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Two Stocks to Buy for Tax Prep Season
Tax time is almost here again—and like it or not, it creates one of the more predictable seasonal demand cycles in the market.
Every year, households, freelancers, and small businesses face the same reality: tax deadlines do not move based on how busy life gets, how volatile markets are, or how complicated income streams have become. And when the filing window opens, a significant share of taxpayers decide they would rather pay for simplicity and peace of mind than risk costly errors.
That is why tax preparation is such a reliable seasonal industry. Whether the economy is expanding or slowing, people still need to file. The IRS’s own guidance confirms that for the 2025 tax return, the due date is April 15, 2026 (with the usual rules for weekends/holidays and disaster-area extensions).
This recurring calendar creates a recognizable pattern:
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Engagement rises in late January and February as tax documents arrive and filing opens.
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Demand accelerates into March and early April as deadlines approach.
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Many tax-focused businesses see heightened activity, stronger revenue capture, and increased customer interaction during the peak window.
For investors, that seasonal behavior can translate into opportunity—especially when the underlying businesses are high quality and the stocks have room to run.
Below are two of the most direct ways to gain exposure to tax prep season.
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Company: H&R Block (SYM: HRB)
A classic tax-season play with shareholder returns
Current price: about $42.36
H&R Block is one of the most recognizable brands in tax preparation, with a large assisted-filing footprint and a growing set of digital and hybrid offerings.
Why HRB tends to benefit this time of year
Tax season demand often follows a “funnel” dynamic. Many taxpayers start with the intention of doing it themselves, then pivot to professional help when they encounter:
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capital gains and multi-broker statements
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side income (1099s), freelancing, or multiple states
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dependent and credit eligibility questions
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prior-year issues or IRS notices
Those realities tend to surface as filing ramps—creating a seasonal lift for service providers with scale and a trusted brand.
The investor appeal: seasonality + capital returns
HRB is also attractive because it combines seasonal revenue strength with shareholder-friendly capital allocation.
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The company has highlighted that it has paid quarterly dividends consecutively since it became public in 1962.
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Most recently, H&R Block declared a $0.42 quarterly cash dividend, payable January 6, 2026, to shareholders of record as of December 4, 2025.
That matters for investors who want more than just price appreciation. Even if the stock moves sideways for part of the year, a consistent dividend can improve total-return outcomes—particularly when paired with seasonal upside.
What to watch into April
If you are treating HRB as a “tax season trade” (rather than a permanent holding), watch for:
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early season filing volumes and client retention trends
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digital adoption and assisted-channel share changes
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marketing intensity and pricing actions
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any commentary about refund timing or IRS processing friction that could affect consumer behavior
Also, be realistic: a seasonal pattern is not a guarantee. But HRB has a business model that naturally aligns with the calendar, and it has historically positioned itself to monetize peak demand.
Risk considerations
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consumer sentiment can affect paid add-ons and premium service uptake
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competitive pressure from software and free/low-cost alternatives can influence pricing
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seasonality cuts both ways—after the filing window, activity normalizes quickly
Current price: about $544.00
Intuit is best known to consumers through TurboTax, but the company’s ecosystem extends far beyond annual filing. It also includes QuickBooks and other financial tools that create deep, recurring relationships with small businesses and self-employed customers.
That “ecosystem” positioning is important: tax season is not just a one-time event for Intuit—it is a high-engagement period that can drive:
Why Intuit tends to be a tax-season beneficiary
Software tends to scale with fewer incremental costs than human-intensive services. And as tax complexity rises (gig work, side hustles, brokerage statements, crypto reporting, multiple income streams), the convenience of guided software and integrated financial tools becomes more valuable.
Intuit itself provides dividend information through its investor relations site, reflecting a shareholder-return component even though the stock is typically owned more for growth than yield.
Why this can be a strong “quality seasonal” name
INTU is a higher-priced stock, but investors often treat it as a quality compounder because:
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it has high customer engagement during the filing window
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it benefits from the long-term shift toward digital financial workflows
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it has diversified revenue drivers beyond tax
In other words, even if your focus is “tax prep season,” you are not buying a single-season business. You are buying a platform that can compound through multiple cycles—tax filing, bookkeeping, payroll, payments, and financial management.
What to watch into April
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TurboTax user engagement trends and conversion rates
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any changes in IRS programs or filing pathways that affect consumer behavior (for example, shifts in free filing availability)
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broader small-business activity indicators (relevant to QuickBooks)
Recent reporting has noted changes in the free-filing landscape for the 2026 season, with the IRS emphasizing the Free File program and other alternatives as certain options evolve. This does not automatically harm Intuit, but it is the type of policy/availability change that can influence consumer behavior at the margin—especially among lower-income filers.
Risk considerations
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valuation sensitivity: quality software can sell off hard if growth expectations reset
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regulatory and reputational risk: tax software is frequently scrutinized in the media and by policymakers
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competition: the category is crowded, and consumer price sensitivity can rise in weaker economic periods
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