H&R Block’s new Self-Employed product integrates Stride’s tax app, talks business, delivers value and expertise

Stride partnership makes tracking expenses, discovering deductions and preparing returns easier for self-employed taxpayers


KANSAS CITY, Mo., Jan. 05, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- H&R Block (NYSE:HRB) is adding a new Self-Employed product designed specifically for the estimated 60 million freelancers, independent contractors, and other self-employed taxpayers. Self-Employed integrates the mobile expense tracking app Stride Tax, and joins H&R Block More Zero℠, Deluxe and Premium in the H&R Block Online DIY product lineup.

“In addition to other enhancements to H&R Block’s tax season 2018 products, we are excited to introduce a new product to address the ever-growing needs of self-employed taxpayers,” said Heather Watts, senior vice president and general manager of digital at H&R Block. “We're also partnering with Stride, the leading provider of software and services for self-employed individuals, giving our clients the ability to easily track expenses and lower their tax bill.”

Self-Employed

H&R Block’s online Self-Employed product makes personalized recommendations, and asks questions about different types of income, startup costs and expenses. It is specifically designed for self-employed workers and small business owners who file Schedule C; Schedule C-EZ for filers with simple earnings and expenses is included in the Premium online product. These are among the tax/financial situations for which Self-Employed clients will find support:

  • Income from 1099-MISC, 1099-K, receipts and sales
  • Business expenses – advertising, legal fees, employee wages, business insurance, cleaning expenses, day care expenses, etc.
  • Cash or accrual accounting method
  • Inventory
  • Net gain or loss
  • Employees
  • Depreciation – vehicles and other equipment
  • Home office – utilities, mortgage interest, real estate taxes, etc.
  • Prior-year, unallowed passive activity losses.

“The H&R Block/Stride partnership will enable self-employed clients who use Stride and H&R Block to easily track and import their expenses into the H&R Block Online DIY tax products, making claiming them as tax deductions seamless,” Watts said.

Stride Tax

Stride Tax automates mileage tracking and helps clients discover tax deductions unique to their profession. Stride Tax will integrate into H&R Block Self-Employed to make the filing process even easier and helps insure users don’t miss any potential deductions they are entitled to.

“Stride is on a mission to help people who work for themselves be more productive and successful,” said Noah Lang, co-founder and CEO of Stride Health, Inc. “By partnering with H&R Block, we’re helping those people file their taxes faster and more accurately, and discover new ways to save on their tax bill. This means they’ll have more time and money to reinvest in their self-employed business.”

The Stride Tax app is available for iPhone and Android. H&R Block Online DIY products and the mobile tax prep app for tax season 2018 are live at hrblock.com, and in the Apple and Google Play stores.

H&R Block Online DIY products include the capability to import W-2s by taking a picture with a smartphone or tablet, and with “drag and drop” it is easier than ever to import a prior year tax return done by any tax preparer, and many other tax-related documents. Additionally, online DIY taxpayers can easily move from one device to another while preparing their return and pick up where they left off. Robust self-help features, and technical and tax support via chat can help H&R Block DIY clients feel confident as they prepare their tax return.

All H&R Block Online DIY products come with maximum refund and 100 percent accuracy guarantees. Taxpayers may visit https://www.hrblock.com/online-tax-filing/ to access H&R Block Online DIY products.

About H&R Block
H&R Block, Inc. (NYSE:HRB) is a global consumer tax services provider. Tax return preparation services are provided by professional tax preparers in approximately 12,000 company-owned and franchise retail tax offices worldwide, and through H&R Block tax software products for the DIY consumer. H&R Block also offers adjacent Tax Plus products and services. In fiscal 2017, H&R Block had annual revenues of over $3 billion with 23 million tax returns prepared worldwide. For more information, visit the H&R Block Newsroom.

About Stride Health, Inc.
Stride is the leader in providing software for people who work for themselves. The company’s health insurance recommendation engine is used by the world’s largest on-demand economy marketplace platforms including Uber, Etsy, TaskRabbit, Postmates, Care.com, and others. Based in San Francisco and launched in early 2014, the company is venture-backed by leading health and consumer finance firms including Venrock, New Enterprise Associates, and F-Prime Capital Partners.

For Further Information
Susan Waldron, 816-854-5522, susan.waldron@hrblock.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/2084a91e-90bf-4c4b-a175-d373f2cab7c9

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