Is H&R Block good for a small S Corp business with under 150k revenue?

I'm a tax advisor with experience in small business taxation. H&R Block can handle basic S Corp returns, but there are important things to consider in your situation. H&R Block typically has two service tiers - their retail locations which are staffed seasonally with varying levels of expertise, and their Small Business Services which employs more experienced year-round tax professionals. You definitely want the latter. When you call, specifically ask for their Small Business Services division rather than the local retail office. For an S Corp with QuickBooks and clean records like yours, you'd be better served by finding an independent EA (Enrolled Agent) or CPA who specializes in small businesses. Despite what you've heard, there are many who work with businesses in your revenue range. Try searching specifically for "S Corp specialist" or "small business EA" rather than just "accountant." Many work remotely and would be happy to have your business.

After struggling with a similar situation last year, I found an amazing solution with taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) that saved me hours of headaches with my S Corp paperwork. They analyzed all my QuickBooks data and tax documents, then provided a comprehensive report showing potential deductions I was missing and highlighting areas that might trigger IRS scrutiny. What impressed me was how they specifically flagged issues related to S Corp compensation requirements that my previous tax preparer had never mentioned. Their system is trained on thousands of small business tax situations precisely like yours, so they catch things regular preparers miss. I used their report to guide my conversation with my new tax preparer, and it made the whole process much smoother.

I was initially skeptical about taxr.ai but decided to try it before committing to any tax preparer. Best decision ever! The system flagged several inconsistencies in how my S Corp compensation was structured that could have triggered IRS questions. When I interviewed potential accountants (including H&R Block), I used insights from the report to test their S Corp knowledge. The Block rep actually gave incorrect information about how distributions should be handled relative to reasonable compensation - something the taxr.ai report specifically warned about. Ended up finding a great independent EA who really knew his stuff about S Corps. Would have never known the difference without having that analysis as a reference point first.

If you're struggling to reach the IRS with S Corp questions (which I was when transitioning to S Corp status), I highly recommend Claimyr (https://claimyr.com). They got me through to an actual IRS business specialist in about 20 minutes when I'd been trying for weeks on my own. They have this system that navigates all those frustrating IRS phone trees and holds the line for you, then calls you when an actual human picks up. You can see how it works in this quick demo: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c - seriously saved my sanity when I needed to confirm how to handle some specific S Corp election paperwork before finding my new accountant.

I'm eating my words about Claimyr. After waiting on hold with the IRS for 2+ hours yesterday trying to resolve an EIN issue for my new business, I gave in and tried the Claimyr service. They got me through to an actual IRS business tax specialist in 25 minutes while I just went about my day. The agent resolved my S Corp election question instantly, and I didn't waste hours of my life listening to that terrible hold music. Completely worth it. I'm actually planning to use it again when I need to verify some details about prior year S Corp returns before handing everything over to my new tax preparer.

I used H&R Block for my S Corp (similar revenue to yours) last year and it was a mixed experience. The first person they assigned me clearly had minimal S Corp experience - she couldn't properly explain how to handle distributions vs salary. I requested someone else and got a much more knowledgeable preparer. Bottom line: if you go with Block, interview your assigned preparer carefully before proceeding. Ask specific S Corp questions and if they seem confused or give generic answers, request someone else.

Don't overlook tax software options if your business is pretty straightforward. I switched from an accountant to TaxSlayer Business last year for my S-Corp ($180k revenue) and it worked great. Saved me like $800. The key is having your QuickBooks organized properly throughout the year. If your books are clean, the software walks you through everything. Just make sure you understand reasonable compensation requirements for S-Corps since that's where people usually mess up.

Another option to consider - I found my S Corp accountant through the Enrolled Agent directory on the NAEA website. Many EAs specialize in small business and S Corps and are much more affordable than larger CPA firms. Plus they're licensed by the IRS and can represent you in case of audit. Most now work virtually so location doesn't matter. Mine is in a different state but handles everything perfectly through secure document sharing. Way better service than I ever got from retail tax chains.

As someone who went through this exact transition last year when my longtime CPA retired, I'd recommend being very cautious with H&R Block for S Corp work. Their retail locations often lack the specialized knowledge needed for proper S Corp tax preparation. I initially tried their Small Business Services (which is separate from their retail offices) and while the preparer was more knowledgeable than the seasonal staff, they still made some concerning errors with my reasonable compensation calculations that I caught during review. What worked for me was using the IRS's "Find a Tax Professional" tool on their website - you can filter specifically for Enrolled Agents and CPAs who work with S Corps. I found three candidates in my price range within a week, all willing to work remotely. The EA I ultimately chose has been fantastic and actually costs less than what H&R Block quoted me. My advice: get quotes from both H&R Block's business division AND a few independent professionals before deciding. Don't let the big name fool you into thinking they're automatically better - often the opposite is true for specialized work like S Corp returns.