H&R Block’s loss was do-it-yourself tax preparers’ gain. While the nation’s largest tax preparation company said the number of returns it prepared through April 15 fell 4.9%, the IRS reported that the number of e-filed returns submitted by individual taxpayers rose 19% from last year.
Over at TurboTax, sales jumped 10% through the end of tax season. The growth all came from online tax software as desktop software sales fell 2%.
H&R Block’s returns rose 2.6 percent, while returns prepared through the Free File Alliance rose 4.7%. Free File provided basic federal tax software at no charge to taxpayers who earned less than $57,000 in 2009.
While tax season has come and come, it’s never too late—or too early—to learn more about online tax software. Head over to www.Tax-Compare.com and check out reviews of popular online tax companies and read through tax resources, such as a handy tax glossary, IRS tax forms, and important tax dates.
