I just renewed ProSeries

[jainen]

I just renewed ProSeries -- $999 for unlimited federal and all states including efile. That's a big price drop that will put a lot of pressure on a lot of other companies. (I suppose the price will go back up after they are all forced to sell out to Intuit.)

[jimmcg]

Pro Series

I also renewed Pro Series a couple of weeks ago. I am sure everyone's opinion varies with their software experience. My experience with Pro Series has been favorable and I would rate it high on the list. It has never been cheap in price but you get what you pay for.

[OldJack]

I just renewed ProSeries -- $999 for unlimited federal and all states including efile.

For approximately the same price ATX also includes corporate, partnership, trusts, estates, state gov forms, city, and every tax return form the IRS uses. Does ProSeries include those? ATX is a compiled stand alone spreadsheet (MS Excel) and database (MS Access) based program.

[Acownt4it]

I just renewed ProSeries -- $999 for unlimited federal and all states including efile. That's a big price drop that will put a lot of pressure on a lot of other companies. (I suppose the price will go back up after they are all forced to sell out to Intuit.)

I did too, but mine was the Powertax lite for $2649. This include unlimited 1065, 1120, 1120s, with one state unlimited for all and unlimited efile.

Do you prepare many returns other than 1040's?
Did your renewal include the research library, practice manager and fixed asset manager?

I am just wonder if I need to call them and change my order choice?

[Unregistered]

I renewed with Drake, $995, includes 1040, Partnerships, Corps, States, other business returns. I switched from ProSeries a number of years ago because total fees exceeded $3,000. I don't see Drake closing down, ProSeries needs to include the rest of the package to be competive.

[Unregistered]

Forgive me, I'm the Drake client, fee also includes E-file for all of the above entities as well. I also had to pay shipping with PS, Drake fee includes.

[taxmandan]

Forgive me, I'm the Drake client, fee also includes E-file for all of the above entities as well. I also had to pay shipping with PS, Drake fee includes.

And Drake doesn't compete for your clients like Intuit is doing in the free filing consortium.

[sea-tax]

I use lacerte and have for a couple of years. Yes it is expensive . However I have dealt with the others and have heard many opinions, neither love nor money would make me change. With all the features it makes me have that much more productive time.

As for competing with me I dont understand that comment . I hear it all the time. If anything Intuit has created more oportunity for me to make money. "Do it yourselfers" will eventually srew somthing up and guess what I get to fix it at a premium price and they love me for it. Oh yeah and they become clients for life. Intuit a competitor " I think not"

[taxmandan]

I use lacerte and have for a couple of years. Yes it is expensive . However I have dealt with the others and have heard many opinions, neither love nor money would make me change. With all the features it makes me have that much more productive time.

As for competing with me I dont understand that comment . I hear it all the time. If anything Intuit has created more oportunity for me to make money. "Do it yourselfers" will eventually srew somthing up and guess what I get to fix it at a premium price and they love me for it. Oh yeah and they become clients for life. Intuit a competitor " I think not"

I wasn't talking about Turbo Tax, yes I love it too, I fix many DIY returns. I talking about the conspiracy between the IRS promoting a few tax software companies, primarily Intuit, to offer free return prep in direct competition with my business. The government is promoting a few private businesses against the rest of the industry, hoping to create a monoply at your and my expense. Perhaps you hope to someday be a return checker for Intuit in some cubicle rather than a tax professional in business for yourself. Actually they'll outsource it to China before they would use domestic labor.

Drake has been adament about refusing to cooperate in the consortium because they do not want to destroy the businesses of their customers: tax professionals.

Daniel

[sea-tax]

Ok! well first inorder to use this program you must have an agi less than 50,000. Secondly , I am making an assumption here but i would think it does not handle more complicated returns similar to what you or I would do. If I understand the program or conspiracy as you call it, it only handles tax payers with w2's and maybe sch a.

Either way I don't see the problem. I just did a search of my database with my handy lacerte program and have found that less than 10% of my clients have an agi less than 50k. Also i think you underestimate the US population for being lazy. Most do not want the headache or trouble of self -preparing. Along the same reasons we still have landscapers, painters. Sure you can do it yourself but, for a relative low cost you can have the expertise and knowledge of a pro. Don't sell yourself short. You provide a valuable service that can't be replaced by a machine.

[Bees Knees]

Free filing has been around for years and is available to ALL taxpayers. It's called, fill out your own paper return by hand.

It never took away business before when all returns were done on paper. Free software by IRS won't take any away in the future.

The people who go to you to prepare their return are people who do not want to take the time to learn how to do it themselves. That will never change as long as Congress keeps making tax law difficult.

[Roberts]

Price

Price is an issue for me since I only do a few returns every year. Most of these software programs are just to much for my small practice. I used Proseries Basic last year and it worked okay at best. Reality was that they ticked me off when ordering because they spent 20 minutes trying to upsell me on the phone and then they screwed up the order TWICE. It just turned out to be an annoying program that seemed to go out of it's way to complicate things.

I'd love to find a $500-600 program but it just doesn't seem possible anymore. I've looked at a few of the programs suggested but they tend to have a lot of quirks that just make things complicated if you aren't spending 1000 hours working with the program.

[Jan]

few returns

If you only do a few returns each year, you might try pay per return with some of the better software company. Lacerte charges $25.00 per return, Drake charges $10.00 per return. (Both of these includes Federal and State)

[Chief]

Rpberts

The ppr is a good suggestion. Have you looked at TaxSlayer Prol. A Good program in your price range. excellent quality.

[Roberts]

Sorry

When I mean by a few I mean 75 returns. Those are sort of breakeven numbers for the difference between PPR and just buying the software!