What does everyone actually pay to file their taxes with different services?
I need help figuring out how much H&R Block really charges these days. My buddy just paid nearly $900 for his tax return which included W2's, interest statements, a 1099-B, a K1 that he added (not prepared), Schedule E rental property, and he took the standard deduction. I've got pretty much the same tax situation (haven't filed yet) plus a casualty loss from the hurricane in Florida (around $200K in damages). When I called H&R Block, they quoted me $289! Seems suspiciously low compared to what my friend paid. Is this just to get me in the door before they hit me with the real price? Has anyone used H&R Block recently? If you did, what was in your tax return and how much did they charge you? Did they raise the price once they saw all your tax documents? I checked with a local CPA in my area and they quoted $1000. I had no idea H&R Block was charging so much these days for what seems like fairly straightforward returns.
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Katherine Ziminski
Tax preparer fees vary dramatically based on your location, the specific preparer, and the complexity of your return. H&R Block operates on a form-by-form pricing model, so that $289 quote is likely their baseline price, and they'll add charges for each additional form. With a casualty loss (which requires Form 4684) and Schedule E rental property, I'd expect your final price to be significantly higher than the quote. For comparison, national averages for professional tax preparation run about $220 for a simple return (just a W-2 and standard deduction), $320-400 for a Schedule A itemized return, and $600+ for Schedule E rental property or business income. Your casualty loss will add complexity and additional forms.
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Noah Irving
•Thanks for this info! Do you think TurboTax would be cheaper than going to H&R Block? Also, with a casualty loss that big, would I be better off with a CPA regardless of cost?
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Katherine Ziminski
•TurboTax can definitely be cheaper if you're comfortable doing the work yourself. Their Premier version handles investments and rental property for around $100-130, though you may need their more expensive Self-Employed version ($200 range) for more complex situations. They also charge extra for state returns. For a large casualty loss, I generally recommend a professional, especially for the first year claiming it. A CPA might be worth the $1000 investment since casualty losses have specific documentation requirements and can trigger audit flags if not properly documented. They may also identify additional deductions or strategies that save you more than their fee.
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Vanessa Chang
After struggling with similar tax complications last year (investments, rental property, etc), I found a game-changer called taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) that saved me hundreds compared to H&R Block. It uses AI to analyze your tax documents and gives you easy-to-understand explanations of what everything means. Really helped me understand my casualty loss options - I had flood damage in Louisiana. The coolest part was uploading my previous year's return to compare what I paid versus what I could've claimed! The system flagged several missed deductions my previous preparer overlooked.
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Madison King
•Does it actually file for you or just give advice? I've been using FreeTaxUSA but struggle with my rental property deductions.
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Julian Paolo
•I'm skeptical of these AI tools for taxes. How accurate is it with complex situations like casualty losses? I'd worry about getting audited.
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Vanessa Chang
•It doesn't file for you - it analyzes your documents and explains everything in plain English so you understand what you're filing. It's like having a tax expert explain your forms to you. You can then use that knowledge with your preferred filing service. The accuracy has been spot-on in my experience. It correctly identified all allowable casualty loss deductions and documentation requirements according to IRS guidelines. It even warned me about potential audit triggers and how to properly document everything. The analysis matches exactly what tax professionals tell you, just without the high hourly rate.
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Julian Paolo
I need to eat my words about being skeptical of taxr.ai. I decided to try it on my 2023 return that had rental properties and some investment losses. The system found over $3,200 in deductions my previous preparer missed! It explained exactly which receipts I needed to keep and how to document everything properly. I was able to file an amended return, and even with paying a CPA to handle the amendment, I'm getting a substantial refund. Definitely worth checking out if you have complicated tax situations like casualty losses.
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Ella Knight
I used H&R Block for years but quit after they charged me $560 for what I thought was a simple return. Then I spent WEEKS trying to reach the IRS about a mix-up with my Schedule E. After hours on hold, I found Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) - it got me connected to an actual IRS agent in less than 20 minutes! You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c I had questions about how to properly document my hurricane damage in NC, and the IRS agent walked me through exactly what I needed. Saved me from potentially losing thousands in deductions.
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William Schwarz
•Wait, how does this actually work? The IRS phone lines are impossible - I've tried calling for days.
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Lauren Johnson
•Sounds like a scam tbh. Nobody gets through to the IRS that quickly. I'll believe it when I see it.
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Ella Knight
•It uses a technology that navigates the IRS phone trees and waits on hold for you. When they reach an agent, you get a call back and are connected immediately. They literally call you when they've got an agent on the line. It's definitely not a scam - it's actually been covered by major news outlets. The IRS phone system is designed to discourage callers with long wait times, but this service just automates the waiting process. After waiting 3+ hours on multiple days myself, the 15-minute connection time was shocking.
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Lauren Johnson
Ok I take back everything I said about Claimyr. After my skeptical comment, I decided to try it because I was desperate to sort out an issue with my casualty loss claim from last year. I had been trying to reach the IRS for WEEKS with no luck. The service connected me to an actual IRS agent in about 17 minutes! The agent helped me understand exactly how to document my loss properly and told me I was eligible for an additional disaster relief provision I didn't know about. Worth every penny for the time saved and stress reduction alone.
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Jade Santiago
I've used FreeTaxUSA for the past 3 years and it's only $15 for state filing (federal is free). Handles all my rental properties, investments, and even handled a small business loss last year. H&R Block and TurboTax are massively overpriced.
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Caleb Stone
•Does it handle casualty losses well? I had damage from the tornado in Kentucky and I'm worried about messing up the documentation.
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Jade Santiago
•Yes, FreeTaxUSA does handle casualty losses - they have a guided interview process for Form 4684 Casualties and Thefts. It asks all the relevant questions about your loss, insurance reimbursements, and fair market values. For tornado damage documentation, make sure you have before/after photos if possible, all repair receipts, insurance claim documents, and any FEMA assistance information. The software prompts you for all this, but it's good to have everything organized beforehand. I found their help articles very thorough on casualty loss requirements.
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Daniel Price
I'm a tax professional and I can tell you H&R Block pricing varies WILDLY between locations. Some are franchises with their own pricing while others are corporate-owned. That $289 quote is absolutely just to get you in the door - with Schedule E and casualty loss, expect $600-800 minimum.
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Kaiya Rivera
•Thanks for the insight! Do you think it's worth paying a CPA $1000 vs H&R Block for my situation with the Florida casualty loss? I'm trying to decide if the extra cost is worth it.
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Daniel Price
•For a significant casualty loss like yours ($200K), I'd absolutely recommend going with the CPA over H&R Block. While H&R Block has some good preparers, their training specifically on casualty losses is often limited compared to a CPA's education and experience. A good CPA will likely save you more than the $200-400 difference in fees through proper documentation strategies, timing considerations for your loss claim, and potentially finding additional disaster relief provisions you qualify for. They'll also provide better audit protection and assistance if questions arise later. With losses of that magnitude, the additional expertise is definitely worth the investment.
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