TRX & Other Tax Software...

[MAJ]

I just signed up for 'The TaxBook Wed CD" - I'm sure I'll take the full package deal but wanted to review more before I do.

I've used TaxAct Professional for a few years. As I've grown I've been researching software and have looked at Drake and TRX {amoung others}. I settled on TRX due to the cost savings and the demo software seemed straight forward.

Now I get the news of TaxWise buying IntelliTax.

Can we discuss the Pros & Cons of various Tax Packages to help me {and others} decide what I need to do? Should I stay with TRX this year? Move on? I need some help.

I only have about 135 clients - adding a few each year. I primarily do 1040's - multi-states {NY, NJ, PA, VA} --

Any suggestions and advise is greatly appreciated.

MAJ

[Bees Knees]

Welcome to the board. I guarantee you will love the WebCD.

I use ProSeriers. Always have, since it was originally Mac-In-Tax in the 1980s. I don't know about any other software as I have never tried anything else. Sorry I can't help you more.

[Chief]

Other Software

I just signed up for 'The TaxBook Wed CD" - I'm sure I'll take the full package deal but wanted to review more before I do.

I've used TaxAct Professional for a few years. As I've grown I've been researching software and have looked at Drake and TRX {amoung others}. I settled on TRX due to the cost savings and the demo software seemed straight forward.

Now I get the news of TaxWise buying IntelliTax.

Can we discuss the Pros & Cons of various Tax Packages to help me {and others} decide what I need to do? Should I stay with TRX this year? Move on? I need some help.

I only have about 135 clients - adding a few each year. I primarily do 1040's - multi-states {NY, NJ, PA, VA} --

Any suggestions and advise is greatly appreciated.

MAJ

Maj , I would stay with TRX TW this year if I were you. You have already paid for it so I would use it. I'm like you I signed up with TRX this year and expected to use the Orr software, had converted me returns to Orr, and now will have to do the same. I believe the TaxWise is a smart move for TRX.

I used TW the first two years as a paid preparer and had used it for several years as an volunteer with AARP. It is an excellent program that is menu based. I had always wanted to go with a forms based software but was afraid of ATX from all the discussions on their message board. Orr was a forms based program. The same company owns both Taxwise and ATX. I believe that company prefers Taxwise over ATX because it is not offering ATX to former customers of ORR/Intellitax.

The price with TRX is great for Taxwise. They had formerly offered it for $699. What next year brings we have to wait and see. I think they will follow their policy of once you buy a product its renewal price each year after is guaranted.

I doubt if Taxwise will fold and be pulled off the market. The IRS offices, military office worldwide, and Vita and TaxAide for the Elderly all use that software, not to mentioned the 10,000 commercial tax preparation offices. TRX is by far the most economical way to obtain the software. I do understand the ACE Loan Offices sold tax preparation franchises that included the Taxwise software for about $300.

Are you attending the meeting in Murfreesboro in November? I plan to be there. Contact me if I can be of further help.

Chief

[David1980]

I believe the TaxWise is a smart move for TRX.

Well it's not like TRX made the choice. They just got forced into it like any other IntelliTax customer. Thankfully it works out good for them.

The $299 package is going to have a gimped version of TXW, but not that gimped as far as I can tell. The primary thing is it won't efile business returns. Doug Hughes said on the atxcommunity unofficial board that TaxWise is going to be giving them a software with the same functionality of IntelliTax and included the "business efile" as something it won't do.

I wouldn't be surprised if they stripped unsupported by IntelliTax forms from it too. Like no 706, or 709. Or Puerto Rico forms.

[Nashville]

Murfreesboro

Are you attending the meeting in Murfreesboro in November? I plan to be there. Contact me if I can be of further help.

Chief

Chief - Murfreesboro in what state? Several states have a Murfreesboro, and none of the towns are large enough to be household names. The one in Tennessee, population approaching 50,000, is probably the largest, and for all its demographics is really part of metropolitan Nashville.

What kind of meeting?

[Chief]

Tennessee

Chief - Murfreesboro in what state? Several states have a Murfreesboro, and none of the towns are large enough to be household names. The one in Tennessee, population approaching 50,000, is probably the largest, and for all its demographics is really part of metropolitan Nashville.

What kind of meeting?

I was stationed at Smyrna Tennessee in the USAF many years ago. Murfreesboro always means Tennessee to me. Sorry about that. The meeting I am referring to is the TRX Alliance meeting that TRX is having at the Doubletree. Call them for details.

[Nashville]

Sewart AFB

Yes, Sewart AFB closed in 1970. At the time, it was the only airfield in Tennessee with a runway long enough to land a Boeing 707, and remained that way until Memphis expanded their airport about 10 years later. Nashville was capable of landing only DC-9s and 727s.

When Sewart closed down, Smyrna was just an isolated small town in the country, and without the AFB, real estate values crashed. A friend of mine married into money, and he and his wife purchased 15 middle-class residences at less than $10,000 apiece. He rented them out at appx $100/mo. which was about average for that day. He recovered his down payment in about 2 years and went on to make a fortune. Today, each of those properties is worth over $150K, and Smyrna has developed into a suburb such that you can't tell when you leave Smyrna and enter Nashville.

Not much of a tax discussion here, but glad you brought it up. A chance to revisit my days as a young man. Chief, hope you're doing well.

[Lion]

Software

If you prepare a lot of multi-state returns, you might want to look at the high-end software, maybe pay-per-return to keep the cost down. I love ProSystem fx for multi-state returns. I have a VERY small practice, but find the price worth it for the program and support.