Tax Software

[mrbill]

I have used Great Tax for the past 8 years, with no problems. Small practice, maybe 95 returns. Great Tax is dropping out of the software business, and they are recommending Drake. I am also looking at TaxSlayer. Any recommendations ?

[JohnH]

Drake over TaxSlayer, IMO.
You will also want to look at ATX.

I'm with ATX, but if I ever leave them I will almost certianly switch to Drake.

[Lion]

Try pay-per-return of almost any software company.

[Ross]

TaxAct

TaxAct offer unlimited e-filing and all states for $559. I've been using it since it was Parson's Personal Tax Edge in 1994. In 97 & 98 I had to use Pro Series. Then the authors of Parson's came out w/ TaxAct in 1999. I do about 130 returns and it works fine for me.

[lenboush]

Just my 2 cents worth about Drake

Just my 2 cents worth about Drake:

Drake is an all encompassing one time $1595 ($1095 early purchase or renewal) and there are NO e-file fees or any other fees of any kind. Pay the one time fee per year and NEVER pay another penny for anything. The single fee includes ALL of the following:

1. Software for individual, corporation, partnership, gift tax, exempt organizations, estates, and fiduciary returns as well as all states.

2. A write up program

3. A document manager program

4. A client status manager program

5. An appointment scheduler program

6. A free web site

7. A fantastic web based user forum that is very active

8. The best customer service I have ever experienced with any company using any product

And once again, ALL of the above is included in the one time annual fee. NO extras!

I bought a business 11 years ago that was already using Drake and I hated it. At the end of the first season, I made it my goal to find a better alternative at a reasonable price and would not have minded paying even a little more. After testing at least a half dozen other programs, I decided to put up with Drake just one more season. Over the years, through a combination of Drake making massive improvements and my getting used to using it, I have gone from hating Drake to being a big fan.

Don't get me wrong. Drake still has its problems and its issues but that is true of any program and of any company. At this point in time, it would take an incredible improvement of some kind to get me to ever leave Drake. I do highly recommend it to anyone.

Having said all of that, different software may be better for different types of practices. Drake just happens to work for me.

I am not affiliated with Drake in any way except as a satisfied user and receive NO compensation for this recommendation.

[DaveinTexas]

I second this

Just my 2 cents worth about Drake:

Drake is an all encompassing one time $1595 ($1095 early purchase or renewal) and there are NO e-file fees or any other fees of any kind. Pay the one time fee per year and NEVER pay another penny for anything. The single fee includes ALL of the following:

1. Software for individual, corporation, partnership, gift tax, exempt organizations, estates, and fiduciary returns as well as all states.

2. A write up program

3. A document manager program

4. A client status manager program

5. An appointment scheduler program

6. A free web site

7. A fantastic web based user forum that is very active

8. The best customer service I have ever experienced with any company using any product

And once again, ALL of the above is included in the one time annual fee. NO extras!

I bought a business 11 years ago that was already using Drake and I hated it. At the end of the first season, I made it my goal to find a better alternative at a reasonable price and would not have minded paying even a little more. After testing at least a half dozen other programs, I decided to put up with Drake just one more season. Over the years, through a combination of Drake making massive improvements and my getting used to using it, I have gone from hating Drake to being a big fan.

Don't get me wrong. Drake still has its problems and its issues but that is true of any program and of any company. At this point in time, it would take an incredible improvement of some kind to get me to ever leave Drake. I do highly recommend it to anyone.

Having said all of that, different software may be better for different types of practices. Drake just happens to work for me.

I am not affiliated with Drake in any way except as a satisfied user and receive NO compensation for this recommendation.

Great description of the software and it's funny how your story is very similar to mine. I started using Drake for the 2001 tax year and did not like it. In fact, I despise filing older year returns with the older versions of Drake to this day (small data entry screens and problems formatting new style printers---argh!)

But over the years Drake has Vastly improved their software and the price hasn't moved an inch (something that never happens these days). In fact I ordered the Tax Book last year and didn't realize I could view it for free with Drake! That's what I get for not attending thei update school! I still like the physical book in my office though.

Also, the client write up enables me to create W2's and 1099's without having to purchase any third party software programs; very handy. If I processed payroll or performed bookkeeping for my clients this part of the software would be perfect.

The customer service is superb, they answer the phone (a human does) and the person answering the phone has an American accent! (pardon my patriotism). I am excited to see what other value added functions Drake will have in store next year.

I am also not being paid for this plug, just trying to refer a great name in tax software programs.

Good luck in your search (be on the lookout for a free 6 CPE credit seminar Drake is hosting to introduce their software to new prospective customers). This was back in May for preparers in Texas so hopefully they could be in your area soon.

[John of PA]

I am in the process of switching from Lacerte to Drake and I love Drake. I already did about 10 extensions on it. Just make sure they do a good job on your home state return.

[taxxcpa]

When I first switched to Drake, I did not like it as much as I now do. Every year they have added improvements. With the "forms-based" entry you can find any form you want to by looking at the Form 1040, click on it and go to the Drake input screen This is especially helpful before you get used to the input screens. Now I generally go to the input screen rather than use the forms-based entry.

Another recent improvement: you can open a screen for a form,place your cursor on a line, press CTRL+ALT=? and it takes you straight to the TaxBook page that discusses what goes on that line.

Also, they have a worksheet format you can use to enter Form 8949 data. It is a big time-saver even if you only have a few entries. You can copy and paste a lot of repetitive data such as "S" for Short-term and "L" for long-term.

It takes time to learn all of the features. I'm still learning after about five years of using it, but you can learn all you need to get by with in a lot less time.

[erchess]

Drake

I flirted with going to ATX or some other Forms Based product this year but I would certainly not consider going to another Worksheet Based product and I decided that I would not spend a penny more than Drake is going to cost me. There at least used to be software packages out there that would cost no more than $300 for everything those packages did but I found the one I tried wanting because for example it would not calculate a Social Security Lump Sum even if I input the relevant data. I really expect software to give me the worksheets and make the calculations in the software and honestly if all the relevant prior year returns were done by me in the same software I expect the worksheets to populate automatically. Anyway the program I found wanting was Intellitax and I did use it one more year but I obtained a pay per return version of Ultratax which I elected to use for all my business returns and for my more complex 1040s. The third year I had already decided to go with only one package and not Ultratax or Intellitax when the latter got sold and went out of business. I have been with Drake ever since. I find their system easy to navigate. One feature I use a lot is that if you can remember the form number you want or what Drake calls the screen you want all of the menus seem to have a place at the bottom where you can enter that name, click, and be taken there. For example if you want to go to the estimated tax screen you just put "ES" without the quotes in that box and click.

I still dream of Forms based software where I have the option of entering in the computer only information that would appear on a printed return or on records I am required to keep. I'd use that any time I began what I knew was going to be a mail in return or an erroneous return I knew I was going to amend.

[David1980]

Great Tax is (was) TaxWorks. Last I knew, TRX was also TaxWorks, and very cheap. The launch screen might be different, may be some minor differences in what each company licenses from TaxWorks but probably the same software - if you were happy with TaxWorks.

[John of PA]

Thanks TAXXCPA for the tip about CTRL ALT in Drake, I did not know that.

[oceanlovin'ea]

I use Taxslayer

I have used Taxslayer for about 10 years now. I went with them when I first started my own business. I have never had problems. When I started out I was doing under 100 returns and now closer to 175 or so.
They have excellent support. The program is easy to use. It has handled most everything I have tried to do. Each year they add improvements and make it better.
For the price, I have been well satisfied. I looked at Drake and thought about changing but for $300 or 400 more I think I will just stay with Taxslayer.
If I ever became dissatisfied, I would probably try Drake.

Linda, EA

[Bay ArEA]

I use Ultratax

I use Ultratax by Creative Solutions. When I first started using it they had more features than most the other guys, but at a better price than the other Cadillac software lines. Since their prices have gone up a bit, and they are always adding new features, but it seems the other guys are catching up. Only once ever have I found something the software couldn't do for me easily, otherwise it's been great, so I know it works great, but I'm wondering if it's worth the price. I do about 300 returns a year so my volume helps make up for it and the added comfort helps me with speed, but I'm starting to wonder if the other guys have all the same features.
I don't get a free website or taxbook links with it like you mentioned, I do get all that other stuff and great tools for MFS vs MFJ return splitting, importing spreadsheets for schedule D, education credit optimizer, the ability to manually override and line on any form in case the software isn't doing what I want or I want a shortcut, but I think all the other soft wares can do all that too, right?

[kpangelinan]

Drake for sure....IMHO....but for a small practice like yours on a budget...I think you'd be ok with TaxAct.

[Bonnie]

Still love Tax Slayer. Much cheaper price, easy to navigate software. All states and unlimited E-filing and businsess for same price. Support is great. Just received notification that I can get all my CEU for free thru them starting in July. Oh, and they also now give me free access to the Tax Book. Just can't seem to get much better but then it does somehow. Could hardly believe my eyes when I received the email about the free CEU. Self paced study. I'm loven it.