Press Release Details

KANSAS CITY, Mo., Jan. 15 /PRNewswire/ -- Everyday spending and purchasing decisions can create tax implications for Americans. So why do so many of us put off thinking about our tax situation until April?

H&R Block's new book, "The Tax Planning Advisor," outlines year-round, easy-to-use steps that will save both time and money for taxpayers, regardless of the level of their paychecks or portfolios.

Published by Random House Reference, an imprint of Random House Inc., the "Tax Planning Advisor" is now available at most retail and online booksellers. It offers taxpayers a roadmap on how to save money by learning more about overlooked tax deductions, possible exemptions to tax credits, and advice on potential tax-audit triggers. A team of H&R Block professionals with expertise in a variety of tax areas wrote the book.

Each section includes real-life tax problems and solutions, definitions of important terms, and brief advice points for readers to follow. Readers will find charts, checklists and sidebars, plus a helpful "Fast Fact," "Smart Step" and "Plain Talk" feature in each chapter.

"The book offers actionable and straight-forward advice to consumers on how to implement their own year-round tax plan, said David Byers, senior vice president for H&R Block. "We want to educate taxpayers on how everyday spending and purchasing decisions may have tax consequences and, with a little guidance, reviewing their tax situation and applying steps throughout the year is easier than they may think."

Four additional books in the "H&R Block just plain smart series" will be published in 2003 and 2004 and will cover personal finance, retirement, home buying and investing.

The "Tax Planning Advisor" represents a significant departure from the "Income Tax Guide" H&R Block has published annually since 1966. Unlike the guide, which was designed to provide line-by-line instruction for tax form completion, the "Tax Planning Advisor," focuses on education and the benefits of a year-round plan.

There's a growing interest today in personal finance books, and the unique approach H&R Block has taken with this series -- translating complex information into common-sense, helpful advice -- fills a distinct need in this area of publishing," said Sheryl Stebbins, vice president, Random House Reference. "H&R Block is one of the country's best known and most enduring names in tax and financial services, so it's natural for people to turn to them for tax advice."

At 240 pages, the "Tax Planning Advisor" is designed to give readers easy access to what they need to know. The cost of the book is $14.95.

About H&R Block

H&R Block Inc. (NYSE: HRB) ( www.hrblock.com ) is a diversified company with subsidiaries that deliver tax services and financial advice, investment and mortgage products and services, and business accounting and consulting services. As the world's largest tax services company, H&R Block served nearly 23 million clients during fiscal year 2002. Clients were served at the approximately 10,400 H&R Block retail offices worldwide and through the company's award-winning software, TaxCut(R), and its online tax services. H&R Block is the only major tax and financial services company that focuses primarily on helping middle-income taxpayers achieve their financial goals. Investment services and securities products are offered through H&R Block Financial Advisors Inc., member NYSE, SIPC. H&R Block Inc. is not a registered broker-dealer. H&R Block Mortgage Corp. offers retail mortgage products. Option One Mortgage Corp. offers wholesale mortgage products and a wide range of mortgage services. RSM McGladrey Inc. serves mid-sized businesses with accounting, tax and consulting services.

About Random House Reference

Random House Reference is a leading publisher of dictionaries, thesauruses, and professional and general reference works. Random House Reference is a unit of the Random House Information Group, a division of Random House, Inc. and its parent company, Bertelsmann AG, one of the world's largest media companies. Today, with nearly 75 titles in print Random House Reference publishes branded reference products including the Random House Webster's Dictionaries, Random House Roget's College Thesaurus and Random House Treasury series. SOURCE H&R Block Inc.

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/NOTE TO EDITORS: For review copies, or interviews with the Tax Planning Advisor spokespersons, contact Jeanne Krier, Random House Reference Group, 212-539-1350./

/CONTACT: Janine Smiley of H&R Block, +1-816-932-4871; or Jeanne Krier of Random House Reference Group, +1-212-539-1350/