Loss Per Share And Stockholders' Equity (Narrative) (Details) (USD $) Share data in Millions	3 Months Ended
	Jul. 31, 2011	Jul. 31, 2010
Loss Per Share And Stockholders' Equity
Antidilutive securities excluded from computation of earnings per share, amount	14.5	14.7
Common stock shares issued	0.5	0.9
Repurchased and retired H&R Block common stock, shares		15.5
Retirement of common shares, value		$ 235,700,000
Purchase of H&R Block common stock, shares	0.1	0.2
Purchase of H&R Block common stock, value	2,000,000	3,400,000
Stock options granted in period	2.3
Nonvested shares granted in period	0.9
Weighted average fair value of options granted	3.37
Stock-based compensation expense total	4,100,000	3,400,000
Unrecognized compensation cost, options	9,600,000
Unrecognized compensation cost, nonvested shares	$ 22,500,000