taxtrio

That makes sense... I have a new Dell bought last summer... only one "plug" available on back of CPU... So apparently the "splitter" cable I bought is just good for things like presentations. Same image on both monitors. That is why I my configuration doesn't work. It only shows one monitor. So I have to purchase and install a dual monitor video card... this will be a new experience for me! I have never upgraded a computer before. Everyone says it is a simple install. We will see how handy I am... Thanks to everyone for your help. I have been warned that there is only one problem with working Dual Monitors.... once you do you never want to go back to one!

Thank you for the help, but I get as far as "change display settings", but then I don't see "multiple displays" anywhere! Still stumped..

I am trying to set-up dual monitors this year. Windows 7 Machine. Two Dell Monitors. I have one monitor connection on my PC; got adapter cable that allowed me to attach both monitors to my PC. Both are up and running... but the point of my having two monitors is to be able to have two programs running but displaying one program on each monitor. I must need to change a setting somewhere ... but where? Right now I am just getting a "mirror image" of the main monitor on the second monitor. Can't seem to get it to show one program on one monitor and a second program on the second monitor. Help!

I have complained and asked for this very thing for many, many years. Development assured me it was in the works for this year. And the efile status at the bottom of the screen is what they came up with. Not good enough! You still have to review each client status individually and then manually "mark" the return to be sure. It still requires a lot of time and effort when the program should just automatically show the efile status in the return manager. I was unbelieveably disappointed when I saw the result of development dept. work in this matter. The only way I have found in the past years to make sure all returns are efiled is to print both the return manager screen and the efile manager screen and manually compare the lists. And in 2012 the efile list would not print in Alphabetical order-- so it was useless. Hours of time wasted! Development Team just doesn't get it! they don't understand what we need. I have reviewed other software this summer and Drake Software (comparable in price to ATX with many extra features included) Has a Client Status Screen that automatically shows the status of each client's return automatically!. If Drake can do it; why not ATX?? I did not want to be stuck this year with only one software company to rely on. I signed up for both ATX and Drake... I need a back-up plan. I cannot go through another year like last year. I have always loved ATX... but not so sure of them now. I have been working with Drake and it is very different from ATX; but has many features ATX does not have. And it just simply works, and works quickly. Screens not fancy, but don't need to be fancy... just need to work. But I have decided I need to be proficient in at least two software packages so I won't be "stuck" like I was last year. ATX is better this year, but still has a long way to go.. Time will tell which software I use most this season.

That's pretty harsh!

I had an experience where a client received a letter about missed stock sales.. He knew he had not "made anything" so he did not report them. The IRS required him to ammend those years to correct the loss carryforward to current years. So, yes... ammend.

I agree that the EIC is not crucial... but I have always used the prior year comparison when reviewing the returns with my clients. I could just forego that for this year... but the process of editing a lot of returns will help with possible 2210 calculations in 2013..and it will give me a lot of "practice" in Drake input processes!

Don't know who to credit for this one... here goes! Here is a math trick so unbelieveable that it will stump you. 1. Get the calculator. (you won't be able to do this one in your head) 2. Key in the first three digits of your phone number (NOT the area code) 3. Multiply by 80 4. Add 1 5. Multiply by 250 6. Add the last 4 digits of your phone number 7. Add the last 4 digits of your phone number again 8. Subtract 250 9. Divide number by 2 Do you recognize the answer? Amazing!!

That is exactly why I have to print my client labels on a 20 per page label like avery 5161/8161 labels. 1" x 4"... If I don't I loose part of many of the names.... and the Bldg # and/or Apt # run off the 5160 labels. I have requested ATX allow a "choice" of label in the software.. I also have to get someone to help me with Excel... and Word mail merge... The point is ... I shouldn't have to. ATX should work easily; and it never has as far as labels...

NATP has a deal for tax professional for credit card service. Monthly charge only $5.00 per month, there is a % charge (as always) but the fee is reasonable... Remember the fee % charged will vary. If it is a "rewards" card the % is larger. No way to know what exact % will be until the statement comes. But you can choose to be "seasonal" and then no $5.00 per month for off-season months. I find it economical for the occasional client that can't pay me any other way. Check it out on NATP website.

On comparing the 2012 ATX with the conversion to 2012 Drake.. I have also found that the EIC doesn't show up in Drake 2012. Beware it will not be an actual copy. Lot's of great info carries over. But adjustments will be necessary. I am working on editing all 600 of my returns now to make them an exact copy. Time now or time later. I feel it is better for me to do it now so I can be confident of my rollover to Drake 2013 will be accurate. If I don't do it now, I will have to adjust the 2013 later for such things as: 1. Taxable state refund calculation. 2. 2210 calculation for 2013 depend on 2012 tax liablility. 3. Carryforward of refund from 2012 to 2013 (applied forward) was missing. 4. Ability to do ammendments in Drake 2012 for my clients (won't have to fight with ATX 2012) 5. Prior year comparison will be correct after my edit.. I'm sure there are more...

Yes it still runs ATX better than my XP system... But I just can't rely or trust what they tell me anymore. Hard to believe them about any future promises! I still wonder if the obamacare website was written by ATX programmers! Maybe they should have hired Drake to build their website!

I bought an i5 system this summer (per recommendations by ATX at the time for 2013)... Now I am getting emails suggesting I upgrade as I am just below "recommended" system for 2013. I printed the recommendations early summer... this fall ATX changed them to i7 or better! Ugh.

I converted about 600 returns from ATX 2012 to Drake 2012... to a little over an hour. I compared my personal return in Drake 2012 to original ATX 2012. Not completely there... but I expected a little difference; just surprised that the IRA deduction claimed did not show up... and only the first 7 items of Sch C misc showed up, So I had to add those in to make it correct. I had also designated the small refund on Federal to be applied to 2013 estimated payments. That was alos missing. The 2210 information on Michigan was not correct. Dates of estimated payments and prior year tax amounts missing. So more missing that I expected. I have decided to go through all 600 returns and compare and correct conversion returns. That way the prior year comparison will be correct, the taxable state refund will be better calculated, and the 2210's should come out right. It will give me good training inputing Drake... And be easier when the client is in front of me this winter. I thought about just dealing with it when the client comes in... but would take too much time, and too much chance for errors. I think most of the simple returns will be ok... I will see as I go... Any thoughts on the matter?

I converted 600 1040 returns yesterday... took an hour. I noticed that it did not bring over the IRA deduction taken in 2012 ATX, and missing last 4 "other deductions" on sch C.

This year it is not just the deer in the garden.... my biggest problem are the ground hogs (woodchucks) that like to eat everything I plant!! And the dug under the grandchildren's playhouse to have their young..... Grrrrr! Tried everything on the market... even live traps...They even eat my Gloriosa Daisies... Taxtrio

Also had problems , (they guessed) with different virus scanners and firewalls....just what some of the techie's said last winter.

Probably to test in as many "different" system configurations as possible..... ? I believe that was one of the problems with their system last year.... ATX did not play well with the other software in our systems.....??? But I will be very unhappy if that is all that is being tested.... We need speed of opening ATX, and speed of opening client returns... etc. etc. etc. We need stability. We need reliability. We need functionality. We need all of the functions that worked pre-2012 ATX to just work!

What did he spend the 22,000.00 on? If he wrote off the 22,000.00 as expenses as it was spent; i.e. operating expenses that are not depreciable then he would not have any basis left to claim upon the sale of the business. Can't write off the 22,000.00 twice. Just a thought.

It's Summer! Trying to have a life outside of taxes!

So, to get an answers from ATX about what improvements they are making I have to fly from Michigan to Orlando FL?? Not all of us can fly out to an IRS forum... ATX can't you just post the improvements on the ATX Blog for us all to see?

I would not give out any information unless I had a supoena, or written request from client. I had a client that needed copies of his 2005 to 2011 returns last summer... applied for a new job and the background check went back to 2005! He had just divorced and his wife had all copies.

ATX blog posting June 14th... From Kim. Talks about improvements made and to be made. They will be posting weekly thru the summer about what they are doing with ATX. Hoping for good news thru the summer.

Good to know.

Thanks, I'll consider that... but being I work alone, on a standalone... not sure I really need pro version...