Lee B

The last 3 years I have waited until December or January to renew. Today I decided to renew, $69 down payment with balance of $1,269 due on December 16th.

​Just to keep the record straight this was a copy of a post on the ATX Board by a poster named fromthegrave

Re: ATX Payroll Compliance Fees 2015 ???????????????????? Copied from the ATX Board: Suggestion to all ATX subscribers: Count up how many filings you did over the past year with ATX in the Payroll module. Shouldn't be too hard to do if you run a sort in the efile manager on Sub Type. If your non-W-2 SSA filings total more than 100, (for 941s, 940s and 1099s), then the best option for you is to ask for the unlimited filing option for $ 150. If you file less than 100 PR returns in a year, then stay with the $ 1.50 per filing option. Whichever way you choose, don't be surprised that your sales rep didn't mention the unlimited one time pay up-front option when you renewed this past month. It wasn't in their normal telesale script. Just call back and ask for your renewal contract to be updated with the option. Our office is saving over$ 150 with the one-time unlimited fee. Am I happy to be paying another $ 150 for e-filing? No I'm not. However, it is what it is and I prefer to e-file the payroll returns rather than send paper" It is truly amazing how poorly ATX is comunicating with it's users !

For a balanced perspective on this story, here is NAEA's position: IRS in an announcement late yesterday stated "criminals used taxpayer-specific data acquired from non-IRS sources to gain unauthorized access to information on approximately 100,000 tax accounts through IRS' 'Get Transcript' application. This data included Social Security information, date of birth and street address." We believe it is important for our members to understand the issue at hand here. In the first place, IRS was not "hacked." More to the point, criminals did not break into IRS databases and steal 100,000 accounts. The criminals had the keys, obtained elsewhere--they came in the front door and fraudulently posed as taxpayers. While your clients may not be particularly interested in this fine distinction, we believe the distinction is one worth making, both to your staff members and to your clients. Members may have already heard of the breach either through the media or social networks (we posted to NAEA's Facebook page last evening), but we wanted to make sure that all NAEA members were aware of the issue--and that IRS had shut down the "Get Transcript" application. Please take a minute or two to read IRS' announcement, which provides quite a bit of useful information, including details on what the agency believes happened, how many taxpayers are affected, and what the agency is doing in response (including an offer of free credit monitoring). In our conversations with well-placed current and former IRS officials, we gleaned a few other items for your consideration: IRS has not yet sent the letters to the taxpayers whose data has been compromised. Those letters should be going out shortly--perhaps by the end of the week, though frankly we don't have a high level of confidence on this-and we expect to receive a copy, which we plan to share with our members.We do not know how long the "Get Transcript" function will be shut down. Our guess is that it may be a very long time before IRS reopens it.IRS plans to post FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) to its website--perhaps today

If you read the various articles, the thieves obtained people's SSNs, birthdates etc from other sources. Then using that information, they by impersonating individuals, obtained tax return transcripts. I think it is a very important distinction. IRS eservices was not hacked !

I received the email from my ATX Sales Rep: ” The $1.50 charge is per e-filed return. This would include summary forms for any variety of 1099 per company (not each individual employee’s 1099) and quarterly/annual reporting from the 94x series per company. Because W2s are not actually electronically filed, they are not subject to the fee.” So my original post is correct except that there will not be any efiling fees related to W3/W2 s.

Some financial institutions try to insist on using their own forms. Check to see if your state has passed one of the laws that require POA's to accepted.

​Lynn, I think we are saying the same thing on 941s. On 1099's, it's per Form 1096 not per client. For example I have several clients that have 1099s for rent, interest and dividends which is 3 different 1096s.

Talked to my ATX Sales Rep, several hours ago. According to him, the following efiling fees will be charged to your credit card on "as used" basis: 1. $1.50 per each W-3 ( Federal/State counts as one ) 2. $1.50 per each 1096 ( Some of my clients have multiple 1096 s ) 3. $1.50 per each Form 940 4. $1.50 per each Form 941 ( 4 times per year ) On my proposed renewal contract it says the following: Under the words MAX Package, "Unlimited efile of federal & business returns plus all states" Under the works Payroll Compliance Reporting, "Unlimited efiling." In the product details for ATX Payroll Compliance, the very last line says, Unlimited efiling at $1.50 per form The conclusion that I have reached is that as usual, ATX doesn't really care if we are confused or they are so disorganized that they can't communicate clearly. I guess it doesn't really matter which it is !

Also in different parts of the country, the Postal Service is closing down mail sorting centers, which delays mail delivery. Last year 1st and 2nd quarter estimated payments timely mailed to the Oregon Dept of Revenue took 10 to 14 days to be delivered.

​I am skeptical as to how this would work. You have several different years with different rates and possibly different max $ limits. In my state you have to file amended returns.

Yes, I have manually start the ATX Servers this way every time my computer reboots for both 2013 & 2014. Other than this annoying issue, I don't have any problems with ATX.

I have spent between $500 and $600 per year for Professional Liability Insurance for the last 22 years. About 20 years ago I added Earthquake Insurance to my Homwowners Policy for the same reason. It's risk management, you insure against potential losses that you can't afford. How many of you would stop carrying Homeowners/Fire insurance on your home or stop carrying Liability Insurance on your vehicles ???

I have had both past and current clients with a number of unfiled years for both personal and business tax returns who have never received any letters from the IRS. In my state it's more likely that they will receive a letter from the state Dept of Revenue, if at all.

Copied from e-news for Small Business: Tax Tip 2015-04, IRS Webinar Helps Child Care Providers Learn Basic Tax RulesTax Tip 2015-05, IRS Helps Beauty and Barber Shops Start, Grow and SucceedTax Tip 2015-06, Federal Tax Help for Landscapers and Gardeners is Just a Click Away

I have noticed that the ATX program seems to be taking longer to open recently, but once it's open I haven't noticed any problems or lag.

​I agree 100 %

It's been several years or more since I tried calling the IRS. I have had good success dealing with them by mail. It's slow, but so far so good.

Copied from irs.gov: To e-file your 2014 tax return or other electronic forms, you must verify your identity with your Self-Select PIN or your Adjusted Gross Income from your 2013 tax return. If you don't have either, you can get an Electronic Filing PIN. Determine Your EligibilityYou filed a 2013 Form 1040, Form 1040A, Form 1040-EZ or Form 1040-SS (PR)Your return was processed by Nov. 23, 2014 Gather Your InformationCopy of last year’s tax returnSocial Security number or Individual Tax Identification numberFirst and last name, date of birth and filing statusComplete mailing address as it appeared on your 2013 tax return Get Your Electronic Filing PINAccess the Electronic Filing PIN online E-file Using Your PINWhen you're ready to file your return, enter your Electronic Filing PIN in the "Electronic Filing PIN" fieldKeep a copy of your signed tax return for your records*The Electronic Filing PIN service is unavailable on Sundays between 1 a.m. and 7 a.m. EST for system maintenance. Page Last Reviewed or Updated: 20-Jan-2015 This was discussed in another thread last week and I fail to see that this provides any protection. There is another PIN called an IP PIN, which is used for identity theft protection purposes, but it is only available in three states that are designated "high risk states" by the IRS. If you are in one of those 3 states then the IP PIN can be obtained. If this 3 state trial is successful, then perhaps it will be offered in more states.

Not a single one of the 20 - 2014 W - 2 efiles that ATX created for me passed the Accuwage checks Finally, I filed them thru BSO/SSA anyway and they all were processed without problem.

Copied from Accounting Today: Sam’s Club, the membership warehouse club owned by Wal-Mart, is teaming up with a New York City-based accounting firm known as 1-800Accountant to offer accounting and tax services that can be accessed via mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets.

​Lynn, Thanks for the info. I think I am going to request this in writing before I renew. We all know that the ATX Sales Department and the rest of the company don't seem to be working with the same information often enough for all of us to be wary. "Trust but Verify !"

Most of my comments are already covered. I agree that the text of the actual contents of a post are still a bit too light. Today I am using my 13" Toshiba Chromebook, which has a pretty good display. The only other thing is the sign in lag is longer.

Is that $1.50 per client or $1.50 for each W - 2 & 1099 ?​

If you are running Windows 8, you may be having one of their infamous glitches.