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I have gone years without calling tech support. If I had platinum software like Lion, I'd want that level of support too. But unlike a menu driven software, I find ATX input to be intuitive enough.

Tell your soon to be client to put on his big boy pants and contact his soon to be former CPA and end it himself. He shouldn't be dumping this on you.

I have a small clientele with complex returns. No two are alike. Getting new situations each year is fun and challenging. Researching the tax law is great, and I might hit one of these boards for clues. But, there comes a time when I understand how the return needs to flow but have never done that in my software. Usually in March or April when I don't have time to duplicate the return and try a couple of possibilities. Probably once or twice a year I end up calling support to find out how to do something new in my software, or in which order to do several things so it flows correctly and does not duplicate something already picked up from the K-1, for instance, or even to find out why something IS duplicating. A year or two ago I was sleep-deprived and preparing a partnership with a SEP, a partnership with a SIMPLE, an S-corp with s SEP and an S-corp with a SIMPLE, two also had HSAs, one had employees, both shareholders and non-shareholders, that contributed to SIMPLEs. (When I'm king of the world, I'm going to make partnership and s-corp returns more alike.) One of the returns was duplicating the SIMPLE or the HSA as the numbers were identical. Tech support came into my computer and fixed it in moments. I took notes and have them in those four folders. But, the time I saved late that night paid for itself. As a sole proprietor when I went out on my own, tech support was at or near the top of my list as I shopped for tax prep software. I called one support line re downloading Flash to run their demo. The techie fixed the issue (Norton) but asked what I was up to and offered to walk me through using their software. I chose trusts, as I was new to trusts but getting some, and he walked me through all the menus in a trust return, spending hours on the phone with me. When the salesman called, I was ready to buy and have never regretted my decision. I don't call but once or twice per year, but the time saved is huge. When tech support saves me enough time to prepare a couple more returns instead of struggling on one with a problem, it saves me enough money to afford my pricier software.

The EIC should NOT be part of a tax return. The EIC should have been a function of welfare agencies.

It must be based on W2 wages. Deduction comes on the 1120S in form of gross wages. Employer contribution deducted on 1120S as pension expense. So the lower amount is reported on 1040 passed thru K-1 schedule. W2 will show lesser amount in wages subject to income tax, so lower amount is reported on 1040. Nothing to do with SE income on 1040.

Thank to all for your advice. I will post what eventually happens. Thanks again!!