How long are you giving TRX to fix or jump ship?

[TRX 1]

I agree, 1040X may become our best friend this tax season! I already told my staff that if a client demands that we file their tax return before we know that it will be good to go because FAFSA and some colleges are forcing parents to submit a 2012 tax return for financial aid, we are going to get them to sign a disclosure and pay us $50 to amend it when IRS rejects it or they get a CP2000. That should cover my part time overhead. I am not trying to make a killing of these people, I understand their circumstances but i can't tie up my staff doing avoidable 1040X.

I am really looking forward to text to the cell phone. I have not done that so far in my practice (my reminders are by voice mail or e-mail). I personally prefer a call or voice mail because I am so clumsy texting on a cell phone. I like my 102 keyboard!

There you go again showing that age!!!. You need to learn to cheat get a Droid phone like my wife and i did so you can say your text instead of typing it, we are both masters at texting and no one knows how we do it.

Doug

[Guest Taxed]

There you go again showing that age!!!. You need to learn to cheat get a Droid phone like my wife and i did so you can say your text instead of typing it, we are both masters at texting and no one knows how we do it.

Doug

Kids are using Iphone and I am still on my Sprint flip phone without camera. We got through our youth without cellphones. Still remember dropping a dime in the payphone (I have not seen one in years now). The other day I was at a McDonald's parking lot and a young girl got out of her car stil texting and runs right into my passenger side mirror taking it out. Obviously she knew she was being stupid! I did not make a big deal about it thinking if cops get involved this would blow into a full investigation.

[GeneInAlabama]

>>Still remember dropping a dime in the payphone<<

A dime!!! Payphones used to be a nickle. :huh:

[Guest Taxed]

Remember when we were kids and had to call home long distance to let them know that we got there ok. We would call collect from a pay phone and give a name that your family knew was a code and they would reject the call but knew that you got there! What a racket!

[GeneInAlabama]

I had forgotten about that one. Yes, that was a racket, but I have used it.

[TRX 1]

Me too and even had my kids use it.

Doug

[beckster]

I appreciate the lighthearted comments about yesteryear; however, how about posting those on a new thread?

Thanks,

Beckster

[Guest Taxed]

There is a thread for us oldtimers. I started that. As you can tell conversations always go tangent when you are having fun and may be going senile!

[GeneInAlabama]

>>may be going senile!

[GeneInAlabama]

Looks like my computer is going senile too. I had typed more to the above post and the computer forgot the rest of it. Maybe the problems I have been having is the computer's fault and not the software. The computer is getting quite old.

[Guest Taxed]

Time to take out that wallet and buy a new laptop with 6GB of memory. Hopefully it won't go senile on you!

[JJStephens]

Here's my two cents worth.

As I mentioned in another post on this forum, I went back to ATX last summer. Prior to switching to TRX three years ago I had used ATX for about 15 years with (mostly) good results (actually, I had ATX my first year with TRX, which was the only reason I switched in the first place).

Back in June I got a call from ATX asking if I'd come back. I told the rep who called that I simply could not afford the price they were charging. She offered me a deal: I get ATX for three years for $795/year (plus S&H). I don't know if they still have that option but it might be worth asking. It was more than my now-cancelled TRX membership but at least Inow have familiar, working software, reasonable communications with them and much better tech support. Frankly, ATX's responsiveness is much better than it was before--I've been pleasantly surprised by how much they have done to keep me in the loop and provide newbie training (which I've taken in spite of my prior use of the product--I found it to be very helpful).

[Guest Taxed]

$795 is a very good deal. The CCH rep calls me and their offer now is $995.

[beckster]

Ok....is this ship sinking? Where are you going? And what is the price point? Please share.

Thanks,

Beckster

[Guest Taxed]

Will be doing some research tomorrow after my meeting with my partner. TaxAct is looking like a possibility pricewise $99 plus per return efile of $7.95. Other outfits are a bit more expensive. At this point unless you want to shell out 1495 for Drake or 995 for Taxwise you may have to live with per return pricing. You will have to also decide about conversion of your existing client base. That is the biggest challenge.

I hope TRX comes though this week and gives us a professional software free of bugs.

[TaxOR]

Give TaxAct a try. It's inexpensive, looks solid. I can't use it because it doesn't have the local/city forms I need; otherwise, that's where I'd go.

After that, check out Intuit Online ($899 for 100 1040s); lacking some features, but I think this is the direction things will be going in the next few years. But be aware that it may be difficult to switch away from Intuit Online, since you won't have easy access to the return data.

The there's ProSeries (solid, but expensive) and TaxWise (which personally I'd avoid, since they're talking about major changes next year, and that may be a rough ride).

And then if you can afford $1495, Drake is an option, and the renewal price is generally $300-$400 cheaper.

[Crank]

So ATX & TaxWorks are busts this year? I cant imagine them letting down their large customer bases.

[Guest Taxed]

Supposedly Taxworks has regained balance according to one of their reps. It is now stable. I asked them to send me a demo of the 2012 version but they said it is not quite ready???

[the boss]

I find it hard to believe that TRX will be able to finalize and put forth a working software package in time (Jan. 30th). If they do, I will be pleasantly surprised. I will wait till Friday of next week (Jan 25). If by then TRX is still unalbe to complete a simple return with working forms 1040, Sch A, 2106, EIC, etc., then I will be forced to make a move to another software package.

[Guest Taxed]

Keep us posted what you find. I think most of us will have to Jump unless you want to drown! Any ideas of what you are looking at. So far for people who have 1040 only TaxAct looks promising pricewise. Drake and Taxwise are too expensive unless you go pap per return but then you have to look at your breakeven point based on volume of returns files. It is a terrible situation that we are faced?

[beckster]

Taxed mentioned: "Will be doing some research tomorrow after my meeting with my partner. TaxAct is looking like a possibility pricewise $99 plus per return efile of $7.95. Other outfits are a bit more expensive. At this point unless you want to shell out 1495 for Drake or 995 for Taxwise you may have to live with per return pricing. You will have to also decide about conversion of your existing client base. That is the biggest challenge.

I hope TRX comes though this week and gives us a professional software free of bugs."

This is a link I found for TaxAct:

http://prep.taxact.com/products/bundles.asp

I could not find the 99 plus 7.95 for each efile. "Taxed" could you share where you found that?

Does anyone know if TaxAct has a community forum? If so, could you please share the link?

Also, I am concerned with not only the functionality of TRX forms, but what is going to happen when we efile??? Yikes!

Thanks for your help,

Beckster

[Don in Upstate NY]

Does anyone know if TaxAct has a community forum? If so, could you please share the link?

http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/TaxACTors/

[beckster]

Hello Everyone,

Since I originally started this topic one month ago. I thought I would give you an update.

I mulled over staying with this product or moving on for a long time. After examining many different thoughts on software and reasonably accessing all the red flags that this software was sending up, on Jan. 22nd I purchased TaxAct.

I'm happy to say I'm so glad I did. That software works like any reputable software should. I do not have to jump through hoops to try and make the software work. It functions and is not what I would consider faulty software. I've finished five clients returns and have received e-file acknowledgements (also California acks). EIC and Child Tax Credit are calculating correctly, dependent info is correct, etc.

Thanks for allowing me to share.

Beckster

[Crank]

Thanks Bekster.

Tomorrow was the drop deap date I set .... or maybe it was today. I need to sleep on this. Its been a long frustrating day and this software is only compounding the frustration

[Roberts]

All me efiles were rejected today. My tax software allows in the firm / preparer set up a 2-line street address. The IRS only allows a 1-line street address. 2 minute fix to move my suite number to the end of my street, resubmitted and all accepted.

That was basically the last thing I was really worried about with my software.

There is one thing I do NOT like about OLTPRO. You can't generate an invoice until AFTER you've marked the return completed and are ready to efile. Not much of a problem but it's not the process I've ever used. Every other software had it as a form within the return. The reason they do it is the return is locked once it's efiled - you can't go in and change the return - you would start a duplicate if you want to do scenarios. Since the return is locked, if you want to show on the invoice that it was paid later (or make after the fact notes) - you can do so without opening the return itself which is extra quick. There's good and bad to everything. I'm sure I'll get used to it but it's the only thing I don't like so far.