How to use H&R Block to file your taxes for free in 2018

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• H&R Block offers a free online tax filing service for eligible taxpayers.
• Tax season officially begins January 29, with a final deadline of April 17 this year.
• The IRS recommends e-filing your taxes and requesting your refund via direct deposit.
• Business Insider decided to try the free version of H&R Block's service.

The end of tax season is right around the corner. 

Americans have until April 17 to file their 2017 taxes. While the new GOP tax plan signed by President Trump in December is the law of the land, the changes won't affect your tax return this year. The new tax brackets will only affect income earned starting January 1, 2018. 

If your income was less than $66,000 in 2017, many online tax services offer the option to file for your federal taxes — and sometimes state taxes — for free. You can check your options using the IRS Free File Lookup tool.

The IRS also says the fastest way to get your tax refund is the method already used by most taxpayers: filing electronically and selecting direct deposit as the method for receiving your refund. Your refund should hit your bank account within three weeks of filing online. Often, you'll get your money even faster.

H&R Block is one such tax company offering free services to eligible taxpayers. Its website estimates its clients "prepared more than 7.4 million tax returns" using its digital services in 2016.

I decided to check it out to see how it works and report.

Keep in mind, I didn't actually file my taxes. I just went through the motions, to get a better feel for H&R Block.

Here's how it works:

When you get to H&R Block's homepage, you're presented with a few different options. I went for the online-only service that allows you to file for free.

H&R Block won't make you set up an account right away, if you don't want to.

I chose not to, for the purposes of this article. Plus, I'm not quite ready to file my taxes for real, just yet.

See Also:

• I tried 11 websites that let you file your taxes online for free — here's the verdict
• A hedge-fund manager owes $1 billion in taxes after a loophole catastrophically closed
• What Americans pay in state income taxes, ranked from highest to lowest

SEE ALSO: Here's a look at what the new income tax brackets mean for every type of taxpayer

DON'T MISS: H&R Block's tax calculator will estimate your refund for this year and next year — and it takes less than 5 minutes