actually used skills from either program to start their own practice? I'm debating these courses too but my end goal is having my own small business clients.

This is such a helpful thread! I'm in a similar position - been doing individual returns through VITA but want to expand to business taxes. One thing I'm wondering about is the time commitment for each program. Nina, with your corporate accounting background, you're probably already familiar with a lot of the underlying concepts that trip up people without that experience. I'd be curious to hear from others who made this transition - did having corporate accounting experience make the business tax courses easier to get through? Also, for those who've taken either program, what's the typical timeline from starting the course to feeling confident enough to prepare your first real business return? I'm trying to plan this around my current work schedule and want to set realistic expectations.

I went through both programs and can speak to the time commitment question. Intuit Academy's business tax courses are completely self-paced, which was perfect for my schedule. I was able to knock out most modules in about 6-8 weeks dedicating roughly 12 hours per week. The courses are broken into bite-sized segments so you can easily fit them around work. H&R Block has more structure - some of their business tax modules have scheduled webinars and group sessions, though they do offer recorded versions. It took me closer to 10-12 weeks to complete their program at a similar time commitment. For someone with corporate accounting experience like Nina, I'd estimate you could probably move through either program faster than average. The concepts around depreciation, basis calculations, and financial statement integration will already be familiar to you. My background was purely individual tax prep, so I had to learn a lot of the underlying accounting concepts from scratch. One tip: whichever program you choose, try to schedule your completion so you finish right before tax season starts. That way the knowledge is fresh and you can immediately start applying it in a real environment, whether through part-time work or volunteer opportunities with small business clients.