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Because they don't care about their customers. They've been doing this for years. The company also has a disconnect between the marketing and sales depts. They should give out those free toasters books to everyone that's already renewed.

I would still do the Schedule C, just to hope to avoid any matching problems.

It's all smoke & mirrors marketing. I prefer the way Drake handles this discount issue. Just like their software. Smooth, efficient, & predictable - with a minimum of fluff.

I try to make subsidiary worksheets for all those break-outs. Specifically because of the items that I would otherwise forget to ask about. Just this year, a client who pays a monthly fee for "suite maintenance" (basically the landlord bills separately for cleaning and snow removal) forgot to include it. It was in my worksheet, so off went the email query. Those worksheets prevent the "Other" section from getting overcrowded; another benefit.

I believe preparers who put most expenses on the "other" line have a method to their madness. A detailed list of expenses helps you know what to look for the following year and to catch anything that's missing. If someone has a service contract for their HVAC and you lump it in with utilities, you might not remember to ask about the cost the following year. And some of the categories on the C, and the E for that matter, are so broad you're sure to miss things. "Office expense," for example, includes paper, toner, postage, maybe the IT guy and window washers, etc. If the total seems too high it could raise a flag, so maybe it's best to break out a few of the included items and put them on "other." There most be a middle ground for using that line.....