Tax filings today are very complicated compared to just 25, 30 years ago. Being retired and having only one source of income plus my social security is a major job and the H&R Block software makes it much easier. It constantly updates my State return as I enter my numbers for my Federal return. Being in my 80's it assures me that my returns are correct.
Pros: Easy to prepare, Maximizes refund, Easy to import documents, Fast
I love the H & R Block tax software because it offers a lot of help during the whole process of doing your taxes. It’s easy to do and It double checks the work you did while offering support throughout. It’s a win-win.
A good software tool except there are too many manipulative enticements to spend more money. For instance they want me to submit this review BEFORE I get to answer questions like "Would you recommend this product to a friend?". I just demoted my score from a 4 to a 3.
I have been using this Deluxe + state version for over 12 years now, and on the whole, I am somewhat satisfied with it. Although it does a fairly good job of guiding the user through the process, there are areas where guidance/explanations are woefully inadequate and just as tortuous and puzzling as the language used by the IRS. That's frustrating and annoying: if I had wanted to wade through the original arcane literature of the IRS, I would have gone that route and not bought the software. I can file a return without the help of tax software. I buy the software for the convenience, speed, and guidance where IRS rules are hard to interpret. As a teacher, I know that repeating something again and again using the same words is not going to make it any clearer. Same here: provide explanations in lay terms and simple language. Not everyone is a tax accountant. Another drawback is the total cost of the software + the e-file fee for the state program.