KANSAS CITY, Mo., Feb. 11, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In a move signaling its commitment to America's entrepreneurial future, H&R Block (NYSE:HRB) built a customized creator tool and is hosting an exclusive creator economy event in New York City to celebrate. H&R Block is unveiling a refreshed version of its tax filing platform now specifically designed to offer an easier way to file taxes for content creators across the country who are rewriting the rules of business and getting tangled in tax code.

The star of the show? Creator Suite, H&R Block's platform that finally treats content creation like the legitimate $250 billion business¹ it's grown to be. This suite of tools includes the DIY Online filing platform with prompts customized for creators to ensure they can file with success and ease, along with an online hub of resources. Creators also have access to payroll, bookkeeping and business formation services found with one convenient click of a button, and Spruce², a personal mobile banking app built by H&R Block to help keep a creator's personal finances organized and separate from their business. With an onsite green screen activation for attendees to create content in real-time, the event brings together H&R Block's Small Business and Digital Innovation leaders with top content creators for a candid panel discussion about the tax and business complexities keeping creators up at night and how H&R Block is offering solutions.

"Content creators are building substantial businesses while navigating a system of tax laws and business operating models that weren't designed for them. This is why the Creator Suite was designed with intentionality to take something that feels intimidating and make it feel manageable," said Chris Linderwell, Vice President of Consumer Tax Products at H&R Block. "Content creators are building real businesses with meaningful income while navigating systems built for a different era. We're changing that conversation today."

THE CREATOR TAX COMPLEXITIES NO ONE'S TALKING ABOUT

H&R Block's 2026 Creator Pulse Survey³ reveals a financial stress epidemic hiding behind the perfectly curated feeds:

70% of creators find managing finances difficult
1 in 4 cite taxes as their #1 business stressor
70% are confused about which tax forms to use
71% didn't know brand trips are taxable income
Nearly 25% have made tax mistakes that cost them

The survey data shows that creators are crushing it on camera but drowning in spreadsheets. And with recent tax legislation changes including provisions from the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act," the system just added another layer of complexity to navigate, which takes time to learn.

CREATOR SUITE: WHERE TAX EXPERTISE MEETS CREATOR REALITY

Available today at hrblock.com/Creators, the platform doesn't just allow taxes to be filed with ease; it guides creators through their unique financial ecosystem.

Platform-Specific Intelligence: Smart prompts designed for YouTube ad revenue, TikTok Creator Fund payouts, Patreon subscriptions, brand sponsorships, affiliate commissions, and merchandise sales. Because "influencer income" isn't one-size-fits-all.
Deduction Discovery Mode: Step-by-step guidance for creator-specific write-offs
- Ring lights, cameras, and that $3,000 mic setup
- The home office corner that's a studio
- Travel to brand events and brand collaborations
- Props, costumes, and other items that support content creation
- Software subscriptions eating monthly budgets
1099 Chaos Management: Automated reconciliation preventing the nightmare scenario of accidentally reporting the same income twice when platforms send both 1099-NEC and 1099-K forms.
Quarterly Tax Calculator: No more "surprise" tax bills. Built-in estimator helps creators plan payments throughout the year instead of panicking every April.

WHY H&R BLOCK IS ALL-IN ON CREATORS

The numbers tell the story. According to research from market.us, the U.S. creator economy hit $50.9 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach $277.41 billion by 2032 in North America alone. Every deduction, every correctly filed form, every dollar saved matters.⁴

"Content creators are the backbone of the modern small business economy," added Jody Vanarsdale, Vice President, Small Business Tax at H&R Block, who will join today's event. "They're entrepreneurs, marketers, producers, and accountants all rolled into one. At H&R Block, we're not just helping them file taxes; we're building an ecosystem to help them thrive year-round."

BEYOND TAX SEASON: THE CREATOR ECONOMY TOOLKIT

Creator Suite connects to H&R Block's full suite of small business services designed for year-round financial health.

Block Advisors: Bookkeeping, payroll, and business formation services - because content creation is a business
Second Look: Free review of your past three returns to catch and fix costly errors

H&R Block also offers creators access to other tools to help them with their personal financial health, including the Spruce Mobile Banking App² (sprucemoney.com) which allows users to set aside money for taxes and other needs using customizable saving goals, automatic budgeting, generate custom spending reports, and more.

Today's event features a creator-led panel discussing real-world tax scenarios, with media invited to witness H&R Block's commitment to understanding and supporting the creator community firsthand.

Creator Suite is available now at hrblock.com/Creators. The platform works on desktop and mobile, with expert support available throughout tax season because creators don't stop at 9-to-5, and neither should their tax solution.

¹ Forbes: https://www.forbes.com/sites/daniellechemtob/2024/10/28/forbes-daily-the-250-billion-influencer-economy-is-booming/

² Spruce fintech platform is built by H&R Block, which is not a bank. Spruce Spending and Savings Accounts established at, and debit card issued by, Pathward^®, N.A., Member FDIC, pursuant to license by Mastercard^®. Mastercard and the circles design are registered trademarks of Mastercard International Incorporated.

³ The 2026 Creator Pulse Survey is based on a seven-minute online survey of 500 social media creators, conducted from November 26, 2025, to December 7, 2025, exploring creator experiences, attitudes, and perceptions around the financial and tax implications of their work.

⁴ market.us: https://market.us/report/creator-economy-market/

About H&R Block

H&R Block, Inc. (NYSE:HRB) provides help and inspires confidence in its clients and communities everywhere through global tax preparation services, financial products, and small-business solutions. Named CNET's Best Overall online tax service for 2026, the company blends digital innovation with human expertise and care as it helps people get the best outcome at tax time and also be better with money using its mobile banking app, Spruce. Through Block Advisors and Wave, the company helps small-business owners thrive with year-round bookkeeping, payroll, advisory, and payment processing solutions. For more information, visit H&R Block News.

Media Contact:

Media Relations:

Media Desk, mediadesk@hrblock.com

H&R Block Rolls Out the Green Carpet for Creators with Game-Changing Platform for $250B Economy