H&R Block Emerald Advance® Loan

You could get up to $1,300

The Emerald Advance℠ Loan is not currently available. Be the first to know when Emerald Advance℠ Loan applications begin in 2024.

Be ready for the holidays

You can use your loan to:

Get ahead on bills

Buy everday essentials

Cover large expenses

How to get an Emerald Advance℠ Loan

step 1

Make an appointment to apply

Apply in-person at select H&R Block locations. Save time by creating a MyBlock account before your appointment.

step 2

Decide where to deposit your loan funds

If approved, choose Emerald Card® or use your existing Spruce account.

step 3

Manage your loan with MyBlock

Use your MyBlock account to stay up-to-date on important loan information and make payments.

Two easy ways to access your funds

Enjoy same-day access to funds with no annual fees. Make your selection at your in-office appointment.

emerald card credit card

Emerald Card®

Access your money quickly and make purchases anywhere Debit Mastercard® is accepted

Use your existing Emerald Card® or get a new one
same-day at your appointment

No annual fee

spruce debit card

Spruce built by H&R Block

The mobile banking app to help you get better with money

Use your existing Spruce account or open a new account before you apply

No annual fee

How the new Emerald Advance℠ Loan works

No monthly minimum, simple payment terms.

emerald advance loan on myblock app

Manage your loan with MyBlock.

The MyBlock app is here to help you stay up-to-date on your Emerald Advance℠ Loan, track your Emerald Card® balance, set up payments, and more. It’s easy, fast, and secure.

Create a MyBlock account

Explore all MyBlock has to offer

MyBlock download QR code

Emerald Advance℠ Loan FAQs

Emerald Advance℠ Loan is a fixed-rate term loan ranging from $350 to $1,300 that must be repaid in full on or before March 31, 2024.

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


Late fee: If you don’t pay in full by March 31, 2024, you may be charged a $30 late fee and additional interest.


Other fees: Additional fees may apply to 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 in 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
  • Provide an unexpired 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 email address and access to a mobile device to setup your MyBlock account

There’s no tax prep requirement to apply.

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

At this time, you can only apply in-person at a participating H&R Block location.

You are welcome to walk into a participating office, but you may experience a long wait time. Starting Oct. 16, 2023, 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 credit worthiness. Both credit and non-credit information, such as credit history and ability to repay, are considered in the loan decision.

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.

Great news! There is no impact to your credit to apply. If you are approved and take a loan, the loan information will be reported to credit bureaus, which may impact your credit score.

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

No collateral is required. The Emerald Advance℠ Loan is an unsecured loan.

If you receive a pre-qualified loan offer, you will be able to review and discuss the loan disclosure that details the loan terms, APR, due date, and more before you commit to the loan.

If you are approved and 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 any past due amount owed.

The loan is due in full on March 31, 2024, 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: 1-866-353-1266 for Emerald Card or 1-855-977-7823 for Spruce.
  • Make a check or money order payable to Pathward and mail it to:
    C/O Emerald Financial Services
    PO BOX 6818
    Carol Stream, IL 60197-6818

H&R Block Emerald Advance® Loan originated by Pathward®, N.A., Member FDIC. Subject to eligibility and credit approval. Annual Percentage Rate (APR) is 35.9%. Loan amounts vary from $350-$1300. If approved, loan proceeds will be disbursed as directed to prepaid card or checking account at Pathward. Additional terms and conditions apply, see account agreements for details. Offered for a limited time at participating locations.

The Spruce℠ Spending Account is established at, and the Spruce debit card is issued by, Pathward®, N.A., Member FDIC, pursuant to license by Mastercard International Incorporated. Mastercard® is a registered trademark, and the circles design is a trademark of Mastercard International Incorporated.

H&R Block Emerald Prepaid Mastercard® is issued by Pathward®, N.A., Member FDIC, pursuant to license by Mastercard. Mastercard and the circles design are registered trademarks of Mastercard International Incorporated. Additional fees, terms and conditions apply; consult your Cardholder Agreement for details. ©2023 HRB Tax Group, Inc.

Apple and the Apple Logo are registered trademarks of Apple Inc. Google Play and the Google Play logo are trademarks of Google LLC. Message and data rates may apply.

Spruce high yield interest

Tap into savings interest and make money while you save with Spruce. Learn more Opens a new window.