Guest Taxed Posted April 28, 2013 Report Share Posted April 28, 2013 Seeing what happened to my beloved Taxworks, I am very cautious and perhaps paranoid in trusting any tax prep software company that has had major issues with its software to a point when long time users are leaving in droves. have you figured out a backup software in case ATX bites the dust by next season? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lion EA Posted May 3, 2013 Report Share Posted May 3, 2013 The "sub" site CCHGroup.com is for ProSystem fx and other accounting and workflow products. CCH has a separate site for their Legal products and for their Small Business Services division and I think even for a Medical division that one of their new tax execs came from. Don't know if there is a CCH.com site at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeattleCPA Posted May 4, 2013 Report Share Posted May 4, 2013 I'm a little late to this discussion, but here's the blog post I did for Intuit about why i switched from ATX to Lacerte: https://blog.accountants.intuit.com/?p=23325 My three big takeaways discussed were (1) after the ATX experience this tax season, people in my office were happy to switch, (2) the Lacerte training time (free training!) was quicker than ATX customer service hold times, and (3) if I count any of the indirect costs of using ATX, Lacerte wasn't any more expensive. BTW, we switched mid-tax-season as noted at the myatx forum (I see many familiar names here)... and I also need to say here that when I got my Lacerte invoice (and looked at the big number it shows) my only reaction, my only reaction, was to think, "Gee I am happy to have good tax software." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Taxed Posted May 4, 2013 Report Share Posted May 4, 2013 Steve, how many preparers do you have in your office and approximately how many returns and types do you do. What other software did you evaluate and why did you reject them? I may be a bit off here but I think most of us here are sole pros. with perhaps part-time help during the season and we do less than 500 returns. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joelgilb Posted May 4, 2013 Report Share Posted May 4, 2013 I'm a little late to this discussion, but here's the blog post I did for Intuit about why i switched from ATX to Lacerte: https://blog.accountants.intuit.com/?p=23325 My three big takeaways discussed were (1) after the ATX experience this tax season, people in my office were happy to switch, (2) the Lacerte training time (free training!) was quicker than ATX customer service hold times, and (3) if I count any of the indirect costs of using ATX, Lacerte wasn't any more expensive. BTW, we switched mid-tax-season as noted at the myatx forum (I see many familiar names here)... and I also need to say here that when I got my Lacerte invoice (and looked at the big number it shows) my only reaction, my only reaction, was to think, "Gee I am happy to have good tax software." Steve: What a great write up! Even though I switched to Drake mid-season, which was cheaper, I had a similar experience in my office. I can't agree with your assessment more, your points were spot on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joanmcq Posted May 4, 2013 Report Share Posted May 4, 2013 Steve, how many preparers do you have in your office and approximately how many returns and types do you do. What other software did you evaluate and why did you reject them? I may be a bit off here but I think most of us here are sole pros. with perhaps part-time help during the season and we do less than 500 returns. This here. I am a sole prop, and just got my first part time assistant. I do, however, have a couple of returns that would work better on more advanced software, and having used ProFx & Lacerte at jobs in times past, I know what top line software is capable of doing. Since you mentioned in your blog about having 'CPAs and paraprofessionals' I'm wondering why you were using ATX to begin with, unless it was simply a holdover from when your firm was smaller. I'm doing about 300 returns now, and have not had many issues so far this year. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Taxed Posted May 5, 2013 Report Share Posted May 5, 2013 I wonder what percentage of folks on this board are solo operators like us? I too get part time help during the season. I came very close to hiring a junior associate this year. My budget was $1500 for all software in a tax season. I guess I will have to go up. I can't afford ProFx or Lacerte. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joanmcq Posted May 5, 2013 Report Share Posted May 5, 2013 I'm looking at getting Profx on a PPR basis. There's an UltraTax sales pitch meeting here next week, so I think I'll check it out, but it looks way too pricey for me. Even on a PPR basis. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TaxCPANY Posted May 5, 2013 Author Report Share Posted May 5, 2013 OMG, almost ALL you guyze really have helped me 'cut to the chase' over the mere, 10 days since I posted. Pls forgive me for failing to thank EACH of you, tonight -- i.e., I hope you 'know who you are' -- in order to further this colloquy about which tax-prep software to leave ATX for. I had the good fortune to attend a tax-tech trade-show, last Thursday, get down with Thomson Reuters' and Intuit's reps, there, then. Thomson Reuters' offerings were quite promising, but, it looks like I could get the better deal -- that seems so comprehensive as to accommodate my international clients as well as my coupla-dozen states' individual and entity income-tax (and payroll & sales & fiduciary & not-for-profit) returns -- from Intuit's *cloud* offering. Rather than revert to Lacerte (which I'd left for ATX, 10 years ago), I'd be signing-up with Intuit's something-other alternative for only about $ 1,348 -- LESS than ATX. N.B.: No tax-research tie-in is included; I'll have to lay out another grand or so to for an equivalent to the Intelliconnect resource I used to enjoy with ATX's "Total Tax Office;" but, I lost AT LEAST that much time's worth to ATX's eff-up, this year. MOST truly yours, TaxCPANY Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lion EA Posted May 5, 2013 Report Share Posted May 5, 2013 I pay a lot less than $1,000 (probably half that) for IntelliConnect, so you may not have to leave that research software. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Taxed Posted May 5, 2013 Report Share Posted May 5, 2013 How do you like Intelliconnect? I liked Checkpoint better! Have you tried Taxbooks? What is your opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Taxed Posted May 5, 2013 Report Share Posted May 5, 2013 I'm looking at getting Profx on a PPR basis. There's an UltraTax sales pitch meeting here next week, so I think I'll check it out, but it looks way too pricey for me. Even on a PPR basis. UltraTax folks usually don't make any deals unless you are at least a medium sized shop with a few employees. For solo pros like us with a few complicated returns that could benefit from Lacerte or Ultratax etc. perhaps a PPR option or stick with the usual suspects! Another option that I am exploring for next season is to farm out a sub S that has grown dramatically and operating in multiple states. This case takes a lot of my time and the cost efficiency is declining. I think we all have to realize when a taxpayer has grown beyond our resources! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lion EA Posted May 5, 2013 Report Share Posted May 5, 2013 I still have Tax Book Deluxe in paper on my shelf (bought at a subsidized price via NY/CT-ATP) and like it for a quick look or to show a client quickly or even to get the terminology I need to do a more in-depth search. But, I love IntelliConnect to use within ProSystem fx or outside of it, to be able to email directly to a client, to save my own folders of info for future reference, to carve out what I need and print it with the heading telling me where it came from to keep in a client folder or for my files, to look up something on my iPhone, and for many other reasons. TTB is for quick answers. IntelliConnect is for research, for going straight to the code or tax memos or court cases or tax prep explanations, for preparing documents for clients or myself, and for more details. I use both. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jklcpa Posted May 5, 2013 Report Share Posted May 5, 2013 I think we need to start a "research materials" thread. I used PPC & RIA for years and dropped those when ATX incorporated the Intelliconnect. I never cared for it and never totally got the hang of using all its features. Also, I was annoyed each time I'd get their newsletter email that wouldn't let me open up the full article because I didn't purchase it separately, only through ATX. I had Tax Analysts for a couple of years and didn't like that either. I still have PPC for my accounting books and research. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeattleCPA Posted May 5, 2013 Report Share Posted May 5, 2013 Steve, how many preparers do you have in your office and approximately how many returns and types do you do. What other software did you evaluate and why did you reject them? I may be a bit off here but I think most of us here are sole pros. with perhaps part-time help during the season and we do less than 500 returns. I have a small niche-y practice that's me, another CPA during tax season, a CPA candidate and then an admin. We do lots and lots of small S corp and partnership returns and the reason we used ATX was that the spreadsheet made it really easy to do these small entity returns. BTW, we also looked at UltraTax and that's just an excellent product... it's very expensive for a shop like mine (basically $400 or so per month per person)... but the real problem is that it did not provide a good clean way to quickly move cash basis financial statements from QuickBooksk to the tax software. Way, way too clunky. Final explanatory comment: We don't actually do a lot of returns... probably not more than many of you solos. But many of the returns we do are pretty cumbersome and that's why even before the meltdown we were looking for some better-fitting option than ATX. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Taxed Posted May 5, 2013 Report Share Posted May 5, 2013 As you can tell from this thread, most of us Solos are constrained by our budget for tax prep software. The deals have just dried up as more and more companies go under or get bought out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcb39 Posted May 6, 2013 Report Share Posted May 6, 2013 It sounds to me as though the most popular options such as Drake and Pro Series are dropping all of their "great" deals now that people have stopped jumping ship mid-season. Nor, is ATX in a bargaining frame of mind. We all need to look at the options, make our decisions and stick to them. There is no great hurry unless you like things tied up neatly before you can relax. I am not going to advise anyone what to do or not do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Taxed Posted May 6, 2013 Report Share Posted May 6, 2013 Based on my conversations with Drake, it appears that they already grabbed the lion's share of preparers who jumped ship this year. At this point there is no further price reduction. Until May 31 it is $1095 if you want it for 2013! Let's look at this logically. Did anyone negotiate a lower price than that with Ultratax, Proseries, Taxwise? Perhaps a few! So what incentive does Drake have to give a further discount? Things would have been a lot different if Taxworks had survived and offered say a 50% discount or ATX offered say $795 for MAX as someone said they got?? As I said the pond just dried up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TaxCPANY Posted May 6, 2013 Author Report Share Posted May 6, 2013 I still have Tax Book Deluxe in paper on my shelf (bought at a subsidized price via NY/CT-ATP) and like it for a quick look or to show a client quickly or even to get the terminology I need to do a more in-depth search. But, I love IntelliConnect to use within ProSystem fx or outside of it, to be able to email directly to a client, to save my own folders of info for future reference, to carve out what I need and print it with the heading telling me where it came from to keep in a client folder or for my files, to look up something on my iPhone, and for many other reasons. TTB is for quick answers. IntelliConnect is for research, for going straight to the code or tax memos or court cases or tax prep explanations, for preparing documents for clients or myself, and for more details. I use both. Do you like Tax Book Deluxe 'that much,' Lion, or do you not also receive "1040 Express Answers," its "Business" companion volume, and CCH Master Tax Guide with your Intelliconnect subscription -- as I do/did under "Total Tax Office" -- and use for such a "quick look" and collateral purposes as TBD provides for you? I do like Intelliconnect, and, despite familiarity with RIA and PPC, would prefer to keep it and that package ongoing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Taxed Posted May 6, 2013 Report Share Posted May 6, 2013 How often do you find yourself looking up the actual tax code and tax memos during tax season? Has anyone used the free Tax Almanac for research? Is it any good? This year I think I had to look up the actual code less than 6 times. That too because the client was involved in a business lawsuit and the attorney wanted all sorts of documentation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lion EA Posted May 6, 2013 Report Share Posted May 6, 2013 Through my NY/CT-ATP group, I get a subsidized price on the combo of TTB and Lasser's Pro. Hardly ever use Lasser's but use TTB often for it's easy to follow language, quick help with the tax lingo so I can research further, and usefulness to clients, making the combo worth the subsidized price to me so far. It's something I evaluate each season and will consider again this fall before ordering. I lose power and internet often, so TTB and even Lasser's are my safety net; if I finally install a generator, maybe I'll not renew. IntelliConnect has been hit and miss re the paper copy of MTG and other paper pubs, received the 2011 MTG in paper but not 2012; it's part of my online subscription, though, so I can access MTG and haven't bothered following up on my missing paper copy. I don't get the other "Express" books on paper, but my online subscription includes things with titles such as Tax Prep Partner. My favorite part of IntelliConnect is the Explanations where I access ALL of those CCH interpretative pubs. I probably went to the Tax Code only six times, too, but have many of my more complex returns on extension this year and expect that number to jump starting this month. Just looked up something this morning for a preparer I know. I like the everything in one place of IntelliConnect, everything from plain English explanations to MTG and IRS pubs up to the IRC and Tax Court decisions. It gets better each year, and I get better at using it's full potential. If it weren't for Hurricane Sandy-type events knocking out my power and internet, I'd drop all paper publications for IntelliConnect. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ADGFINANCIAL Posted May 8, 2013 Report Share Posted May 8, 2013 Update on Proseries... As most know I made the change to the new vendor. On Wednesday I had a client come in with 2 years to do. Proseries had given me 2012 with my 2013 purchase so I called my new sales rep and was surprised to find out that the program is available all the way back to 2001 at no charge. So I down loaded it and did the two returns live in front of the client. It's really that easy to pick up the new input. August @ ADG Financial.com 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Taxed Posted May 8, 2013 Report Share Posted May 8, 2013 Most vendors like Drake and CCH will allow you access to prior year's version if you signup and request your rep. I never had that issue with any vendor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TaxCPANY Posted May 9, 2013 Author Report Share Posted May 9, 2013 Update on Proseries... As most know I made the change to the new vendor. On Wednesday I had a client come in with 2 years to do. Proseries had given me 2012 with my 2013 purchase so I called my new sales rep and was surprised to find out that the program is available all the way back to 2001 at no charge. So I down loaded it and did the two returns live in front of the client. It's really that easy to pick up the new input. August @ ADG Financial.com No; it seems like ProSeries wants at LEAST $ 1,694 to handle only my individual clients, and GLOBS more for the entities I also serve; so, no 'deal.' Has anyone else got a take on "Intuit Tax Online"'s "100-pack bundle"?!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Taxed Posted May 9, 2013 Report Share Posted May 9, 2013 I signed up for Intuit online as a backup when my primary software company fumbled but never had to use it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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