Are you Satsified with your Tax Software.. Round 2

[spanel]

I used Taxwise thru March and decided to switch to Taxslayer after that.

Taxwise was SLOOOOW on updating everything, crashed way to much, and had printing problems.

Taxslayer, So Far no Probs..


What did you use and what is your opinions this year?

Chris

[DTS]

Drake

Support is top-notch, program was very good for me. My first full season using it, so a little learning curve. Overall, I can't renew fast enough.

D

[RitaB]

Yes

Yes, I love everything about preparing taxes and my software, and people in general.

OK, not really. I use ATX, and am satisfied overall.

It does the job, is priced better than some others. That said, it has always seemed very slow on big returns (lots of rentals or business returns, for example). That may be a problem with all software; I don't know. I don't think it's my computer. Hey, it sure beats manual preparation. And, the print font is too small for my taste. Difficult to modify the client letter.

I can live with the negatives. Have for about 12 years.

[joanmcq]

I like ATX too, and they've come a long way. I just had to go into my 2001-2009 software, and am very happy with the improvements made along the way! and you can't beat the number of forms available, especially since I do a lot of other states in a one or two off, that wouldn't be competitive to do if I had to buy state by state.

[Bonnie]

I've used Tax Slayer for 6 years now and absolutely love it. No thoughts of switching. Support is awesome. Have had no problems with the program this year other than something minor on a state return that they corrected quickly once I brought it to their attention. Otherwise no complaints and feel it's great and cheaper than most. Would recommend anyone wanting to switch take a look. Back when I first used Tax Slayer I felt it was a really easy program to learn.

[MAJ]

Tax Software...

I am using 1040 Works by Red Gear - Or a re-branded version of it {TRX}.
I am thinking of switching but my practice size (about 130 clients) is small. So cost is critical to insure profitability.

Can we also provide a brief description of your practice? With that I mean - approximate # of returns prepared and any other relative factors. I am trying to justify the additional expense to switch. So far, I haven't - Not a real fair comparison though since I have not put Drake or some others to the live test. At least enough to shake out the full process.

They all prepare software - while some may be better than others I haven't found that defining attribute that says BAM gotta have that software.

Factors to help me decide would include features like:
- Improved input {scanning W2's, Improved keyboard input}
- Integrated scanning solution so all documents for a client are in one place.
- Integrated with TXT and at least e-mail.
- Integration with online services {DropBox; Google Docs; MS Live, etc}.
- Better reporting and document management {FAFSA, etc}.
- Single Program for multiple years to easily review old data.

What are the features you love about your software?
What are the features you feel are missing from you software?
Name 3 ways to improve the software you have today.

[erchess]

pretty satisfied with Drake

I have used Drake for the past several years and this year I switched to the pay per return version. You don't get Client Write Up but as far as I know you do get everything else the company offers. For sure you get everything I ever used. The up front cost is $300 whether you buy sooner or wait until December or even January. Your first fifteen returns are included and after that returns are $15 each. I am not sure what is the smallest number you can buy at one time because I always bought fifteen at a time. I did not care that for my number of returns PPR cost a little more. The point for me was to shift the cost to a time when I had more money coming in. Putting the full version on a credit card and paying the cc off over time cost me more than doing PPR. I can't say enough positive about their tech support. Only once did I reach a positively clueless agent and she herself recognized that she was in over her head and brought in her supervisor. There is something very right about an organization that would let her do that.

[Lion]

I use ProSystem fx pay per return and love it. It's amazing. I love their dual screen, input on one monitor, government forms on another. I love their support. I love importing gain/loss spreadsheets. I need to start using their Scan & Flow to have all docs bookmarked with the return, and to import docs into the return. I love their two-year comparison, but can also open a prior year on my second or third monitor. I love their FileShare on my web site for receiving materials or sending their returns. I love importing K-1s from the entity return to the personal return. I love kiddie tax with one click. I love multi-state returns that prepare themselves. I love the diagnostics. It's worth every penny I pay.

I have few clients but complex and multiple states returns and a few of every entity.

[anu31402]

I used ATX up to 2009 when I switched to Drakes. I'm back to ATX and I ain't leaving again unless something fundamental goes wrong. ATX just fits my kind of business. The Zillion Forms is a draw!

[ChEAr$]

Taxwise

Now I did hear from a far west colleague that former programmers at Taxwise had split and formed their own company. Has anybody else heard this?

[oceanlovin'ea]

I have used TaxslayerPro since 2002 (I think) when I started my own business. The first year I didn't do many returns and used Turbotax or something like that. I went to IRS forum and found Taxslayer. Been with them since.
I found the program easy to learn and follow. Occasionally I have to look up or call on where to find where to imput something. But maybe once or twice a year and that is with something unusual.
I do around 150 personal returns and this year less than 10 s corps and partnerships. I like that it gives a 3 year comparison with personal returns and 2 year with business returns. Clients love that form!
Support is terrific. Never get a grumpy or rude csr. They are quick to implement changes or suggestions that are asked for.
The TaxBook Tax Library is now a feature on the program so you can access the information while doing a return. (I still like having the book)
I use the Classic version. The Premium has more features so I might use but most I wouldn't so I don't pay the extra costs.

Hope this helps you.

Linda, EA

[PIGLEE]

I have used Drake since 1992, and loved it. For some weird reason for 2010 I decided to switch to Tax Works, that was a disaster. I then switched back to Drake for 2011, it was so great to be back. I WILL NEVER GET STUPID AGAIN. It was a nightmare doing a change 2 years in a row.

Bottom line is DRAKE IS GREAT.

[thomtax]

Drake for the past 14 years. During this period I have seen lots of big steps taken in improvements. Long hours for support center and no waiting for calls to be answered. And it covers all situations and states that I have needed.

Plus having CWU at no cost, which keeps improving, helps a lot.

LT

[MAJ]

TaxWorks vs Drake

I have never used Drake. I have looked at it briefly but to be honest - Not a fair shake yet.
I use a version of TaxWorks put out by TRX. While the interface is slow and can be clumsy at times it very much does the job for a very reasonable price.

What did you hate about TaxWorks vs. Love about Drake?
I only prepare about 125 returns annually. The larger costs weighs heavy on ROI.

I'd love to hear HONEST opinions [good and bad] about various products that you have used or are using. I'm may try a new package next year.... Not sue yet...

Downloading TaxSlayer as we speak.

I have used Drake since 1992, and loved it. For some weird reason for 2010 I decided to switch to Tax Works, that was a disaster. I then switched back to Drake for 2011, it was so great to be back. I WILL NEVER GET STUPID AGAIN. It was a nightmare doing a change 2 years in a row.

Bottom line is DRAKE IS GREAT.

[dtlee]

Drake

MAJ,

I missed your cogent comments. Try to be a little less scarce next year.

Drake is a software product best used by someone who knows what he/she wants to see on the finished product. For example:

• You know what line code J 1099R distributions should be on
• You know whether the NOL carryback loss was or was not used up when you carried it back three years
• You understand amortization in case the lump sum amount used last year was not completely removed from the amortizable cost
• You know how to prorate a state refund between estimates and the amount that might be a taxable refund of previously deductible amounts.

No, these computations are not routinely done wrong by the software, but sometimes there are situations you are expected to handle, sometimes there are a complex series of entries you need to make to get the results to come out just right, and sometimes there are situations they just don't handle.

Likewise, they do not do many things automatically. They toyed with the idea of suggesting the best education benefit to use, but their developers are quite knowledgeable about taxes and they realized that much is dependent on the mix of expenses and the mix of how the expenses were funded and by whom, and the order in which the 529 benefits and scholarship money is applied and the fact that they can't look at other returns on which the same benefits may be available. They can guess, but they cannot make the decision without a complicated input screen that they have not yet built (since some of the benefits keep expiring only to be reincarnated). For these scenarios, you apply your own knowledge of the alternatives and you can also see what the impact is on the state. Their software is so fast that you could easily set up and test all of the alternatives in under 15 minutes if you are fairly organized about it, so I do not think this should be a factor for anyone.

The software footprint is small and the loading time is quick even on a system that does not have a SSD like MAJ has. I can easily run two copies each of three years of Drake without the impact that one year of TaxWorks has on my system. Drake's CSM and PCM tools for tracking status of returns is simple but workable. While I can think of many things it lacks, I have been able to completely stop tracking returns on paper since I have this tool. Their printing paradygm is well thought out and quite flexible (though somewhat cumbersome to initially set up). Their ability to print Dymo labels for client mailings, Tax Return Filings, K--1 mailings, and client folders provides a feature that you never knew you needed so much.

For the most part, the mainstream personal return software is competent and handles most situations in a straightforward manner. When something is not straightforward, their support team excels in understanding what you are trying to do. When I call TaxWorks support, I need to explain things like the difference between different types of corporations and why K-1s exist and why the list of trustees is not the list of beneficiaries. In general, I never talk baby talk to Drake support staff. They have gotten to the point where if you ever get a bad support person, just call back again and you should not have the same problem; in fact if you call enough times, you may find yourself talking to someone who knows more than you about the topic.

...in answer to your concerns:

- Improved input {scanning W2's, Improved keyboard input}
They support 3D scanner input of W-2 information. They have a "heads down" method of input in addition to their screen-based input. They allow you to build macros for common tasks that you may feel you are doing repeatedly (for most users have a "startup" macro that sets certain common values or dates). They have a system for allowing you to automatically flag certain fields on all returns or for certain screens to help you gather data (like email addresses) or remember to check certain things (like withholding on 1099-SSA forms). This is user controlled but Drake also flags fields that they carried forward from the prior year so that you can re-verify their computations.
- Integrated scanning solution so all documents for a client are in one place.
Drake has an integrated "Document Manager" where they expect you to scan all documents and print your return copies. They are also integrated with Gruntworx who (for a fee) will scan documents and provide the information as importable fields. The scanned documents will likewise go into the same folder within the Document Manager.
- Integrated with TXT and at least e-mail.
I am not sure why you need them to integrate with TXT, but they will allow importing CSV files with 8949 information if you have that. They have their own email servers and you are able to (while viewing the return) select pages to email to clients (or others) and emailing the support team to review the return for solutions is even easier. You can set up so that federal acceptance notifications are automatically mailed to clients whose email addresses have been collected within the data file.
- Integration with online services {DropBox; Google Docs; MS Live, etc}.
There is no automatic integration with any of these features. Drake can back up to and restore from DropBox. I have not tried it, but it is possible that their Tax Planner (which uses Excel) could be directed to MS Live if you have that set up as a drive, but it would not automatically be configured to use that or Google Docs. They do offer you your own preparer website and they do offer a secure server for communicating with clients (for an additional fee).
- Better reporting and document management {FAFSA, etc}.
They have no support for FAFSA reporting or importing from HUD documents or any other non-tax documents. I have not used it, but their full package comes with a client write-up tool which can possibly be used to develop financial statements.
- Single Program for multiple years to easily review old data.
I doubt this is as important a feature as you describe (or I do not understand it). Drake has one program per year and I see no real benefit to having a single program with multiple years over a different program each year. In fact, many users apply a different color scheme to old years so that they realize that they are using 2005 or 2007 instead of 2011. Also, Drake allows current users to download past year software so that you can prepare multiple years.

What are the features you love about your software?

• Speed
• Enormous Set of Features for the price
• Ability to split a MFJ return into MFS returns all the way to the state (where the benefit comes from most of the time in New York)
• Reporting and return tracking capabilities (even though most users will tell you that they really don't quite understand how the report feature works)
• Incredible support team (many of whom are Enrolled Agents) and the fact that you do not have to go through a "hazing" routine before you are allowed to speak with someone who knows what they are talking about (like the TaxWorks model)
• Strong committment to New York State tax software despite the fact that we are Northerners
• Even though the depreciation module does not support short tax years or allow you to easily "suspend" depreciation of an asset, the depreciation module is quite compact and quite complete (It was written by someone who understood taxes and programming quite well...in fact, I believe he is at the "genius" level).

What are the features you feel are missing from you software?

• They need to allow us to track payment information without opening (and possibly changing) the tax return.
• They need to build more consistent behavior between individual returns and returns for entities (especially for efiling)
• They need to give us a better way to override the amounts they carryover to the following year since some of these computations are lacking
• While Drake's client letters are among the most user-configurable in the industry, the method they developed to support it (almost a programming language in its own right) is incomplete and does not include features like tabbing and the language omits the "NOT" qualifier for their tests of conditions (or an "ELSE" verb).
• Because the depreciation module is so complete and likely understood by only one or two, it is difficult to a) convince Drake that anything needs to be fixed or b) to find anyone willing to fix it.

Name 3 ways to improve the software you have today.

1. Eliminate the "automatic" computation of the amount to be carried forward to Line 10 of the 1040 and Line 5 of Schedule A since the software invalidly assumes that state refundable credits impact the state tax liability and are part of the 1099-G amount that states will issue and their computation does not properly handle the scenario where multiple states are involved and any state has estimates.
2. Add state computations to their Tax Planner and Estimated Tax Adjustment screens. Without knowing the impact to the state, these tools are virtually useless in a state with a significant tax rate and a complex tax system.
3. Give preparers the ability to override the tables used for the Sales Tax computation. Drake uses the 2012 address information to select some of this when this may or may not be a valid assumption. As mentioned in this forum, people don't always live in the same place every year and may not use their actual residence as their tax return address for a variety of valid reasons.

The one last point about their software is that the learning curve appears to be quite long and somewhat steep. Though I've been a user for over 10 years, I still am learning new things every year about the product.