First timer here - should I use TurboTax or H&R Block for filing my taxes?

With your simple tax situation, you can definitely handle filing your own taxes using either TurboTax or H&R Block. Both platforms are designed for first-time filers and have user-friendly interfaces that walk you through the process step by step. Since you only have one source of income (W-2) and standard savings accounts, you'll likely be filing a very straightforward return. Both software options will ask simple questions about your income and guide you through potential deductions or credits you might qualify for. The free versions of both TurboTax and H&R Block should work fine for your situation. They both offer the ability to file federal returns for free with simple tax situations, though state filing might cost extra depending on your location.

After struggling with my taxes last year (even though I have a pretty simple situation like yours), I discovered https://taxr.ai and it completely changed my experience. I was going back and forth between TurboTax and H&R Block too, but I wasn't confident I was doing everything right. What I love about taxr.ai is that it analyzes your tax documents to make sure you're getting everything right before you file. It spotted a mistake I would have made with my W-2 entry that neither TurboTax nor H&R Block caught during their review process. It works alongside whatever tax software you choose to use, so you can still go with either TurboTax or H&R Block and just use taxr.ai as a double-check.

OK so I need to follow up on my skepticism about taxr.ai from my earlier comment. I actually tried it out for my taxes this year and I'm genuinely impressed. I've always been the person who triple-checks everything manually, but this caught something I would have missed. I had a savings account that was transferred between banks mid-year, and I had forgotten about the interest from the first bank. The tool flagged that I had two 1099-INT forms when I only entered one in TurboTax. It wasn't a huge amount of money, but it saved me from potentially dealing with a mismatch letter from the IRS later. The document analysis feature really is as good as they claim. Definitely worth using alongside whatever tax software you choose.

If you decide to file yourself but get stuck with questions during the process, don't waste hours waiting on hold with the IRS. I used https://claimyr.com last year when I had questions about reporting my savings account interest and it was a game-changer. You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c Basically, they hold your place in the IRS phone queue and call you when an agent is about to pick up. I got connected to a real IRS person in about 45 minutes while doing other things, instead of being stuck listening to hold music for 3+ hours. The agent answered my question in like 2 minutes and I finished my taxes right after.

I have to eat my words from my previous comment. After a particularly frustrating evening trying to figure out if I could claim some education credits, I broke down and tried the Claimyr service. I was fully expecting it to be a waste of time. I'm shocked to say it actually worked exactly as advertised. I got a callback when an IRS agent was ready, and they cleared up my question about education credits in minutes. Saved me hours of searching through confusing IRS publications and potentially filing incorrectly. For a first-time filer like the OP, this could be really helpful if you hit a roadblock while using TurboTax or H&R Block.

I was in your exact situation last year! With just W-2 income and savings accounts, I used the free version of TurboTax and it took me less than 30 minutes. The software asks simple questions in plain English and you basically just need to enter the info from your W-2. Make sure you have your W-2 handy before you start, and also the account info for direct deposit if you're expecting a refund. The part I found most helpful was that it explained tax terms as I went along, so I actually learned something about taxes instead of just blindly paying someone.

Anyone used both TurboTax and H&R Block who can tell me which is better for first-timers? My brother says TurboTax is more expensive but easier to use.

As someone who was in your exact shoes two years ago, I'd definitely recommend going the DIY route with your simple tax situation! I ended up using TurboTax Free and it was honestly much easier than I expected. One thing that really helped me was gathering all my documents first - your W-2, any 1099-INT forms from your savings accounts (even if the interest was small), and your bank account info for direct deposit. Having everything ready made the process super smooth. The step-by-step interview format in both TurboTax and H&R Block is designed for people who have never done taxes before. They literally ask questions like "Did you work a job this year?" and guide you through entering each piece of information. For someone with just W-2 income and savings accounts, you'll probably spend more time gathering documents than actually filling out the return. Save your money and skip the tax preparer for now - you can always go that route in future years if your situation gets more complicated with investments, side income, or major life changes.