Catherine

Emochila -- I looked at them, too, and their prices are competitive and they have template selection, etc. In some ways very similar to CPA Site Solutions. However, they require a credit card (which they charge) to start work, whereas the CSS will configure the site entirely and not charge a dime 'til you approve and are ready to post to the web. There are other vendors, too, that I recall looking at some years ago (before I decided on the CCH/ATX special) -- Accountant's World had one, and I don't recall the others.

I like the Tax Book and get the Deluxe every year and the all-states every couple of years. For more in-depth research I use TaxTools online research; reasonable price and pretty good search features. Plus this forum and a couple others! Either book should do fine for you -- they are terrific for quick-reference on mild-to-moderate issues (and TTB at least frequently cites the code section if you need to go there for nitty gritty details).

I started with the CCH Site Builder when they gave a serious discount to ATX users. Price kept going up and I ended up using CPA Site Solutions. For somewhat less money I get ten times as much storage on the secure file share (and my clients prefer the way the new site is organized - at least the ones who have commented at all). I also get access to my email both through my email program _and_ through gmail (easier when away from my office). Take a look either at their samples or at my site -- www.grant-financial.com. Editing the site is easy; they give lots of templates to choose from to personalize your look. They update monthly content, and the customer support has (so far) been excellent. Support from CCH wasn't the best, shall we say?

Received yesterday and was thinking of installing it today if I get my other computer work finished and still have the energy for it.

A belated Happy Thanksgiving to every one on this forum! We had a very quiet day; both girls here in the morning but off for the afternoon. I cooked and Doug cleaned everything up, bless him. Turkey nap-attack hit and I snoozed for a good hour. It's so nice to have a hiatus from the bathroom renovation work, even if it leaves us in mid-construction with plastic-sheeting walls and the smell of drying plaster.

@TaxCPANY -- Not a water heater leak, but a bathroom remodel. We've spent the last 8 years with a marginally functional bathroom where the main source of winter heat was my hair dryer. It will be finished _before_ tax season starts up again. My sympathies on your water heater leak!! Hope that it gets fixed _very_ soon.

Thanks to all, and Happy Thanksgiving!

@Jack -- There is at least one company that has released its draft of 2011 tax prep software, and I recalled a discussion of disc arrivals earlier, so that's why I thought it might have been sent. I freely admit ATX tends to come out late, so thank you. @rfassett -- THANK you for the advice/warning on the FAM. I'll work on that today. Catherine

I thought there was a thread on this but now I can't find it. Has CCH sent out the draft 2011 program CD yet? I got what I thought was the draft software but opened the envelope tonight and it's the Fixed Asset Manager. I also have the archive disc for 2010. So, has the PVC pipe glue gotten to my brain and fricasseed it, or am I missing a disc? Tried "MyATX" but they're down for maintenance at the moment. TIA, Catherine

Margaret -- I will look forward to your visit and will be happy to show off a bathroom that is functional and pretty, too. Lion -- great idea; my Schedule D price just doubled.

OK; that's it. It's official. I am NOW going to go hide under my desk and whimper. And hit myself in the head with a brick while I'm there. AND cry. Do they have any idea what a mess it will be for THEM (the IRS) if they drive all of US (professional tax preparers) out of the field with their convoluted and STUPID rules? How about ONE form and send a copy of the brokerage statement as a pdf attchment to the return or with an 8453? How can we work according to what THEY receive when we don't get the same info? Put everyone with any stock sale on extension until the 1099-B's are added to the account info on e-services late next summer or into next fall? Rant over. Time to check on the plumber. Grrr.

NECPA & bstaxes BOTH -- take care of yourselves and get better!! I haven't even been lurking. We've been in this house close to 8 1/2 years and knew from the beginning that the master bath was going to need to be re-done, as it was barely functional (for the last 8 winters, the "heat" in there has been my hair dryer - with the cord dangling IN the sink). Now with Gwen off to college, it was time to re-do that room. I've spent the fall choosing contractors, agonizing over design minutiae, coordinating, ordering -- and in my copious free time dealing with the late clients and the few representation clients I still have and the inevitable agency letters (you did your taxes WRONG and owe umpty gazillion dollars NOW - that are always wrong but need careful, documented answers - wasn't e-filing supposed to FIX some of this?!?!). Busy enough to want to crawl under my desk and hide.... LOL! Happy Thanksgiving to everyone here. I am grateful and thankful for each and every one of you - your knowledge, your wit, your challenges, your friendship. Catherine

I tried to renew online but since I renewed last year by paper, I have to wait from some sort of letter from the IRS with an "authorization code" before I can use the perfectly good online account that is set up. Grrr.

Mine arrived yesterday. (11/05)

Thanks for letting us know!

Office romance only as running gag -- but it certainly has been funny, I've gotten many a chuckle from the various posts.

LOL!! Just because he's switching to Drake doesn't mean he will abandon us at this forum. Lots of folks here have switched away from ATX but can't leave their friends. Booger's posts are always welcome here -- and I hope he'll keep us updated on Drake, too. They've been my fallback for several years now - I evaluate them every year and keep thinking that if CCH ever pushes me too far, I know where I will jump. Catherine

I e-filed the last one first thing Monday morning after chasing down/being chased down by late clients for the last week and weekend. I am SO glad this season is done; it's going to take every second of the remaining year to clear up and gear up for next year!

@Kea -- I'm very glad that my adventures helped you. Yes, Massachusetts has a real problem with not accepting changed names -- even when the source is their own incorrect information! If they just had a checkbox on the return for "name has changed since last return" it would probably go through. But NO, they can't do something that simple. Instead we get to keep notes on our clients of which name goes with which e-file. Sigh.

One client has hyphenated middle name; goes through fine for Federal. Massachusetts has never changed their computers to accept that hyphenated name. First part only. Another client has a Slavic name. Federal takes full first name and surname with the final vowel. Massachusetts requires dropping the final vowel on the surname, and will only take the first initial of the first name. The main source of the problem is the state of Mass. -- but regardless of where it originates, it is one royal PITA to deal with.

There is still the problem in Massachusetts that NONE of the health care penalty calculations working without over-riding everything on the worksheets. This has been an issue for years, since the first 1099-HC requirements were instituted in Mass.

Here's an annoying problem: creating e-files people whose names are accepted differently by different agencies. Example: John Joseph Smith & Jana Louise Jones-Smith. Fed e-file requires John J Smith and J L Jones-Smith state e-file only takes John J Smith and Jana L Jones (they've never caught on to her full name change) To e-file these folks currently, one must create and submit the Federal, wait _at least_ until it has been "Transmitted to Agency", then re-open the return, change Jones-Smith to Jones, create and submit the state e-file. Once THAT has been "Transmitted to Agency", one can then go back YET AGAIN and fix the names. Keeping careful notes all the while of what name is accepted by which agency. Any other way results in rejected e-files. If they had a place on the state e-file page for any special name requirements, all that extra work would be taken away. It's not even that it's so MUCH work -but rather trying to track all that while frantically making sure all returns get properly submitted. Catherine

@mlinder42 -- Spouse has an ITIN and is self-employed (handyman; odd jobs). @jainen -- will do; thank you _very_ much for the recommendation. Worst that happens is the same as doing nothing - clients have to pay back the credit. Not that they _have_ any money -- a handyman and an artist.... Catherine

More twists, courtesy of paperwork from client. Rejection of FTHB credit came via Form 4549, Examination changes. First I heard of examination, as well. How does this change the situation?

Problem for 2010 tax year. Client and spouse -- went on extension. Filed by paper in May, as they bought a house and applied for the FTHB credit. Turns out spouse is considered a non-resident alien or illegal alien or something (not known to me at the time; I thought spouse was here legally as they've been married for several years). So FTHB credit got dis-allowed. HOWEVER -- house and mortgage are in client's name only. Can we RE-file before the 17th as MFS and have it treated as the initial (if corrected) filing? I seem to have seen this before, here, but on quick search can't find details. Also - if we CAN do this, do we file 1040X or "just" a new set of 1040's (one each)? Would appreciate a quick answer as this would need to be sandwiched in amongst all the other last-minute-here's-the-info-you-asked-for-in-March returns in the queue. TIA, Catherine