Will there be new, low cost tax prep software?

[Joe Btfsplk]

Cheap software

No one with a million dollar practice should use cheap software, but someone who does only 100 returns more or less, definitely needs to consider the cost of the software.

Just like efiling--some like it and some don't.

If my clients were constantly being questioned about errors I made, I might need to efile since that would catch some kinds of errors--such as incorrect SSNs.

I rarely make any kind of error that would be caught by efiling. If I leave out some interest or dividends or fail to report a stock sale, efiling would not catch it. On the other hand, if I leave out an EI number efiling would certainly catch it, whereas a paper filed return would not even need the EIN.

The only clients I have that really perceive any extra value in efiling are those who have large refunds--which makes sense and I will efile those kinds of returns at no extra cost to them, since they generally do not job-hop and do not have constanty changing data that won't roll over.

[Lion]

Bob W

Bob W, what software do you use? Do you do mostly 1040s or also businesses? I've been using ATX so am shopping this year, and am leaning toward a package that is powerful for a sole proprietor to get some help with diagnostics, carrying info to two states (CT and NY are common for me), etc.

[George Boutwell]

For the ATX Quirk Collection

I have a client who underpaid his state tax by $400 on an extension request because ATX allowed the credit for taxes paid to other states to be subtracted twice, in determining the amount to be paid by April 17.

I like ATX because it always keeps me on my toes. The minute I assume the software does something correctly, it slaps me in the face and reminds me that human involvement is always necessary.

[BOB W]

Bob W, what software do you use? Do you do mostly 1040s or also businesses? I've been using ATX so am shopping this year, and am leaning toward a package that is powerful for a sole proprietor to get some help with diagnostics, carrying info to two states (CT and NY are common for me), etc.

Lion> sorry I missed your post >>> I use Creative Solution's Ultra Tax> Not cheap but I can count on it for doing a return quickly and correctly. Plenty of diagonostics and other bells & whistles. Get a Demo and play with it.