H&R Block is cutting its presence in Sears stores to 112 of its best-performing locations for the next tax season. And while CEO Bill Cobb noted the companies have renewed their contract, that number is down from 500 stores during the 2012 season while the company prepares to open in more WalMarts. In this week's earnings webcast, Cobb expressed confidence that his company can retain most of the customers frequenting the closed locations.

The season for electronic return originators to sign up for bank products is here. And it's the first year without the availability of Refund Anticipation Loans, which have been driven from the market by federal regulators. But while RALs have gone, the need for bank products has not.