Updated Checked by the Tax-Services.ca editorial team How we check
H&R Block fees in Canada aren’t something we can quote. We checked the CRA’s pages and they don’t set or list preparer prices, and we couldn’t confirm a fee schedule from any official source. So this page is about how tax preparation fees work, how to compare quotes and how to tell whether a fee is worth paying. We’re assuming you mean the well known tax preparation chain, and we make no claim about what it charges.
How do H&R Block fees in Canada get set?
Nobody regulates the price for you. The CRA says a tax preparer can be a firm, an organization, a discounter or another certified individual, and it says you pay “for a fee”. That’s all. Each office decides how to charge.
In practice, you’ll see three kinds of pricing. A flat price for a basic return. A price that climbs with the number of forms. Or an hourly rate for messy files. Which one applies to you is a question for the office, and the answer should be the same on the phone as at the desk.
What should a quote include?
Get the whole price before you give over a single slip. A fair quote answers the following.
- Is the price for one return or for the household?
- Which schedules and forms are included, and which cost extra?
- Is electronic filing included?
- Do you get a full copy of the return and the workings?
- What happens if the CRA reviews the return later?
- Is there a charge to amend a return you already filed?
The last two are where people get surprised. Whether support after filing costs extra is up to the office, so ask before you sign.
Is a refund advance the same as a fee?
No, and this is the one that catches people out. The CRA describes a discounter as a business that works out your expected refund and gives you one payment up front, before your return is filed. Any gap between that payment and the refund is a cost to you, and the contract should say how it’s worked out.
We haven’t confirmed the cost of any discounter or advance product, so we won’t put a number on it. Do the subtraction yourself. Find the expected refund in the tax refund calculator, then compare it with the cash you’d be handed.
How do you check whether the fee is worth it?
Start with what’s at stake. An Ontario employee on $60,000 pays about $9,250 in federal and Ontario income tax with only the basic personal amount claimed (our engine, 2026 rates). Your real figure is lower after credits. If your return is that simple, you’re paying someone to type in slips that the CRA already holds.
A fee can pay for itself in a complicated year. A rental property, a business, a move or a first year of capital gains are all examples. The rental income tax calculator and the self-employed tax calculator show how much is on the line. The self-employed tool lowers income tax with your deductions but not CPP, and it leaves out EI, so treat its answer as a first pass.
| Your situation | What to do first |
|---|---|
| Slips only, no business | Try the income tax calculator, then decide |
| Rental or self-employment income | Get two quotes and ask what each covers |
| Several years unfiled | Ask whether the office has handled old returns |
| Low income | Look at the CRA’s free tax clinic page before paying |
What if the price still looks high?
Then walk. You don’t owe an office your return because you phoned it. The CRA says your notice of assessment and any refund are usually processed within 2 weeks of filing, so a short delay while you compare prices costs you very little.
Low-income filers have another route. The CRA runs a free tax clinic program with volunteers. The income limits differ between CRA pages, so we’ve left out a dollar figure. Check the program page for the current rule.
Where the numbers come from
The description of preparers, EFILE, discounters and refund timing is from the Canada Revenue Agency’s page on using a professional tax preparer. The $60,000 example uses the 2026 federal and Ontario rates from the CRA’s payroll tables. We didn’t find an official source for preparer fees, and that’s why no fee appears here.
Frequently asked questions
Does the CRA set tax preparation fees?
No. Its page on preparers says you pay a fee but gives no amounts. Each firm sets its own.
Is a refund advance the same as a fee?
No. The CRA says a discounter pays you one amount before filing, based on your expected refund. The cost is the difference, so read the contract.
Can I file for free instead?
Many people can file with software on their own. The CRA also runs a free tax clinic program for eligible low-income filers, so check its current rules.
What should I ask about price first?
Ask what the price covers: which forms, electronic filing, a copy of your return and help if the CRA writes to you later.
How long until I get my refund?
The CRA says your notice of assessment and any refund are usually processed within 2 weeks.
- How to choose a tax preparer in Canada
How to decide if you need a tax preparer, what a preparer does, the questions to ask before you hire one and where to find free help in Canada
Information only. This page is general information, not tax, legal or accounting advice. Tax-Services.ca is an independent publisher: we don't prepare or file tax returns or offer tax services, and we have no connection with the CRA, Revenu Québec, any government or any company named on this page. Check the figures that matter with an official source or a qualified professional.