Tax season has arrived, and accountants everywhere are sharpening their pencils. Or, more likely, consumers everywhere are weighing whether to hire a personal accountant, buy tax preparation software or trust their taxes to a big-box accounting firm. Complex tax laws and a preference for online filing often drive consumers to choose tax preparation software to complete their taxes, but different tax preparation options can appeal to different audiences.

H&R Block Has Shifted Their Focus To More Robust Tax Tools

H&R Block boasts nearly 10,000 locations nationwide, has the benefit of strong name-recognition and offers the option of dropping your tax information at physical locations to be completed by tax preparers. In recent years, after closing several hundred physical locations, H&R Block has introduced new software products, including one that meets the demands of the gig economy. The new product is for people who are self-employed and includes an import of Uber driver tax information and full support for common tax situations that contractors and freelancers might encounter when filing. “By differentiating ourselves and demonstrating why we are the best choice for consumers, we will position H&R Block as a modern brand with momentum,” said Jeff Jones, CEO of H&R Block.

TurboTax Syncs With QuickBooks For More Turnkey Tax Prep

Turbo Tax is by far the biggest tax preparation software, with 40 million users, and the TurboTax “All People Are Tax People” campaign is a good example of the brand messaging TurboTax leans in to. No one’s taxes are too complicated for TurboTax, from astronaut to cactus deliveryman, anyone can do it with the help of the TurboTax guided Q&A and easy W-2 “snap and autofill” that lets consumers quickly import their W-2s with the snap of a picture.  TurboTax syncs with financial software Quickbooks, also owned by Intuit, making it ideal for small business owners who can easily pair the two products.

Walmart Has Partnered With Jackson Hewitt To Make Filing In Person Even Easier

Despite how many options there are for self-preparing taxes, some consumers prefer to leave their taxes with a tax preparer. Jackson Hewitt partners with Walmart to offer tax locations in Walmart stores, allowing customers to work one-on-one with tax preparers. “Our clients are Walmart customers, and that's why our relationship has been so important for more than 20 years,” said Alan D. Ferber, CEO of Jackson Hewitt. “Our customers get more because they can pop into a Walmart any time and get their taxes done – no appointment needed – while also doing their shopping. That's really convenient for our busy customers.”

Tax season is often a stressful, unwelcome time for many people. The ideal tax preparation service is going to make the process seem manageable, convenient and suited to the needs of the tax filer. More than 90% of Americans file their taxes online, so tax prep brands who want to win the hearts and minds of filers during tax season should seamlessly integrate with the preferences of consumers, offering easily syncing software, seamless document integration and products that meet the needs of their audiences.

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