Condensed Consolidating Financial Statements (Balance Sheets) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Jul. 31, 2017	Apr. 30, 2017	Jul. 31, 2016	Apr. 30, 2016
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash & cash equivalents	$ 551,566	$ 1,011,331	$ 306,871
Cash and cash equivalents - restricted	116,594	106,208	122,025
Receivables, net	91,004	162,775	103,425
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	74,776	65,725	76,052
Total current assets	833,940	1,346,039	608,373
Mortgage loans held for investment, net			192,375
Property and equipment, at cost, less accumulated depreciation and amortization of $706,687, $622,937 and $678,161	253,255	263,827	284,114
Intangible assets, net	393,972	409,364	419,909
Goodwill	493,991	491,207	470,942	$ 470,757
Deferred tax assets and income taxes receivable	54,348	83,728	90,498
Amounts due from affiliates	0	0	0
Other assets	102,742	99,943	97,331
Total assets	2,132,248	2,694,108	2,163,542
Accounts payable and accrued expenses	161,751	217,028	157,085
Accrued salaries, wages and payroll taxes	35,063	183,856	43,516
Accrued income taxes and reserves for uncertain tax positions	176,909	348,199	216,390
Current portion of long-term debt	992	981	864
Deferred revenue and other current liabilities	187,791	189,216	191,304
Total current liabilities	562,506	939,280	609,159
Long-term debt	1,493,422	1,493,017	1,491,790
Reserves for uncertain tax positions	159,233	159,085	116,709
Deferred revenue and other noncurrent liabilities	131,415	163,609	145,691
Total liabilities	2,346,576	2,754,991	2,363,349
Stockholders’ equity	(214,328)	(60,883)	(199,807)
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	2,132,248	2,694,108	2,163,542
H&R Block, Inc. (Guarantor)
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Receivables, net	16
Total current assets	16
Deferred tax assets and income taxes receivable	5,587	5,587
Investments in subsidiaries	2,037,691	2,158,234	1,611,887
Amounts due from affiliates		0	0
Total assets	2,043,294	2,163,821	1,611,887
Accounts payable and accrued expenses	2,246	2,086	10,551
Total current liabilities	2,246	2,086	10,551
Reserves for uncertain tax positions	28,324	28,324	6,488
Amounts due to affiliates	2,227,052	2,194,294	1,794,655
Total liabilities	2,257,622	2,224,704	1,811,694
Stockholders’ equity	(214,328)	(60,883)	(199,807)
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	2,043,294	2,163,821	1,611,887
Other Subsidiaries
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash & cash equivalents	544,086	1,006,845	302,969
Cash and cash equivalents - restricted	108,525	98,148	93,025
Receivables, net	36,801	101,525	30,560
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	72,496	63,445	68,938
Total current assets	761,908	1,269,963	495,492
Property and equipment, at cost, less accumulated depreciation and amortization of $706,687, $622,937 and $678,161	253,189	263,749	283,998
Intangible assets, net	393,972	409,364	419,909
Goodwill	493,991	491,207	470,942
Deferred tax assets and income taxes receivable	16,714	47,398	30,186
Investments in subsidiaries	106,948	113,714	96,216
Amounts due from affiliates	2,227,052	2,194,294	1,794,655
Other assets	42,500	48,114	39,020
Total assets	4,296,274	4,837,803	3,630,418
Accounts payable and accrued expenses	152,635	200,724	138,863
Accrued salaries, wages and payroll taxes	33,993	183,005	41,627
Accrued income taxes and reserves for uncertain tax positions	176,909	348,199	163,414
Current portion of long-term debt	992	981	864
Deferred revenue and other current liabilities	157,379	162,457	138,884
Total current liabilities	521,908	895,366	483,652
Long-term debt	5,376	5,628	6,364
Reserves for uncertain tax positions	122,872	122,724	101,644
Deferred revenue and other noncurrent liabilities	130,487	162,656	144,585
Amounts due to affiliates	1,477,940	1,493,195	1,282,286
Total liabilities	2,258,583	2,679,569	2,018,531
Stockholders’ equity	2,037,691	2,158,234	1,611,887
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	4,296,274	4,837,803	3,630,418
Block Financial (Issuer)
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash & cash equivalents	7,480	4,486	3,902
Cash and cash equivalents - restricted	8,069	8,060	29,000
Receivables, net	54,187	61,250	72,865
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	2,280	2,280	7,114
Total current assets	72,016	76,076	112,881
Mortgage loans held for investment, net			192,375
Property and equipment, at cost, less accumulated depreciation and amortization of $706,687, $622,937 and $678,161	66	78	116
Deferred tax assets and income taxes receivable	32,047	30,743	60,312
Amounts due from affiliates	1,477,940	1,493,195	1,282,286
Other assets	60,242	51,829	58,311
Total assets	1,642,311	1,651,921	1,706,281
Accounts payable and accrued expenses	6,870	14,218	7,671
Accrued salaries, wages and payroll taxes	1,070	851	1,889
Accrued income taxes and reserves for uncertain tax positions			52,976
Deferred revenue and other current liabilities	30,412	26,759	52,420
Total current liabilities	38,352	41,828	114,956
Long-term debt	1,488,046	1,487,389	1,485,426
Reserves for uncertain tax positions	8,037	8,037	8,577
Deferred revenue and other noncurrent liabilities	928	953	1,106
Total liabilities	1,535,363	1,538,207	1,610,065
Stockholders’ equity	106,948	113,714	96,216
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	1,642,311	1,651,921	1,706,281
Eliminations
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Investments in subsidiaries	(2,144,639)	(2,271,948)	(1,708,103)
Amounts due from affiliates	(3,704,992)	(3,687,489)	(3,076,941)
Other assets	0
Total assets	(5,849,631)	(5,959,437)	(4,785,044)
Amounts due to affiliates	(3,704,992)	(3,687,489)	(3,076,941)
Total liabilities	(3,704,992)	(3,687,489)	(3,076,941)
Stockholders’ equity	(2,144,639)	(2,271,948)	(1,708,103)
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	$ (5,849,631)	$ (5,959,437)	$ (4,785,044)