Tax Software this tax season

[AZ-Tax]

ProSeries.....wish price was lower

Pro Series Pro - Happy with the price - quality - features - support.

Dusty

I have seen ProSeries add quite a few enhancements and believe it or not, one of them I requested after I kick and scratched. I have had ProSeries since 2006 prior to that I used Tax Wise and the conversion was a nightmare and now that I have more clients, I prefer not to go thru that again. I have been tempted to changed based on pricing but so far I have stayed put. On avg each year I have a client comes in with their TurboTax files and us ProSeries users know, we can open up TurboTax files if saved with correct ext.

[ChEAr$]

software

Yes Jiggers, thanks to you, I'm happy with Drake. (grin

although just this morning I had tech support on the line because THEIR software wouldn't carry a figure from 1099R over to the Alabama return without using a stratagem to force it to.
And I discovered that quite by accident while talking with the girl in Franklin.

it's sort of kin to "jerry rigging". (one term among many)

[Davc]

I have a Demo copy of last year's program I reviewing; I can't find how you call up a picture
of the form and click on the relevant spot to go the entry screen. Is that something new
for the 2010 program?


Gene

Ctrl

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[Mike Mac]

ProSeries

For the first time in many years, I am unhappy with ProSeries. The software carried over wrong amounts from prior year MN state returns, so each and every return must be carefully watched with something that should be automatically correct.

[SueBaby]

Is everyone happy with their tax software so far?

Name the software.

If yes, say so.

If not, why not?

I have had DRAKE for years and very happy with the software and service I have gotten over the years and I will stick with them till I retire----whenever that will be.

[Ricardo]

Yes

Tax Act since about the 90's.

Regards = Ricardo

[Peachie]

Very happy with my

Trx Pro 1040.

[ttbtaxes]

ProSystemFX - very happy with the software and support.

[dtlee]

Drake is full of features and works well for North Carolina and most simple states. I have fewer complaints about it than I did last year. I have found that it computes 1099-G amounts incorrectly for more than half the New York returns I do and it is a chore to correct the computation. I have not been able to file several NY state returns in Drake because they are not yet supported.

TaxWorks is a disappointment in terms of stability and I have found five errors in the 14 returns I have thrown at them (two of which they fixed, one they refused to fix, and two I have not yet had time to share with them). TaxWorks is apparently able to e-file all six New York returns that Drake cannot which will save me $300 in fines.

[S T]

For Taxworks

Doug,
Can you share your findings on the error issues that are incorrect in Taxworks?

Thanks

Sandy

[dtlee]

I am not trying to beat on them. Obviously, not all of these things are equally vital.

The ones they fixed:

• Statutory wages for a nonresident of New Jersey were not treated as wages but as self-employment income for which deductions are allowed and were carried to the line for net profit from a business rather than the line for wages where no such deductions would be allowed.
• On Form 1120-H, where you are able to enter a second address line for "Care of" information or other secondary address information, this information did not actually print on the form which is critical because the form must be paper filed.

The one they refused to fix is a difference in opinion with Drake and I tend to side with Drake on their home state return:

• On a North Carolina Married Filing Separate Return, a taxpayer is entitled to the $3000 standard deduction if the wife does not claim itemized deductions. TaxWorks relies on the rule that if one spouse itemizes, both spouses must claim itemized deductions on their federal return to disallow this on any and all Married Filing Separate returns. Drake relies the reasoning that this is specifically allowed in some circumstances or North Carolina would not offer the option. In the situation where a spouse is not required to file a North Carolina tax return, they allow this deduction.

Things I have not yet shared with TaxWorks:

• When an 1120-H return is filed, the instructions for line 1 of the New York CT-3 say, "If you file federal Form 1120-H or federal Form 1120‑POL, use the amount from line 19." TaxWorks automatically carries the amount from Line 17 which is generally $100 more.
• When I prepare an 1041 return which itself is a beneficiary of a Fiduciary return and there is US Government Bond Interest from the other Fiduciary return, there is place to enter interest and government bond interest. If I enter total interest on the first and the portion of that which is from government bonds in the second, it will double count the interest from the bonds. If I split the income and put non government bond interest on the first and the government bond portion on the second, it confuses the Distributable Net Income computation on the IT-205 for New York.

[S T]

Sharing

Hi Doug,
I am not trying to beat on anyone Company either, for some reason it does seem like all of the Tax Software companies could be having some issues this year for 2010 Tax Prep. I seemed to notice it beginning with the 2009 Tax Prep Year.

Your list is helpful to me, although I don't prepare many 1120H or 1041 - I only have a few small ones, and seems like your issues might be with the State returns not the Federal. I am just now receiving my 2 small 1120H info - and they are Calif returns.

It is good to share info to see exactly what "our" software is doing or not doing.

Thanks for taking the time to post and share,

Sandy

[dtlee]

Yes, except for the missing portion of the address, it really did boil down to state issues. However, most of us rely heavily on our software for states that we are not intimately familiar with.

TaxWorks is not alone in having issues. To their credit they were quite responsive when they learned about them. Drake has issues also. One issue I had with Drake was something we bickered about for nearly 10 years before they fixed it. When I was considering switching companies last year, and I auditioned TaxSlayer Pro, they had this same issue. I have never found a perfect Tax Software product, but I have found many preparers who blindly trust whatever comes out of their printer and gets e-filed.

Seriously, I doubt that New Jersey, New York, or North Carolina would have detected these flaws. Most times I wonder why I even bother checking them myself.

[DMICPA]

Happiness is a good tax package

Pro-Series pro.
Used it for years. no problems.

[Peachie]

Because

Seriously, I doubt that New Jersey, New York, or North Carolina would have detected these flaws. Most times I wonder why I even bother checking them myself.

this is what good Tax Professionals do.

Peachie