Condensed Consolidating Financial Statements (Schedule Of Condensed Consolidating Statements Of Cash Flows) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	6 Months Ended
	Oct. 31, 2012	Oct. 31, 2011
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities:	$ (567,036)	$ (582,628)
Purchases of AFS securities	(67,474)	(155,159)
Maturities of AFS securities	53,098	23,249
Mortgage loans held for investment, net	23,608	22,978
Purchases of property & equipment	(60,720)	(40,510)
Payments made for acquisitions of businesses and intangibles, net	(10,442)	(8,164)
Proceeds from sales of businesses, net	943	37,036
Loans made to franchisees	(20,670)	(27,682)
Repayments from franchisees	8,303	7,447
Other, net	9,275	13,685
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(64,079)	(127,120)
Repayments of long-term borrowings	(30,831)
Proceeds from long-term borrowings	497,185
Repayments of commercial paper		(37,989)
Proceeds from commercial paper		77,979
Customer banking deposits, net	(37,913)	(129,285)
Dividends paid	(108,428)	(91,446)
Repurchase of common stock	(339,919)	(180,222)
Proceeds from exercise of stock options, net	1,288	(430)
Other, net	(33,004)	(28,057)
Net cash used in financing activities	(51,622)	(389,450)
Effects of exchange rates on cash	(696)	(6,035)
Net decrease in cash	(683,433)	(1,105,233)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of the period	1,944,334	1,677,844
Cash and cash equivalents at end of the period	1,260,901	572,611
H&R Block, Inc. (Guarantor) [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities:	(367)
Net intercompany advances	447,426	266,274
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	447,426	266,274
Dividends paid	(108,428)	(91,446)
Repurchase of common stock	(339,919)	(180,222)
Proceeds from exercise of stock options, net	1,288	(430)
Other, net		3
Net cash used in financing activities	(447,059)	(272,095)
Block Financial (Issuer) [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities:	2,026
Purchases of AFS securities	(67,474)
Maturities of AFS securities	53,064	22,199
Mortgage loans held for investment, net	23,608
Purchases of property & equipment	(912)
Loans made to franchisees	(20,670)	(27,682)
Repayments from franchisees	8,303	7,447
Other, net	5,023	6,101
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	942	(124,210)
Proceeds from long-term borrowings	497,185
Repayments of commercial paper		(37,989)
Proceeds from commercial paper		77,979
Customer banking deposits, net	(37,890)	(129,055)
Net intercompany advances	(475,147)	17,228
Other, net	(10,491)	952
Net cash used in financing activities	(26,343)	(70,885)
Net decrease in cash	(23,375)	(235,546)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of the period	515,147	616,238
Cash and cash equivalents at end of the period	491,772	380,692
Other Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities:	(568,695)
Maturities of AFS securities	34	1,050
Purchases of property & equipment	(59,808)
Payments made for acquisitions of businesses and intangibles, net	(10,442)
Proceeds from sales of businesses, net	943	37,036
Other, net	4,252	7,584
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(65,021)	(2,910)
Repayments of long-term borrowings	(30,831)
Net intercompany advances	27,721	(283,502)
Other, net	(22,513)	(29,012)
Net cash used in financing activities	(25,623)	(312,514)
Effects of exchange rates on cash	(696)	(6,035)
Net decrease in cash	(660,035)	(869,457)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of the period	1,430,030	1,061,656
Cash and cash equivalents at end of the period	769,995	192,199
Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net intercompany advances	(447,426)	(266,274)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(447,426)	(266,274)
Customer banking deposits, net	(23)	(230)
Net intercompany advances	447,426	266,274
Net cash used in financing activities	447,403	266,044
Net decrease in cash	(23)	(230)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of the period	(843)	(50)
Cash and cash equivalents at end of the period	$ (866)	$ (280)