The company focused on its gains in market share against both Intuit's TurboTax and independent preparers with CEO William Cobb providing a general outline of plans to enlist quality independent store operators in the Block network. Cobb said Block would seek to buy or convert into franchisees strong performers among the 25,000 independent tax preparation businesses that process more than 500 returns annually. That will include a strong effort to reach the Latino market and to fill in geographies.

The larger strategic vision includes full-year and international operation. "We increasingly need to provide tax support for clients year round," Cobb told investors. He also wants to increase the amount of revenue coming from outside the United States. Among specific steps involving the upcoming tax season, the company will not provide free RACs to customers as it did in 2012. It also made its prepaid debit card, the Emerald Card, available to its do-it-yourself customers for the first time and got the card into the market before Thanksgiving, about two weeks earlier than usual.

The major tool to be offered for providing year-round service is the online MyAccount, which will be available to assisted and do-it yourself clients. Customers will be able to access prior-year tax returns, Emerald Card balances, and "connect with their professional year around," said Jason Houseworth. Both Houseworth and Cobb emphasized the importance of having customers deal with the same preparer each year as important in customer retention.

Block also plans to expand the live advice it has provided to customers through a chat service. "This will be the first year live advice will be offered free to all of our online and desktop software clients via live chat with a tax professional," Houseworth said. DIY clients will also be given access to mobile apps that can be utilized to photograph source documents such as W-2s and the ability to import data from W-2s will be provided for the first time.