H&R Block to Pay $4.85 Million Settlement Over Loan Program

California Attorney General Jerry Brown has settled a lawsuit against H&R Block over a widely used loan program that gives the nation's largest tax preparer a chunk of customers' tax refunds. Brown says the $4.85 million settlement will stop H&R Block from offering high-cost loans it has marketed as early tax refunds. The company agreed to pay up to $2.45 million for consumers who purchased a "Refund Anticipation Loan" or a "Refund Anticipation Check" between Jan. 1, 2001 and Dec. 31, 2008.