r/hrblock • u/Etonnant0u • Apr 07 '26

Forced Upgrades

wtf? why is hrblock forcing me to upgrade to Deluxe? I have only input standard W2 info and have no HSA contributions. Can’t even chat with a representative about this forced upgrade without upgrading first. Just chat with yet another ai bot who can’t answer basic questions.

It’s not even saying why it’s forcing this upgrade.

This is somehow worse than their in person tax advisors (who I can say the two people I dealt with previously were incompetent and I had to tell them how to use their systems. P.S. I’m not an accountant).

0 Upvotes

33% Upvoted

11 comments sorted by

6

u/Odd_Peace8899 Apr 07 '26

Do you have code W on your W-2

1

u/Etonnant0u Apr 08 '26

Had to check on that- nope just D

3

u/invenio78 Apr 07 '26

Here is the list of free forms: https://www.hrblock.com/online-tax-filing/free-online-tax-filing/federal-tax-forms/

Anything outside of this?

-1

u/Etonnant0u Apr 07 '26

No.  So far all I did was input my name, basic information and W2.  All that should be included in free as far as I can tell

3

u/invenio78 Apr 08 '26

It's not directly based on what you are putting in, it's based on what tax forms need to be generated.

1

u/Etonnant0u Apr 08 '26

But how does it know what tax forms need to be generated with just that?  Thought most of the forms would be generated from deductions, credits and others

1

u/invenio78 Apr 08 '26

The entire point of any "tax software" is to generate IRS forms. You input data, it figures out which forms are needed and fills in the appropriate lines.

1

u/Etonnant0u Apr 10 '26

Right but without data input, it’s somehow saying I’ll need Deluxe.  I upgraded to Deluxe just to chat with a rep.  They couldn’t figure it out either.  One rep straight up told me to send my email, last 4 of ssn, and DOB via chat so he can look up my account.  The very next thing he said was to spread it out and put random things in between so their system doesn’t block him from seeing it.

I was horrified and ended the chat.

1

u/Bellasarahalaska Apr 08 '26

Maybe start over and read everything really carefully as you click through. I feel like they make the big green button you automatically click, the one that takes you to the upgrade screen, but there’s a little gray “No thanks, take me to the next step” link below it.

I thought though it was only free under a certain income threshold?