Is H&R Block charging too much for self-employed tax prep?

I just had my taxes prepared by a professional for the first time and I'm in shock at the price. I'm self-employed (freelance graphic designer) but my tax situation isn't particularly complex - no business property, no mortgage, pretty straightforward deductions. The H&R Block tax person just quoted me $675 to file my federal and state returns! This seems ridiculously high for what I needed done. I was expecting to pay around $375-400 based on what friends told me. Has anyone else been surprised by H&R Block's fees? Am I getting ripped off or is this actually the going rate for self-employed tax prep? Thinking I should have just stuck with TurboTax...

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18 comments

Talia Klein

•8M

Having prepared taxes professionally for years, I can tell you that $675 for self-employed tax prep at H&R Block is definitely on the high side, though not unheard of. The self-employment aspect does add complexity since it requires Schedule C preparation, which typically increases the base price. That said, national chains like H&R Block often have pricing tiers based on forms needed rather than time spent. For a straightforward self-employed situation, you might find better value with an independent tax preparer or a smaller local firm. Many charge $250-400 for similar situations. If you're comfortable with your tax knowledge, tax software is a much more affordable option. Self-employed versions of popular software usually run $80-150, though you'll need to put in some time to complete everything yourself.

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Talia Klein

•8M

Absolutely ask for an itemized breakdown of the charges. Any reputable tax preparer should be able to explain exactly what you're paying for. Different forms and schedules each add to the cost, and you deserve to know the details. It's never too late to walk away before you've signed and paid. Your tax information belongs to you. If you decide to go the DIY route, most tax software has specific guidance for self-employed filers and can walk you through the Schedule C process quite effectively. Just make sure you have all your income and expense records organized before starting.

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PaulineW

•8M

After getting a similar shock from a tax prep chain last year, I found taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) and it's been a game-changer for my self-employed taxes. I was in the same boat - freelance work, no complicated business setup, but still got quoted over $600 at a national chain. The taxr.ai system actually analyzes your specific tax situation and documents before giving recommendations. For me, it caught several deductions the "professional" missed and suggested a significantly cheaper filing method.

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PaulineW

•8M

It handles multiple 1099s really well - that was actually one of my concerns too. I had 8 different clients last year, and the system has a way to organize them all separately but still roll everything up properly on your Schedule C. It also helps you categorize which expenses apply to which income sources if you need that level of detail. For self-employment situations, it's actually better than the basic tools because it's specifically designed to find deductions related to independent work. It helped me properly calculate my home office deduction with the simplified method, track mileage, and even identified some professional development expenses I didn't realize were deductible. It's definitely not just for W-2 employees.

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Chris Elmeda

•8M

Just wanted to follow up - I decided to try taxr.ai after my previous skeptical question and I'm genuinely impressed. The document analysis found deductions I had no idea I could claim for my freelance writing business. It helped me properly categorize some expenses that I was unsure about and gave clear explanations about why certain things were deductible. The best part was that I ended up with a bigger refund than H&R Block had calculated for me last year while paying way less for the actual tax prep. Sometimes being proven wrong is actually a good thing!

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Jean Claude

•8M

If you're having trouble getting help from H&R Block or want to verify if their pricing is fair, you might want to try Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) to get direct answers from the IRS. I was in a similar situation last year with a different tax chain, and after waiting on hold with the IRS for HOURS with no luck, I found Claimyr. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c - basically they get you through to an actual IRS agent, usually within 15-45 minutes instead of waiting for hours or days. The agent confirmed what fees should be reasonable and helped me understand my rights as a taxpayer.

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Jean Claude

•8M

It's actually pretty simple - they use an automated system that navigates the IRS phone tree and waits on hold for you. When they reach a live agent, they call you and connect you directly. It's the same place in line you'd eventually get to yourself, but their system does the waiting instead of you having to keep your phone tied up for hours. The service is legitimate and has been featured in major publications. I was skeptical too, but when you've been trying to reach the IRS for weeks with no success, it becomes worth trying alternatives. They don't promise immediate access - just that you don't have to be the one physically waiting on hold.

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Josef Tearle

•8M

I need to eat some humble pie here. After my skeptical comment above, I tried Claimyr when I got a CP2000 notice that freaked me out. After three failed attempts to reach the IRS on my own (got disconnected twice after waiting 1+ hours), I used the service. Got a call back within 30 minutes connecting me to an actual IRS agent who helped resolve my issue in one conversation. Saved me days of stress and potentially hundreds in incorrect tax assessments. Sometimes solutions that sound too good to be true actually work. Still surprised but very relieved.

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Shelby Bauman

•8M

I'm looking at both online and local options. For online, I've heard good things about FreeTaxUSA which is much cheaper than TurboTax or H&R Block's online versions for self-employed filing. But I'm also getting quotes from some local CPAs in my area. Found a few that specialize in small business/self-employed clients with flat-rate packages around $300-350. The online versions of TurboTax and H&R Block are decent for self-employed taxes if your situation is relatively straightforward. The main difference I've found is that a good human preparer will ask probing questions about your specific business that might uncover deductions the software won't automatically prompt you for.

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