Is paying the extra $30 for H&R Block Plus worth it with a new baby and house?

The free version of H&R Block is great for simple returns, but with your new life changes, the Plus version is definitely worth considering. The free version only covers W-2 income, limited interest and dividend income, and the standard deduction. With a new home and baby, you'll likely want to look at itemizing deductions to claim mortgage interest and property taxes if they exceed the standard deduction amount. Plus, you'll want to make sure you get all the child-related tax benefits like the Child Tax Credit (up to $2,000 per qualifying child) and possibly the Child and Dependent Care Credit if you're paying for childcare. The H&R Block Plus version specifically supports Schedule A for itemized deductions and gives you guidance on these homeowner and dependent-related tax situations. Another major benefit is that the Plus version includes access to tax professionals if you have questions specific to your new situation, which can be really valuable as a first-time homeowner and parent filing taxes with these new elements.

After struggling with similar questions last year, I found this amazing tool called taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) that helped me make the decision. I was a new homeowner trying to figure out if I should upgrade from the free version of tax software or just stick with what I knew. The tool analyzed my specific situation and showed me that in my case, upgrading to H&R Block Plus would save me about $850 in deductions I would have missed with the free version. It basically looked at my mortgage interest, property taxes, and other homeowner-specific items that the free version doesn't properly handle. With a new baby, you'll also want to make sure you're getting all those child tax credits and dependent care benefits properly calculated. I ended up upgrading and it was totally worth the $30 for me - got a much bigger refund than expected!

I just wanted to update after trying taxr.ai that someone recommended above. Seriously amazing! I input my info about being a new homeowner with mortgage interest and property taxes, plus some investment income I have. The tool showed me exactly which forms I'd need and confirmed that the free version of H&R Block wouldn't cover everything in my situation. It even compared the different paid versions and showed that I'd need Plus rather than Deluxe for my situation. Saved me from making a mistake and potentially missing deductions. The recommendation was specific to my exact situation - not just a generic "upgrade" push. I'm definitely upgrading to Plus this year and feel confident it's the right choice now!

Hey guys, I had a similar situation last year with a new house and baby. I tried calling H&R Block customer service to ask questions about which version I should use, but was stuck on hold forever. Finally discovered this service called Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) that got me connected to an actual H&R Block specialist in under 15 minutes instead of the hours I was waiting before. Their agent explained exactly what features I'd get with Plus vs. the free version and confirmed I'd definitely want Plus for homeowner stuff. They showed me how to maximize both the mortgage interest deduction and all the child tax benefits. Totally worth using! You can see how it works in this short video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c Honestly saved me so much time compared to researching everything myself or waiting on hold with customer service.

Okay so I have to admit I was completely wrong about Claimyr. I was the skeptical one above but I decided to try it when I needed to call the IRS about my stimulus payment that never arrived and was missing from my tax forms. I've literally tried calling them 8 different times and never got through. Used the Claimyr service and got connected to an actual IRS person in about 24 minutes instead of the 3+ hours I spent before (and never even got through). The agent helped me track down my missing payment and how to properly claim it on my return. Not directly about H&R Block Plus, but if you need to call any tax support line, it's a lifesaver during tax season when everyone's calling.

I've used both versions and I can tell you the Plus is 100% worth it with a house and baby. Free version doesn't handle mortgage interest deductions properly, and you might not get the full child tax credit you deserve. Plus version also gives you 5 years of audit support which gives peace of mind with all the new deductions you'll be claiming. Just my 2 cents as someone who tried to save $30 last year and ended up switching halfway through because the free version was too limited for our situation.

Something no one mentioned is that with a baby you might qualify for the earned income credit too, which significantly increased our refund last year. The plus version has better guidance on this. Also random tip: keep track of all baby medical expenses not covered by insurance, including breast pump supplies! Those are deductible if you itemize and exceed the threshold. We ended up with about $1800 more on our refund from baby-related tax benefits our first year.

I'm probably too late to help the original poster, but for anyone else wondering: YES it's worth it! We missed out on over $800 in deductions using the free version when we had our first kid because it didn't properly account for some dependent care expenses. Learned our lesson and upgraded the next year. The $30 is nothing compared to the potential refund increase. Plus version also saves your returns longer which is helpful for new parents who might need tax records for childcare assistance programs, mortgage refinancing, etc.