Lacerte Research Library

[KJ Judd]

I know we have several Lacerte users out there. I just received an e-mail that Lacerte is offering a new Research Library for $395 ($355.50 if I sign up by next Friday). Unfortunately when I called them to see about a free trial period as RIA Checkpoint and Kleinrock have allowed, they said they didn't have one.

I found out the Research Library is by Tax Analysts.

Does anyone have any thoughts or comments on this? I am really hesitant to sign up with out getting a chance to try it out first. Although the price makes it very tempting. (Then again you often get what you pay for!)

[jainen]

I have a full set

I have a full set of the Tax Analysts One Disk library from ten years ago. It was nice but not too different from other data bases of the kind. Intuit bought it and bundled with Proseries for several years.

[sea-tax]

I use Lacerte and unfortunately have no information in regards to the new research product but if it is anything like the tax software I am sure it will be very well put together .

[dsi]

Lacerte sent me a disk with the forms on it. They said DAVE, try this for free. Infact keep it, it's on us! It's the 2005 forms disk. Personally, I simply can't justify the price for a forms disk when I can find virtually any form I want for free on the internet. Now, if they offered it for $150 I would buy it. BTW, even if I do purchase the 2006 forms disk from them at the price they are asking now, the 2007 disk will be at their regular price.

[KJ Judd]

I also received the forms disk and haven't even looked at it. I feel the same way you do. Why pay money for something that is available free on the internet.

Also, I went to the Tax Analysts website and found you could order the One Disk from them for $139 with monthly updates. This seems to be the same product as Lacerte is offering (based on additional info they e-mailed me) except it isn't integrated with the Lacerte software. I don't know that integration is worth a couple hundred dollars.

Has anyone used the Tax Analyst product?

[John of PA]

Cheaper to deal Direct

I have been using Tax Analyst for about 10 years. I only pay about $ 100. per year; which is much cheaper than Lacerte's 395. The updates are only quarterly for the 100 per year. Other than that, does anyone see any advantage of me switching to the Lacerte product? (I use Lacerte for tax prep).

[KJ Judd]

John -

Are you happy with the product or do you use another product for more in depth analysis. On another board someone posted that the analysis wasn't as strong as some.

[John of PA]

Happy with Tax Analyst

I am happy with Tax Analyst, but I only use it if I want to read a code seciton or a Reg or court case. My actual tax research (to answer questions) I mostly use THE TAX BOOK and Quickfinder, and the J. K. Lasser book, and of course this Bulletin Board. I also use PPC's Deskbooks but I find as time goes on, I find myself using it less and less. Also I find as time goes on, I am using more and more, Google successfully for tax research.