joelgilb

You know, I looked at that chart a dozen times on Saturday and for the life of me kept missing that one section. Thx for pointing me back to it.

And Now that I am fresh and rested I see it!

Now if only I could get my payroll software to correctly calculate it! lol

bringing this discussion back up for an additional issue.

Any body know how the additional .9% medicare tax withholding works here?

Although the medical ins (wage) is not subject to SS or reg medicare, is it subject to the additional .9% WH?

Joel: I view extensions as my friend. They make the deadline date just another routine day in my office. I recommend that approach highly.

John, I wholeheartedly agree with you.

Was just adding a little humor is all.

Wow John, you are ahead of the game.

Guess I will follow you lead and get my extensions done early this year, 03/15/2014. Well, earlier than my usual last day of filing season for corps (but only because we got the extra 2 days this year.

I must say though I am impressed!

JOhn,

That really sums it up well

I do the same as Judy.

I only use the data entry screens to push the data into the computer.

Then I click on "View" to see the information on the form (the form recalculates automatically when you click on "view" so you never actually use the "calculate" button as far as I can tell).

It's very simple to toggle between "View" and "Date Entry", and the program is so fast that you have the desired screen in front of you at the blink of the eye. It isn't as though you need to go through any steps to toggle back & forth in Drake.

One of the reasons I say that Forms Data entry is overrated is because even in ATX, there are numerous times when you must use a data entry screen anyhow. You either have to jump to a sub-screen or jump to a different form, then back to the 1040. With a few exceptions, about the only time you truly enter info directly onto the form is when you have a small, relatively insignificant entry or when you want to force an override. And the data entry screens in ATX are varied, whereas the data entry screens in Drake generally follow a similar pattern in their layout and how you get into & out of them. So navigating the data entry screens is much easier in Drake since you are so often in familiar territory.

I keep coming back to the old issue of speed. Drake is fast. This is mainly due to the simplicity & efficiency of its design and layout. There aren't many bells & whistles, so you have a program doing what it is supposed to do - produce an accurate tax return as fast as possible.

John,

That really sums it up perfectly. ATX is essentially using data screens as well, just not clean and consistent ones.

Like both you and Judy, I find viewing the return after entry works well and is fast. When I think about it, it took more time to get back to the forms screen to see what my input did in ATX, than it does in Drake using the view return. This really makes you wonder about the supposed advantage of forms based tax software.

For example, schedule E input in ATX is all done on an input sheet and you have to go back to the form view to see what happened. Even if you start on the form, you end up drilling down to the input sheet and then having to go back to see what changed.

Did you know that Drake provides a little "cheat sheet" 2013 Data Entry Screen Codes Form 1040. It lists the Line#, Screen and Source. So for example IRA Distribution (1099-R) goes on screen 1099:3 line 15b.

You can download that cheat sheet from the support site under downloads.

They have a Hotkey sheet as well, that is now available directly inside the Drake software under "Help/Navigation Help.

At the bottom there is a link to the PDF for the Hotkeys.

I agree in general but this board could also serves us to candidly talk about Drake without Drake company administrators looking over our shoulders. IMHO.

Drake is not CCH/ATX and from my short experience does not do the things that CCH has done that caused this board to be created and needed.

I see members candidly discussing Drake and its flaws on its board, with no cencorship whatsoever (except for direct attacks on Named staff or other members, which really isn't approriate on any forum - and this I only saw from posts that this had happened in the distant past).

On the other had, for the most part members there are happy with Drake and you see virtually no bashing.

Just thought I would throw this out.

Not that this isn't a great board, but it is really geared more towards ATX and Tax specific issues IMHO.

Although Eric was nice enough to provide this Drake section, I think the Drake users here that have technical issues will find (as I have), that the Drake board may serve you better for Drake specific tech questions. I have found that the Drake board has a lot of long time and very experienced users, which has really short cut my learning curve.

Also, unlike the ATX regular board (not this one), there is virtually no drama!

Just my 2 cents worth, so take it for what it is worth.

...

2. ...- My prediction is that in 2015, whoever left will come back to ATX when they realize how good the program is this year.

Don't count on it.

Still they will probably stay in business

Nope, No referral fee or any compensation for that matter, but that is OK with me.

Took me years to find this DM solution, so personally all I care is they continue thrive, grow and continue to add features.

BTW, might need to mention or speak with Jeff to get the price reduction.

Yes its Real!

FileCenter (FC) is a Great DM! Very little compares to it at this price range.

Although Drake DM is decent, it can't compare to FC

1. Scanning and OCR is built-in

2. Templates,
3. Separators (sort, autoname and move to folders automatically by using these)

4. You can use your existing File structure! No proprietory folders or file structure

5. Custom Cabinets to assist with Work Flow

6. Networkable

7. Combining is simple and you can print to the same file and append or prepend on the fly

8. Split view

9. Templates (allows creation of multiple folders simultaneously

10. Naming Conventions (auto name your files)

11. Convert multiple types of file formats to PDF

12. Emailing and protect/secure PDFs

13 Emailing. creation and protect/secure Zip files on the fly

14. Full Redaction capability

15. Typewriter allowing you to simply type on any PDF without creating boxes/fields (although it can do this as well

15. and more

Yes there are some limitations to it, but as far as I can see, only the very high end DM's improve on it.

Comes bundled with a Full PDF ability, well a lite version of PDF-Xchange that does virtually everything you will need.

I wrote a review of version 7 here:

http://gilassc.wordpress.com/2013/01/25/document-management-what-is-it-and-why-do-i-need-it/

And if you mention my name and my website they will give you a $50.00 off the $199.00 Pro version (at least they used to)

I also converted 2011 to 2012. Cakewalk and very quick.

Then the few returns I had done in ATX 2012 I manually converted to have both me and staff learn Drake quickly.

Thank Gawd I don't have to convert that mess of a 2012 program to Drake 2013!

looks like Mink beat me to it!

you can go here and see ATX's "ATX 2013 Preview Participants Provide Feedback -- Part 1" here:

http://myatx.blogspot.com/http://myatx.blogspot.com/

No comment here as to whether I as in the 87% or the 13%.

For simple returns, Drake works very well. However, for complex partnership returns with transfers and special allocations, Drake is a nightmare. You can bring up the 1040 in form-based mode but to go to the input for Schedule A or E, for example, it just takes you to an input screen. I looked forever on the 2210 input screen for a way to suppress the form, only to find that the option is on the Name and Address input screen. Now where's the logic in that? I really like the "jump to" feature in ATX. I never had an issue about "where did that number come from??"

Maybe I'm doing something really wrong. Any input would be appreciated.

It takes a little learning, but Drake really does a better job on complex partnership allocations than ATX. I found I had to go to the additional screens and really set things up correctly so that Drake would handle all the calculations including the partnership basis issues.

For instance, Drake also does a much better job on things like the 754 election (adjustment to inside basis for certain partners). With ATX I had to do all sorts of work arounds and customize the underlying calculations by editing the Excel Spreadsheet in the ATX software, something that could not be done in the 2012 software.

I suggest really working through the additional pages and talking with Tech Support, they helped me immensely.

I agree with all of that, Joel. I, too, have always had a separate program for depreciation because I need more flexible and extensive reports for my accounting clients. I have the Fixed Assets program from Tompson Reuters, which used to be called DSII (Deprec. Solution II) from Creative Solutions. The Fixed Assets II has become the depreciation module that integrates in with Ultra Tax.

Would like to switch completely from CCH. How much is the FA program from Thompson Reuters?

Most definitely

With checkpoint you are getting all that is available with Parker. Your basic tax research, regs, TC, form line #s. You can do boolean search.

There is a link to a checkpoint demo on the Drake site and I bet you are paying more than $89 for Parker.

Yea, Parker is $249.00 per year and it's explanation leaves something to be desired.

Sounds like Checkpoint is the way to go for only $89.00!

Personally, I think ATX's recommendations of 2.8ghz, suggest that they really don't understand CPU's.

Had friends that had little or no trouble with very old, very slow PC's, with only minor speed issues (much slower5 than the PC's I list below).

Further a lot depends on the CPU manufacturer, multi-threading, high end graphics GPUs and other factors. CPU speed certainly isn't the only issue. AMD used to have actual lower CPU ghz speed ratings for some chips that were actually faster than the same rated Intel chip. To avoid consumer confusion on the speed, AMD sold these CPU's using a higher than actual CPU rating to allow a more direct comparison to the Intel rated CPU chips, even though they actually ran at a lower ghz..

Now I have an older PC with an Intel Q6600 2.4ghz Quad Core CPU (CPU Benchmark 2979) and now a new PC with an Intel I4770 quad core (CPU Benchmark of 10,101), essentially 3.4 times as fast. I must say that ATX 2012 runs better on the I4770 (still like crap though), but ATX 2013 runs at virtually the same speed on both machines.

Judy:

Now that you are not using ATX, any ideas as to what to use to do payroll returns?

Was trying to avoid buying Superforms, and not really up to speed on the Drake CWU; and well I just want to produce the returns.

I know I can create a fillable PDF, but seems like too much work for me and the small number of returns I have.

Drakes fixed assets converted perfectly for me as well. I do have a few comments about the FA module though:

The Fixed Asset Manager (FTM) is not as strong as some of the profressional FTMs. but I find it is sufficient for my needs. With ATX 2011 and earlier (not sure about 2012 as my ATX 2012 integrated with the external FTM), I had to buy the full FTM to get history and future depreciation lapsing schedules.

ATX input (IMHO) made it easier for those with less expertise to easily choose the correct asset methods and lives ,by hiding some of the more technical issues in depreciation behind menu choices. With Drake, I feel you need to understand asset classes, depreciation methods and assets lives a little better. This one can be taken as a strength or a weakness though. My personal thought is that Drake, forces preparers to better understand the depreciation rules and insure that the correct methods and lives are used, and is therefore a strength, not a weakness.

What do you get in the checkpoint subscription?

I have Parker now, and want to see if this adds anything.

Also, I was planning on getting a Quick Reference guide and something like the Master Tax Guide as well, so was looking at TTB. If Checkpoint fits that bill I might add it to my Parker subscription (http://www.parkertaxpublishing.com/).

Joel, I'm not sure if you are asking me or someone else. I've renewed with Drake for the coming season and was only posting so that others could see the deal that was offered in case anyone here missed seeing it.

Thought maybe you were disenchanted with Drake.

Me, I also renewed Drake. Not saying I was a beta tester, but guess I did not see anything in ATX 2013 that would make me want to repeat the experience.

BTW, have you been on the Drake Board? If so, what is your nick over there (you could PM it to me if you don't mind)?

Aren't you happy with Drake?

Can you not input the trades via a spreadsheet into 8949?

I find the spreadsheet method much easier especially if I can get the broker to download it for me and i just format it. I am a very slow typist.

Both ATX 2012 and 2013 have CSV import features for the 8849, but I do not know the format required for the spreadsheet import. My guess is that it has to be identical to the columns in the 8849.

If they are paying an individual, and the amount exceeds $600 they have to issue a 1099MISC but they do not have to for a corporation. Also, it is probably easier to claim that an independent contractor is truly independent if they have gone to the trouble of incorporating their business. I can't remember offhand if corporations have to be reported as independent contractors when they don't have workers compensation insurance. Those are all the reasons I can think of.

Like Gail said, it helps to justify the independent contractor status vs employer - employee relationship. It also helps the contractor to deduct business expenses where they would not exceed the 2% itemized deduction limitation or if they can't itemize.