New Kid on the Block

[Snaggletooth]

...or maybe it isn't new, has been discussed on this board before, and I just slept through it. Contrary to popular opinion, that can happen...

Enter "ULTIMATE TAX SERVICE" - www.UltimateTaxService.com
out of Muscatine, Iowa

A two-fangled marketing approach:

Support: "You are assigned an account manager for individualized and personal support."

Software:
*User Friendly
*Form view or interview mode
*Bank products
*Networks supported
*Multiple offices.

1040 Package $299
1040 plus Business $399.

Anyone know anything about these folks? The low-cost appeal sounds like one of those things "too-good-to-be-true"...

[erchess]

I looked over the website

They are reselling Drake pay per return or Taxwise. The thing that would scare me off about Drake from them is that the transmission fee is not disclosed. However they do offer a version of Drake with 1040 Only that might be right up someone's alley. But I don't see anything that looks "too good to be true" for a preparer who needs to do mostly fairly simple returns. I would be interested in seeing what someone who knows what TRX Alliance and regular Taxwise from the maker have to offer.

Edit - I poked around on the site further and was distressed to discover that they have a program for people who have another business and absolutely no tax knowledge so they can add doing taxes and of course bank products to their existing business. Apparently the program guides one through the interview and a real tax professional eyeballs the returns before they go to the IRS and States. It specifically says that they can somehow spend their refund at your existing business. Would love to know how they do that without negotiating client checks or is it only Circular 230 folks who can't negotiate client checks.

If I were going to buy my software from a company that is going to compete with me I would personally rather buy from a company that deludes people into thinking they can do their own returns competently than one that deludes people into thinking they can do my job competently.

[thomtax]

In looking at their information, I notice that on a sample of one of their posters, it says that their name will be on the tax return. You fill out some information, in about 5 minutes, and then fax in some other stuff. They hire the tax professionals. Then you can cash the check for them.

Looks as if you are turning over your clients to them.

LT

[Chief]

Trx

They are reselling Drake pay per return or Taxwise. The thing that would scare me off about Drake from them is that the transmission fee is not disclosed. However they do offer a version of Drake with 1040 Only that might be right up someone's alley. But I don't see anything that looks "too good to be true" for a preparer who needs to do mostly fairly simple returns. I would be interested in seeing what someone who knows what TRX Alliance and regular Taxwise from the maker have to offer.

Edit - I poked around on the site further and was distressed to discover that they have a program for people who have another business and absolutely no tax knowledge so they can add doing taxes and of course bank products to their existing business. Apparently the program guides one through the interview and a real tax professional eyeballs the returns before they go to the IRS and States. It specifically says that they can somehow spend their refund at your existing business. Would love to know how they do that without negotiating client checks or is it only Circular 230 folks who can't negotiate client checks.

If I were going to buy my software from a company that is going to compete with me I would personally rather buy from a company that deludes people into thinking they can do their own returns competently than one that deludes people into thinking they can do my job competently.

Erchess, Being a former user of Taxwise and a current first-year member of TRX I will respond to your request later. I am in no position to at the moment.

However, ACE offers Taxwise with their franchises at a price that competes with these companies. I wonder how many are out there.

[Lion]

Car Dealers

Sounds like the kind of thing that car dealers and furniture and appliance stores do to help people buy during their winter sales using tax refunds. They aren't really the tax preparers but a conduit. It's a way to get people in the door to spend on your big ticket items.