Software or website for 941s / 940s and W2 / 1099

[Judy rocks]

What is good for software for doing a few 941s / 940s with California and some W2s and 1099s? Not allot. Is it better to go with software or an online source?

[Jiggers]

For those that aren't monthly bookkeeping clients, I use CFSTaxTools payroll.

[John of PA]

AMS is excellent

I have been using Advanced Micoro Solutions (AMS) for about 15 years. It is excellent. It also prints the State reports and does a great job of that. Here in PA, we also have local payroll reports and it prints a worksheet to help prepare it.

[sandigi]

I do few also

1099:
I'm having trouble finding a way to do a few form 1099-MISC this year also. I did 2 companies from their accounting software, since I do the bookkeeping. 2 companies. 2 different software programs. Neither program printed the form 1099 correctly. The check boxes at the bottom keep moving around and I guess the software isn't keeping up with the IRS adding more information reporting requirements every year. I had this same problem last year doing 2011 form 1099.

You have to use the red forms that you get from the IRS. Or go buy some at office supply store.
The form 1096 I filled out by hand. In the past, a client would get a red form 1096 from the IRS but my clients said they are not getting them this year.

For 2012, I'm left with 8-10 form 1099-MISC to file at the rate of 1 per client. They have to file because they paid me. They don't know it and always are suprised when I call them every year!

I'm going to try this site this year. It will save me time, ink, paper, envelopes, stamps, and they will Print/Mail/Efile for $3.95 each 1-10 forms. It's a little cheaper for more than 10.

http://www.eagleviewfiling.com/customer-testimonials.asp

W2:
Set up a BSO (Business Services Online) account to file your client W2's
You can do it all on there.

941:
I'd let the "payroll" accountant do that!

[sandigi]

thanks John

I have been using Advanced Micoro Solutions (AMS) for about 15 years. It is excellent. It also prints the State reports and does a great job of that. Here in PA, we also have local payroll reports and it prints a worksheet to help prepare it.

I read your post after mine. Your AMS got a 2012 reader's choice award from CPA Practice Advisor.

I still think if I'm filing around 10, I'm best using software in the cloud. From what I quickly saw on AMS site, the software is affordable $45-75, but then I have to download and update. Does anybody else ever get tired of this?

It is difficult to do a small business any more. There is always the pen and paper and sometimes that seems the fastest way to me.

[taxea]

I read your post after mine. Your AMS got a 2012 reader's choice award from CPA Practice Advisor.

I still think if I'm filing around 10, I'm best using software in the cloud. From what I quickly saw on AMS site, the software is affordable $45-75, but then I have to download and update. Does anybody else ever get tired of this?

It is difficult to do a small business any more. There is always the pen and paper and sometimes that seems the fastest way to me.

If you are referring to doing the 1099 with pen and paper, the IRS frowns on that, of late, wouldn't they also frown on doing payroll forms manually?

[Uncle Sam]

E-filing of W-2 and 1099s

In order to e-file a client's W-2s or 1099s - do you need the client
e-file authorization prior to e-filing?
That's one topic that I've never seen discussed in all the chat board
discussions of e-filing those forms.

[sandigi]

I'm frowning too

If you are referring to doing the 1099 with pen and paper, the IRS frowns on that, of late, wouldn't they also frown on doing payroll forms manually?

Doing these few 1099's have always been a headache for me. 2 clients I do their bookkeeping: both accounting software systems on my computer will NOT print a blank red form 1096. They WILL print on the IRS preprinted 1096 they used to send. I don't think they sent them out this year. My church did not receive one. My client said he did not either.

So for these 2 clients; I did the form 1099, printed it on IRS blank form, but then to have the 1096 transmittal to go with it, I hand printed it.

Yes, they will probably frown on it. That is why I was looking for an alternative method.

[sandigi]

Excellent Question!

In order to e-file a client's W-2s or 1099s - do you need the client
e-file authorization prior to e-filing?
That's one topic that I've never seen discussed in all the chat board
discussions of e-filing those forms.

I was also wondering that, especially regarding the 1099/1096 this year. Since in the past, I did paper forms and they signed the 1096.

Regarding W2/W3, I do not know. I'm going to check out the SSA website on the BSO (Business Services Online) and see what I can find out.

[taxxcpa]

I've been using BSO to file W-2s for years. Originally I prepared the W-2 using BSO, but now I e-file the W-2s by uploading the file from my Drake CWU program.

I don't recall ever having had to have a client authorize me to prepare W-2s on BSO or to upload W-2 data to the BSO site.

[arlo]

1099 small number

I use efilemyform.com $3.49 per form.

[manyhappyreturns]

I also have been using efilemyforms.com to file a handful of 1098s & 1099s for the past 5 years. It's quick, it's easy and it's cheap @$3.49 per form. I don't have any clients with employees, but I know they do W-2s as well.

[John of PA]

Advanced Micro Solutions has excellent Tech Support (Oklahoma hosptality). I do not Efile W-2's but they would take you through it over the phone, I would have no fear of it using AMS if I ever had to. Yes it is a bit of an interuption to have to download updates, but my experience in the clouds is everything runs slower, so it's a trade off. I don't find the updates a major problem. If I remember, I do it right before I go to lunch. I only have to do it about 3 time in Jan, then once in Apr, July & Oct. Not too bad.

[Gary2]

Curious. I received, for my personal use, the red 1099-INTs and 1096 from the IRS, by ordering them at the IRS web site. I wonder if people are confusing "The IRS no longer sends this automatically to people who ordered them in the past" with "The IRS won't send them at all."

I have every intention of doing them by hand. If the IRS doesn't like it, let them add a section to Sch. B for the common case of nominee interest for jointly held accounts of people who can't or won't file jointly.

[S T]

It has always seemed odd to me, as a preparer of quarterly 941 reports, annual 940 reports and W-2 reports to SSA, then also preparing Tax returns and under the mandate of efile, that IRS does not provide us with a system to efile 1099 forms each year -

QB payroll systems provides us at no extra charge the payroll reports for efile once we achieve the passcodes and passwords, our tax software provides us with the efile of tax returns through our subscription, but there are only a "handful" (as in Drake) that offer the services to efile the 1099 forms (after application to obtain a #). Otherwise we either have to manually prepare and "snail mail" the 1099 forms, or pay third party service for the efile of 1099 forms - which has a cost attached

Why is the 1099 filing so archaic? Thank goodness so much of the 1099 reporting was repealed the last year or so

I am thinking if IRS or the gov't wants compliance in this area of 1099 reporting, they should provide the taxpayers and tax preparers with an easier filing system and the availability of easier reporting compliance. Upgrading to a more current technology would be so welcomed.

Maybe we should all just "boycott" and fill in all 1099 forms and 1096 Transmittals by hand (pen and ink) -----

A source of aggravation each year at this time!

Sandy