a mother researching the emerald advance loan

H&R BLOCK EMERALD ADVANCE® LOAN

You could get a loan for up to $1,300

How it works

access funds with Spruce or Emerald Card

How to access funds

icon of money exchanging hands

Fees and repayment

managing the personal loan with phone in hand

Managing the loan

Got an invite email?

See how you can use your email invite code to apply for Emerald Advance Loan online.

Step 1
Step 2
Step 3
example of the emerald card debit mastercard

Emerald Card®

spruce debit card

Spruce built by H&R Block



How to repay the loan

Emerald Advance Loan screen

Emerald Advance® Loan FAQs

Emerald Advance® Loan is a fixed-rate short term loan ranging from $350 to $1,300 that must be repaid in full on or before March 31, 2025.

Interest: The Annual Percentage Rate (“APR”) is 35.90%.

 

Late fee: If the loan is not paid in full within 14 days of its due date of March 31, 2025, the account will be charged a $30 late fee and additional interest.



 

Other fees: Additional fees may apply to the use of your Emerald Card® or Spruce account, as outlined in the respective Account Agreements.

Your Emerald Advance Loan funds can be loaded onto an Emerald Card or deposited into your existing Spruce Spending Account. You can use funds for emergency expenses, shopping, medical bills, and more.

Qualifying for an Emerald Advance® Loan

To be eligible, you must:

  • Be at least 18 years of age (19 if a resident of Alabama or Nebraska)
  • Have a physical address in the United States
  • Provide a valid, US government-issued photo ID
  • Provide proof of income such as a paystub, bank statement or award letter, dated within the past 31 days
  • Have an active e-mail address and access to a mobile device to setup your MyBlock account

No, you are not required to file your taxes with H&R Block to be approved for a loan.

To apply, make an appointment at a participating H&R Block location during the offer period. You will meet with an associate who will guide you through the application process.

You are welcome to walk into a participating office, but you may experience a long wait time. Starting Oct. 17, 2024, you can schedule an appointment time that’s convenient for you during the Nov. 1-Dec. 31 application window.

To apply, you'll need to bring your valid government-issued photo ID and a copy of your most recent pay statement or other proof of current income dated within the past 31 days.

No, a valid Social Security Number is required to apply.

Loan amount and approval are based on assessment of your creditworthiness. Both credit and non-credit information, such as credit history and ability to repay, are considered in the loan decision.

No, though you can apply for an Emerald Advance Loan at an H&R Block retail office, H&R Block is not the lender.  The Emerald Advance Loan is originated by Pathward®, N.A., who is the lender.

Income verification is a component of loan underwriting and helps the lender determine that the loan amount you request is affordable and that you have the ability to repay.

No. Emerald Advance® Loans are individual loans and co-borrowers are not allowed.

There is no impact to your credit to check for a prequalified offer. However, if you are approved and take a loan, the loan information will be reported to one or more credit bureaus, which may impact your credit score.

You can request and review your free report by visiting www.annualcreditreport.com.

No, collateral is not required. The Emerald Advance® Loan is an unsecured loan.

Of course!  You will be able to review important loan details, such as the APR, pre-qualified amount, and estimated loan payment, before you finalize your application.

If your loan application is approved and you accept the loan offer, you will have the opportunity to select how you would like to receive your loan funds.

 

We can:

  • Load funds onto a new or existing Emerald Card
  • Deposit funds into your existing Spruce Spending Account

Repaying your Emerald Advance® Loan

Minimum monthly payments are not required. However, if you would like to make one or more payments early, there are no pre-payment penalties for doing so, even if you pay the loan off in full before the due date. In fact, that’s a great way to save yourself some interest!

There are no pre-payment penalties on your loan. Payments will be first applied to any accrued and unpaid interest, then the remaining amount will be applied towards the principal balance. If you do not pay the loan off by the due date and owe a late fee, your payment will first be applied to satisfy the late fee then the past due amount owed.

The loan is due in full on March 31, 2025, but there is a 14-day grace period. If we do not receive your loan payment in full within 14 days of the due date, we will charge you a $30 late fee.

 

If you make a payment online, we will consider the payment effective as of the day you authorize the payment, even if it doesn't process until the next business day. Please note, this process does not apply if the authorized payment account has insufficient funds to make the payment in full.

To make a payment, you can:

  • Pay online using any debit card by logging into MyBlock.com and accessing your Emerald Advance® Loan account under the ‘Finances’ tab.
  • Pay with any debit card by calling: 1-800-472-5625.
  • Make a check or money order payable to Pathward and mail it to:  
     
    C/O Emerald Financial Services     
    PO BOX 4521
    Carol Stream, IL 60197-4521

     

Customers should be sure to include their account number (found in MyBlock) and name on the check/money order


  • If you complete your taxes with H&R Block and receive a refund, you can choose to repay your loan from your tax refund proceeds.