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One would think so, Taxed -- but CCH has yet to do much of anything substantive to their existing customers. So I don't advise holding your breath. I purchased Drake for 2013 months ago. That purchase is fully refundable to 12/31 -- and CCH/ATX has a *very* high hurdle to make to get me back as a paying customer. I signed up as a beta tester in part to give them that chance.

There's an old sales technique sometimes known as "striplining". It is borrowed from fishing terminology, and makes them think they are off the hook while you are simultaneously preparing to set the hook. Basically, it involves shifting the customer into a "neutral" condition and slowing them down when they're in a state of indecision. Then you gradually feed them little bits of info designed to move them in the direction you want them to go, but only in litte steps. At some point they are so heavily invested in your product, as so worn down by the process, that they pull the trigger in your favor in order to get it over with and make the pain of indecision go away. (Auto dealers are experts at this). Does anyone else see any parallels here?

That's a pretty smart computer - looks like it senses what it's getting into if it opens 2012...

For the exclusion, you have to have owned it and lived in it for 2 years. A gift today does not mean the son owned it 2 years ago. My short, simple answer.

I have ordered 7 new systems since March 2013. All had WIN8 option. I opted for WIN7PRO instead. NO REGRETS!!! WIN7 is well supported. If you choose to use WIN8, you will be in Deja Vu with Vista. WIN8 is my "skip" Operating system.

In addition to those who claim EITC, many elderly clients use VITA services. I believe that AARP runs many free sites and might have its own training sessions. I've seen two major problems with those returns. One is that Box 2 of the 1099R is blank (and the "taxable amount not determined" box is checked), so the preparer leaves it blank. The software reads a "zero" when the entire amount is actually taxable. Second is gov't employees who paid into their retirement with after-tax dollars. The amount in Box 1 is not fully taxable, but unless you see their retirement letter containing the data, you can't tell what the ratio is and most of the VITA volunteers don't know enough to ask for the letter. Both Congress and the IRS know that the tax code is indecipherable. And they both want to assist low-income and elderly taxpayers so they don't have to fork over some of their sparse dollars for professional tax prep. The VITA sites are a "feel good" solution, but the TIGTA audit results show that they aren't much of a solution. The real fix will be to simplify the tax code so more people with relatively simple financial lives can actually figure out how to do their own returns correctly.

Don't hold your breath!!!!

Neither is a prerequisite as far as I know. Renewing is definitely not a requirement. As far as how much of the program we will see is still unknown to us.

ATX's problem last year was not about compatabilty with other software, it was about changing to a development platform that both is not the proper platform and the programing staffs inabilty to both understand the platform and use the platform correctly. As for Beta Testing, it appears that they are definately enlisting far more testers for the 2013 season. This could and probably is for 2 reasons: 1. Clearly they did not test sufficiently last year so an expanded base should improve reults 2. IMHO, they could be hoping that more beta testers from the group of users that have not renewed, could help them create a sale/renewal. As for me, I renewed Drake in May!

A couple were celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary. They had married as childhood sweethearts and had moved back to their old neighborhood after they retired. Holding hands, they walked back to their old school. It was not locked, so they entered, and found the old desk they'd shared where Andy had carved "I love you, Sally." On their way back home an armored car passed by and a bag of money fell out, practically at Sally's feet. She picked it up and not knowing what to do with it, they took it home. There, she counted the money: an even $100,000! Andy said, "We've got to give it back!" Sally said, "finders keepers," and put the money back into the bag and hid it in their attic. The next day, two FBI men were canvassing the neighborhood looking for the money and knocked on the door. "Pardon me, did either of you find a bag that fell out of an armored car yesterday?" Sally said, "No." Andy said, "She's lying. She hid it in the attic!" Sally said, "Don't believe him, he's getting senile." The agents turned to Andy and began to question him. One said, "Tell us the story from the beginning." Andy said, "Well, when Sally and I were walking home from school yesterday...." The first FBI agent interrupted him with a heavy sigh and turned to his partner. "I told you this was a waste of time. Let's go."

I have an issue with the gift shop owner quoted. Now of course sales tax would be included in the gross of the merchant card payments, but not in gross receipts. BUT she's trying to say she didn't have $6532 of cash sales in nearly $250K revenue? Gimme a break! If someone is solely web-based, then I could see no cash sales. Or a frikkin new car dealer. But a gift shop? Another non-scandal. IMHO it shows how much the media is trying to create a scandal where there is none. This one is just a lot more apparent to us tax folks.

The problem the letters are dealing with is as old as business itself. We all KNOW that many business operators do "Cash under the table" or "barter" transactions that are not reported. I have heard people that are on welfare, food stamps and Section 8 housing say "I am paid 'under the table' so I don't have to report the income and can keep my government assistance." Last tax season I sent 2 prospective new clients out the door after they used those very words to me. "...has created some heartache in the small business community." "There's an emotional thing when you get a pretty ominous-looking letter from the IRS [saying] you might have done some bad things." The only ones with heartache or emotional distress are the ones that know they have been underreporting income. Sorry, no sympathy here. I saw two waitresses get notices for additional income after the employer, two years later, was audited. Seems that tips on credit card payments were around 17%. Tips on cash payments were 2%. Hmmmmmmmmm Restaurant owner had to pay additional SS & Medicare tax on the calculated 15% shortfall and the waitresses involved all received letters showing they had incurred the additional income.