Drake Software

[dtlee]

Just to bring things into perspective, the OP is mentioning the California software while some of you are mentioning other states or perhaps even scenarios where you primarily use only the Federal software.

My experience with Drake is that their state support varies from state to state. I have had no significant problems with their New York software this year, but have heard of several concerns about California this year and in years past. Any problems I did face with New York were addressed during the season, but I certainly understand the concerns noted about California returns.

On their forum, I have gotten used to one North Carolina preparer who, whenever I have noted the poor way that Drake handles refundable state credits, loves to chime in things like, "Every state refund computation has been correct for me! Drake is Great!" Incidentally, Drake (from North Carolina) handles North Carolina returns about as well as any software vendor and North Carolina has no refundable credits, meaning this is just a knee-jerk reaction to anyone who makes even the slightest criticism of this perfect product on their forum.

Their product isn't perfect. I am very happy with their software, but I am very careful when preparing the few California returns I have.

As an aside, a number of years ago, both Drake and TaxSlayer had the nasty habit of changing the amount reported in Box 2a as it is electronically transmitted to the IRS when there is an indirect rollover, something the IRS frowns upon (to say the least!!!). It took me quite a few years to get Drake to stop falsifying this data. When I was reviewing TaxSlayer a few years ago, I mentioned it to them and they had the same response Drake had been giving me (no one has ever complained before and we get through testing with the IRS every year without problems). I told them I would not even consider using their software unless that issue were corrected since I had just spent five years arguing with Drake about it. Not sure if they ever changed it, but at the time, they did not seem to want my business.

[David1980]

As an aside, a number of years ago, both Drake and TaxSlayer had the nasty habit of changing the amount reported in Box 2a as it is electronically transmitted to the IRS when there is an indirect rollover, something the IRS frowns upon (to say the least!!!).

Yeah I hate that too, but it seems to be common. Especially the state boxes on W-2's and 1099-R's. Yet, I haven't found anything in writing saying to not change it. Originally when I got into taxes I took the HRB class and did a year there and had it drilled into me in that class to enter W-2 and 1099-R exactly as they were. Yet the only thing I can find now is in 1345 it says to enter the TIN/SSN and addresses as they are on the forms. I'd love to see it written somewhere that the other boxes like 2a or the state boxes are the same way. It seems common sense to me, but as your experience with Drake and TaxSlayer shows not everyone has the same view.

no one has ever complained before and we get through testing with the IRS every year without problems

It always bothers me when I get an answer on testing. Usually the person I'm talking to doesn't understand the limited nature of the testing. Forms testing for example doesn't deal with calculations - it's just about the lines being in the right places and such. You could pass forms testing and have wildly incorrect calculations - stop using that as an excuse. The minimal testing done to satisfy the government folks doesn't mean your software is calculating perfectly.

[JohnH]

How is customer service support with ATX?

Peggy Sioux

I'm an ATX critic and a Drake supporter after the 2012 meltdown. Prior to that time I was a committed ATX user for many years. But I think you can get some really good info on ATX and the reliablity of their support on the Unofficial ATX Community. It is an independent forum, paid for by its members, and made up primarily of active ATX users & die-hards (although non-ATXers are welcome and the number of Drake users seems to be growing over there). It is a good source of answers to tax-related questions and not under the control, influence, or censorship of any vendor. http://www.atxcommunity.com
You don't have to be a contributing member to register & participate - evertything is voluntary.

I have nothing but glowing praise for Drake, but I don't prepare any CA returns so you need to hear from people who have worked with the problems you describe. To me, the most important thing about Drake is its blinding speed, which IMO translates into higher profitablity due to the exponential increases in efficiency. But I've become aware that many tax preparers like bells and whistles to the point that they will sacrifice potential income in order to have them. And of course, if it doesn't prepare the state returns correctly & you can't develop effficient work-arounds, then that simply means you arrive at a wrong result more quickly.

[commonstalk]

email

Jiggers, I think the email change was from you to your client. I didn't notice any problems or difference emailing to Drake.

Just save the return to PDF, attach, and send. It's still password protected, and in my case encrypted.

[Jiggers]

Jiggers, I think the email change was from you to your client. I didn't notice any problems or difference emailing to Drake.

Just save the return to PDF, attach, and send. It's still password protected, and in my case encrypted.

Wrong. When I went in to check e-mail, it downloads all my e-mail from all sources. Nothing from Drake. I used to get e-mail from Drake all the time. Not this year. Not one e-mail from Drake using e-mail in Drake.

I was told that I have to change my settings, among other things. Tax season was the wrong time to discover this.

I just tried again and all my e-mail that I hadn't read on my regular e-mail account was just downloaded in Drake. Now I have to read and respond from there. WABOC.

[TAXNJ]

Misread ?

Wrong. When I went in to check e-mail, it downloads all my e-mail from all sources. Nothing from Drake. I used to get e-mail from Drake all the time. Not this year. Not one e-mail from Drake using e-mail in Drake.

I was told that I have to change my settings, among other things. Tax season was the wrong time to discover this.

I just tried again and all my e-mail that I hadn't read on my regular e-mail account was just downloaded in Drake. Now I have to read and respond from there. WABOC.

Are you saying that the software company has re-directed or taken over your email accounts? If so, serious problem or misunderstood your post.

[Jiggers]

Are you saying that the software company has re-directed or taken over your email accounts? If so, serious problem or misunderstood your post.

Yep. So I don't use their e-mail through their software. But only when I open their e-mail and "check for e-mail." I have done that twice. Today and back in February. There is some special changes that need to be made on my computer through their software to be able to do what we used to do.

Middle of tax season is the wrong time to be finding this out. Yes, I know, I should have taken time to do this with the first release in December and first of January. So partly my fault. But I am not sitting around waiting for work, even in December & January. I spent a lot of time this year on the ACA and repairs/supplis/capitalization/3115 this year during that time.
I have looked at other software over the years, but so many of them are out of business or way too expensive.

[TAXNJ]

Wow

Yep. So I don't use their e-mail through their software. But only when I open their e-mail and "check for e-mail." I have done that twice. Today and back in February. There is some special changes that need to be made on my computer through their software to be able to do what we used to do.

Middle of tax season is the wrong time to be finding this out. Yes, I know, I should have taken time to do this with the first release in December and first of January. So partly my fault. But I am not sitting around waiting for work, even in December & January. I spent a lot of time this year on the ACA and repairs/supplis/capitalization/3115 this year during that time.
I have looked at other software over the years, but so many of them are out of business or way too expensive.

Never heard of a tax software serving as a conduit for your "business and/or personal" email. It is hard to believe that is the case. If true, have you contacted the company to let them know of possible privacy violations if any?

[ATSMAN]

Never heard of a tax software serving as a conduit for your "business and/or personal" email. It is hard to believe that is the case. If true, have you contacted the company to let them know of possible privacy violations if any?

There is no privacy violation if you use the Drake e-mail system to e-mail your client an encrypted pdf of their tax return or e-mail support a tax return that you need help.

As for checking your personal e-mail, you can add an e-mail account to the module to read/write e-mail and what you do with that is no different than any other e-mail app!

[TAXNJ]

New to

There is no privacy violation if you use the Drake e-mail osystem to e-mail your client an encrypted pdf of their tax return or e-mail support a tax return that you need help.

As for checking your personal e-mail, you can add an e-mail account to the module to read/write e-mail and what you do with that is no different than any other e-mail app!

Thanks for the post reply. Still that's new to me that one can set up business and/or personal email account to receive or send emails via a tax software company that has nothing to do with the tax returns.

I can understand a e-mail system to e-mail your client an encrypted pdf of their tax return or e-mail support a tax return that you need help.

Thanks

[dtlee]

Drake is providing an email client

I do not see how this differs from any other email client.

[Jiggers]

I never told Drake to receive my personal e-mail.

[dtlee]

If you set up an email client to receive email from a server, it is not likely you can tell it which emails to receive. I set up a separate email account to use with Drake, so it does not receive email from my other email addresses.

Where I think we do have an issue is with our fees. If we use Drake's BILL, they upload the fee you charged your clients and store it on their servers. That is a little different than storing your personal email on your personal computer (within their email client).

[RitaB]

My hero

I'm an ATX critic and a Drake supporter after the 2012 meltdown. Prior to that time I was a committed ATX user for many years. But I think you can get some really good info on ATX and the reliablity of their support on the Unofficial ATX Community. It is an independent forum, paid for by its members, and made up primarily of active ATX users & die-hards (although non-ATXers are welcome and the number of Drake users seems to be growing over there). It is a good source of answers to tax-related questions and not under the control, influence, or censorship of any vendor. http://www.atxcommunity.com
You don't have to be a contributing member to register & participate - evertything is voluntary.

I have nothing but glowing praise for Drake, but I don't prepare any CA returns so you need to hear from people who have worked with the problems you describe. To me, the most important thing about Drake is its blinding speed, which IMO translates into higher profitablity due to the exponential increases in efficiency. But I've become aware that many tax preparers like bells and whistles to the point that they will sacrifice potential income in order to have them. And of course, if it doesn't prepare the state returns correctly & you can't develop effficient work-arounds, then that simply means you arrive at a wrong result more quickly.

I use ATX, but haven't prepared a CA return in years. I'm in TN. I really like ATX, but, yes 2012 was a challenge. Yes, the ATX unofficial forum is a great source. JohnH is my hero, even though I really did not like Drake at all when I tried it. I can't really comment on the customer support with ATX; I hardly ever call them. I did tell them one time I didn't give a crap about bells and whistles; taxes are not sexy.

Is tech support really an important issue? I mean, if you're calling tech support a lot, something is wrong. Right? If it's a software problem, I don't care how quickly they answer the phone, hello, we have bad software. And they really can't be expected to know tax laws, so I would hope we don't have to call support too often with those type questions. Right? Am I in left field cause I'm not that worried about tech support?

[TAXNJ]

Well

....

Is tech support really an important issue? I mean, if you're calling tech support a lot, something is wrong. Right? If it's a software problem, I don't care how quickly they answer the phone, hello, we have bad software. And they really can't be expected to know tax laws, so I would hope we don't have to call support too often with those type questions. Right? Am I in left field cause I'm not that worried about tech support?

Well written. Think you explained it the best. I don't use either mentioned but what you state would apply to all software (it's just a tool - you get what you pay for)