New H&R Block Study Shows Pandemic Has Increased Americans’ Willingness to Seek Help and Support

Pandemic impact

Dr. Rachel Goldman, a licensed psychologist and a clinical assistant professor at the New York University Grossman School of Medicine, added her expertise to the “Pulse on Help” study by H&R Block to share important messages about asking for help in 2022.

“The whole world has been forced to change their routines, how they work, what it looks like to live in a community, and much more. This state of change and routine disruption contributes to increased stress and accelerates the need to ask for help,” said Goldman. “Asking for help is a proactive - and acceptable - way to care for yourself and your family.”

Asking for Help is a Form of Self-Care According to the study, the pandemic has proven to be challenging on many levels and reaching out for help is perhaps the best gift people can give themselves. The vast majority (86%) agree that asking for help is a form of self-care, with more than a third (35%) strongly agreeing.

“Self-care is putting ourselves first, but not in a selfish way,” Goldman said. “Saying ‘no’ to things that are uncertain to us and taking it off our plate allows us to make time for other things to say ‘yes’ to, like spending time with family and taking time for ourselves to recharge.”

Self-care is more than facials and mani-pedis; it’s removing things from a never-ending to-do list to give yourself time to prioritize where to put your energy.

Financial concerns

H&R Block is Ready to Help to Millions of Americans Financial issues are the most common concern in this year. Nearly nine in 10 Americans (87%) have concerns heading into 2022, with financial concerns (46%) topping the list. Rounding out the Top 4 concerns include physical health (38%), emotional or mental health (32%), and employment (28%).

H&R Block understands help and is here to help at tax time. Some of the top changes that will impact many tax refunds this year include child tax credits, earned income tax credits and dependent care credits. H&R Block is uniquely positioned to help, with tax professionals in most communities throughout the country. With an average of 10+ years of experience, our tax professionals have the expertise to help clients with the tax implications of major live events such as job losses and changes, moving and selling homes, and starting your own business or side gig.

“From stimulus payments to child tax credits, it’s no small feat to figure out how that translates to your tax filing,” said Karen Orosco, president, global consumer tax and service delivery at H&R Block. “This is not the time to leave your tax refund to chance, especially with inflation rates rising and the ongoing volatility of our economy.”

When asking for help with taxes, there are many ways to file. With online, drop-off, and in-person services, H&R Block can work with clients wherever and however they prefer. People can easily upload tax documents using the company’s MyBlock mobile app, have a live video chat with an H&R Block tax pro, or simply drop off documents and complete the filing process online later. All methods have the mission of helping families complete their taxes in a stress-free and refund-maximizing manner.

The “Pulse on Help” study is based on research conducted by Wakefield Research among 1,000 U.S. adults between Dec. 21, 2021, and Jan. 4, 2022, using an email invitation and online survey.