H&R Block is a leading provider of tax preparation services in the United States and internationally, renowned for making tax filing accessible to millions of individuals and small businesses. Founded in 1955 in Kansas City, Missouri, by brothers Henry W. Bloch and Richard Bloch, the company began as a small business services firm called United Business, offering bookkeeping and tax preparation as a courtesy to clients[1][4]. Recognizing the growing demand for tax help after the IRS ceased free preparation services, the Blochs pivoted to focus exclusively on tax preparation, rebranding as H&R Block (intentionally misspelling their last name)[1][2]. This shift proved transformative: within a year, revenue more than tripled, and the company quickly became a household name[3][5]. A key to H&R Block’s rapid growth was the introduction of the franchise model in 1956, allowing for national expansion without requiring the founders to relocate[3][7]. The company went public in 1962, fueling further growth and diversification[1][2]. By the late 1960s, H&R Block had thousands of offices across the U.S. and was preparing millions of tax returns annually[4][6]. The 1980s and 1990s saw strategic acquisitions, including CompuServe and tax software company MECA (TaxCut), positioning H&R Block as a competitor in both retail tax services and consumer software[1][2]. More recently, the 2019 acquisition of Wave Financial expanded its offerings to include small business financial software and services[1]. Today, H&R Block operates over 10,000 offices in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and the U.K., and continues to innovate with digital tax solutions, online filing, and mobile apps[4][8]. For the fiscal year ending April 2024, the company reported revenues of $3.5 billion, underscoring its enduring scale and relevance