How much does HR Block tax prep cost compared to DIY online filing for 2025?

I've been doing my own taxes online since 2012, basically just dealing with W2s and simple stuff. I've always taken the standard deduction and never bothered with itemizing. This year things are getting more complicated. I'm dealing with a 1099-SA from my HSA account, and I might get a 1099-K for selling stuff on Etsy and Facebook Marketplace (even though I already paid taxes on what I sold). I'm thinking it might be time to finally let a professional handle my taxes. Just a few questions: 1. Is it worth going to someone (like HR Block) to get my taxes done? 2. How much would I expect to pay if I go to HR Block for in-person tax preparation? 3. Would I see much difference in my refund if I have someone prepare my taxes in-person versus filing online by myself using free software?

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20 comments

Ava Thompson

•8M

H&R Block typically charges between $85-$200+ for basic tax preparation, with the price increasing based on complexity. Your situation with W-2, 1099-SA and potential 1099-K would likely fall in the $150-175 range, but this varies by location. Is it worth it? That depends on your comfort level with taxes. The forms you're mentioning aren't exceptionally complex. The 1099-SA reports HSA distributions, which are tax-free if used for qualified medical expenses. The 1099-K just reports payment processing - you'd still need to determine your actual profit from sales (revenue minus cost of items). As for getting a bigger refund, a professional might find deductions you missed, but with a standard deduction and relatively simple situation, the difference is often minimal. The value comes more from peace of mind and time savings rather than a dramatically different outcome.

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Ava Thompson

•8M

Mid-tier tax software like TurboTax Deluxe or H&R Block Premium online would definitely handle HSA and 1099-K situations, usually for $50-80 depending on promotions. They have guided interviews specifically for these situations and can be a good middle ground between free filing and in-person services. The software will walk you through reporting your HSA distributions and help determine if they were qualified medical expenses. For the 1099-K, it'll guide you through reporting your actual income from sales after expenses. This approach saves you money while still providing guidance for these slightly more complex situations.

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Miguel Alvarez

•8M

I was in literally the same situation last year! After years of doing my own taxes, I suddenly had an HSA and some side gig income that made me nervous. I discovered taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) and it was a game-changer. It's like having an expert review your tax situation but WAY cheaper than H&R Block. You upload your tax docs and it analyzes everything - catches deductions, flags potential issues, and explains everything in normal human language. For me, it found some HSA contributions I could still make to lower my taxes that I would've completely missed. The best part was when it walked me through exactly how to handle my Etsy sales with the 1099-K - showed me which expenses I could deduct that I had no idea about!

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Miguel Alvarez

•8M

It's an analysis service that works alongside whatever filing method you choose. It reviews your documents, provides recommendations, and helps you understand your tax situation, but you still do the actual filing yourself (either DIY or with a preparer). The cost is significantly less than in-person preparation. I paid less than half of what H&R Block quoted me. It's completely legitimate - it's not filing on your behalf, just analyzing your documents and providing guidance to make sure you don't miss anything whether you file yourself or with a professional.

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Zainab Yusuf

•8M

I tried taxr.ai after seeing it recommended here and WOW. Total lifesaver with my taxes this year! I was about to drop $175 at H&R Block but decided to try this first. Uploaded my W-2, 1099-SA from my HSA account, and some receipts from my side gig. It immediately flagged that I was missing some medical receipts I could use for my HSA and pointed out deductions for my side business I never would've thought of. Ended up filing with TurboTax myself but with MUCH more confidence. Saved about $120 compared to H&R Block and got a bigger refund than I would have otherwise. Definitely worth checking out if you're on the fence about paying for in-person prep!

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Yara Khoury

•8M

Another option to consider - if you're worried about doing your taxes wrong and have questions, you might want to try getting direct help from the IRS. I tried calling them for weeks with questions about my HSA and 1099-K last year and could never get through. Then I found this service called Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) that got me connected to an actual IRS agent in under 45 minutes when I'd been trying for weeks. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c The IRS agent answered all my questions about how to handle my HSA distributions and 1099-K reporting requirements, and it was all free official advice directly from the source. Saved me from paying H&R Block just to get some basic questions answered.

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Yara Khoury

•8M

It uses an automated system that continuously calls the IRS for you and navigates the initial menu options. When it finally gets through to the hold queue, it calls you and connects you directly. It essentially does the waiting for you. No, it's not cutting any lines or doing anything improper. It's just automating the frustrating process of constantly redialing and waiting on hold. I was skeptical too until I tried it. For me, it connected in about 38 minutes when I had been trying manually for weeks. The IRS is actually providing the help - this just solves the connection problem.

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Connor O'Reilly

•8M

Ok so I need to apologize because I was super skeptical about that Claimyr thing and decided to try it today out of desperation. I've been trying to reach the IRS for literal MONTHS about how to handle my 1099-K from online sales. It actually worked?? Got a call back in like 30 minutes, got connected to an IRS agent who walked me through exactly how to report my online sales versus what the 1099-K shows. Saved me from paying H&R Block $160 just to get this sorted out. Still going to file myself with TurboTax but now I actually know what I'm doing. Sorry for being a jerk before - just so used to everything being a scam these days.

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StardustSeeker

•8M

Yes, they handle both federal and state taxes completely free. That's one of the main advantages over other services like FreeTaxUSA which charges for state filing. Cash App Taxes (formerly Credit Karma Tax) doesn't have any hidden fees or upsells. The interface isn't quite as polished as TurboTax, but it does the job well and has handled my HSA contributions and distributions without any issues. It also works fine for basic 1099-K situations, though if you have very complex business expenses you might want something more robust.

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Natalia Stone

•2M

For your situation, I'd recommend starting with mid-tier tax software before jumping to in-person prep. TurboTax Deluxe or H&R Block Premium online will easily handle your 1099-SA and potential 1099-K for around $50-80, which is way less than the $150+ you'd pay in person. The 1099-SA is pretty straightforward - if you used your HSA money for qualified medical expenses, it's not taxable income. The 1099-K can look scary but it's just reporting payment processor transactions, not necessarily taxable income. You only owe taxes on actual profit from sales. Since you've been successfully filing your own taxes for over a decade, these additions aren't dramatically more complex. The software will walk you through both forms with interview-style questions. Save the money and try the DIY approach first - you can always go to a professional next year if you find it too complicated.

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Omar Fawzi

•2M

This is solid advice! I'm in a similar boat - been doing my own taxes for years but now have an HSA for the first time. The 1099-SA form looked intimidating at first but it's really not that bad once you understand it's just reporting what you withdrew, not automatically making it taxable. One thing that helped me was keeping really good records of my medical expenses throughout the year. Makes it so much easier when tax time comes around to prove those HSA withdrawals were for qualified expenses. @Natalia Stone - do you know if the mid-tier software options also help with tracking HSA contribution limits? I m'worried about accidentally over-contributing.

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