One Season at H&R Block Is All the Training You Need

2026-07-08

Last reviewed: July 9, 2026. This article reflects current IRS rules and EA exam requirements as of this date.

The fastest way to learn tax preparation is to prepare tax returns. Not study them. Prepare them. Real clients. Real deadlines. Real consequences.

One season at H&R Block or a similar volume shop gives you more practical training than any textbook ever will. Here's why.

What You Actually Learn in One Season

You learn what clients actually have. Not the idealized scenarios in study materials. The real stuff: W-2s with handwritten corrections, 1099s from three different gig platforms, divorce decrees that mention dependents but don't specify who claims them, rental property owners who don't know what depreciation is.

You learn the software. Every volume shop uses professional tax software. You'll be faster by February than you were in January. By April, you'll be routing through returns without thinking about which screen comes next.

You learn the common problem areas. Schedule C. Earned Income Credit. Dependents with split custody. The things that trip people up. You see them so many times that the patterns become automatic. That pattern recognition is what separates experienced preparers from textbook learners.

You learn client handling. How to ask for missing documents without making people defensive. How to explain why their refund is smaller this year. How to tell someone they owe money without them crying at your desk. Textbooks don't teach this.

What You Need to Start

A PTIN. That's it. $18.75. Apply through the IRS Tax Pro account with ID.me verification. You're legally a paid tax preparer.

No degree. No experience. No prior tax knowledge beyond what Block trains you on. They hire seasonal preparers every year. The hiring window opens late summer for the January-April season.

If you've taken Block's Income Tax Course in a prior season, you don't need to retake it. Apply as a returning preparer. The ITC is basic but it covers what you need for a season of simple returns.

What One Season Doesn't Teach You

One season covers W-2s, standard deductions, basic credits, straightforward 1040s. You come out the other side competent on simple returns.

It does not cover complex returns. Schedule C with significant business expenses. Rental properties with depreciation. Multi-state returns. Capital gains. Prior-year amendments. These require year two in a real office — either your own, a family practice, or a more specialized firm.

That's fine. Year one is about volume and confidence. Year two is about depth. The progression works: Block season for the basics, then real office work for the complexity. By the end of year two, you're a credible preparer who can handle most returns that walk in the door.

The Path From Block to Your Own Practice

Many Block employees later open their own offices. The experience transfers directly. The software is the same industry standard. The client handling is the same. The only difference is the name on the door.

The practical path:

Get your PTIN. $18.75. Do it now.
Do a Block season. January through April. Full-time during tax season. Reduce your other hours.
Start studying for the EA. Part 1 overlaps most with what you just spent four months doing. Filing status, deductions, credits, dependents — you've seen these on real returns.
Work in a real office. A family practice, a small firm, or your own. Year two bridges simple returns to complex ones. Simple cases independently. Complex cases learned by watching.
Pass the EA exam. Three parts. Unlimited IRS representation rights. You now have a federal license and two seasons of real experience.

One season. Four months. That's the difference between someone who has studied tax and someone who has prepared returns. The textbook learner knows the rules in theory. The Block veteran has seen every variation of the rules in practice.

Start studying for the EA while you're working →