Tax Package Representation

[MAMalody]

This is a copy of an e-mail that I just sent to ATX. I doubt if I will even get a response. Just my two cents worth.

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I called today and asked if I could find out what I paid last year for the 1040 Office package. I was told $595.50 (Included shipping). Good. It matched my records. I then asked for this years price for the exact same thing I bought last year. I was told $604. It was not until I asked further questions to make sure the packages were identical that I learned that there was about another $200 in E-file charges that I would need to pay. I do not appreciate being told false and misleading information. If you are going to make package comparisons, you must do so or indicate that there have been changes in that package. I should not have to ask additional questions to make sure that I am getting an apple's to apple's comparison. As a result of this misrepresentation I will be looking at other products, posting my results of this conversation at the ATX message board, and telling those that I came across in the tax prep field to look elsewhere for their software. It was then suggested that I trade up to MAX at $1065. Not my price has gone up $500. I understand that 2nd Story has a similar package to 1040 Office, priced at about the same as my last year price.

To put it mildly, this is not good business practice.

[redux]

This is a copy of an e-mail that I just sent to ATX. I doubt if I will even get a response. Just my two cents worth.

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I called today and asked if I could find out what I paid last year for the 1040 Office package. I was told $595.50 (Included shipping). Good. It matched my records. I then asked for this years price for the exact same thing I bought last year. I was told $604. It was not until I asked further questions to make sure the packages were identical that I learned that there was about another $200 in E-file charges that I would need to pay. I do not appreciate being told false and misleading information. If you are going to make package comparisons, you must do so or indicate that there have been changes in that package. I should not have to ask additional questions to make sure that I am getting an apple's to apple's comparison. As a result of this misrepresentation I will be looking at other products, posting my results of this conversation at the ATX message board, and telling those that I came across in the tax prep field to look elsewhere for their software. It was then suggested that I trade up to MAX at $1065. Not my price has gone up $500. I understand that 2nd Story has a similar package to 1040 Office, priced at about the same as my last year price.

To put it mildly, this is not good business practice.

I can't say what the 1040 Office package cost last year. This year it is $595 - $59.50 (early discount)+ $69.00 shipping = $604.50. Also this year for that price you get only 100 "free" e-files, after which it is $3 Fed and $2 State extra for each return. There may well be other missing research tools too. Unless you kept a copy of last year's sales brochures for the various packages, we'll never know what is missing. Missing items, of course, is a method of price increase, as we all know.

As far as them not telling you everything, I have to say...it's all there on their web site in writing.

[taxxcpa]

This is a copy of an e-mail that I just sent to ATX. I doubt if I will even get a response. Just my two cents worth.

============

I called today and asked if I could find out what I paid last year for the 1040 Office package. I was told $595.50 (Included shipping). Good. It matched my records. I then asked for this years price for the exact same thing I bought last year. I was told $604. It was not until I asked further questions to make sure the packages were identical that I learned that there was about another $200 in E-file charges that I would need to pay. I do not appreciate being told false and misleading information. If you are going to make package comparisons, you must do so or indicate that there have been changes in that package. I should not have to ask additional questions to make sure that I am getting an apple's to apple's comparison. As a result of this misrepresentation I will be looking at other products, posting my results of this conversation at the ATX message board, and telling those that I came across in the tax prep field to look elsewhere for their software. It was then suggested that I trade up to MAX at $1065. Not my price has gone up $500. I understand that 2nd Story has a similar package to 1040 Office, priced at about the same as my last year price.

To put it mildly, this is not good business practice.

The 2nd Story professional software is excellent and low-cost. However, it does not include all state returns. There is also a per-return fee for e-filing. You should check to see if the states you may have are covered and how much the e-filing fees will amount to. If you can use their package with these limitations, you will have one of the best programs available.

In my case, I won't order it since I need corp, partnership, fiduciary, various states and other things their sofware does not have available.

[MAMalody]

I agree with both replys. The info was on the web site, however, when you call and ask for a comparison, it seems to me that you either refer them to the website, explain the differences or make an apples-to-apples comparison.

It may be that 2nd Story is not a fair comparison for me. I have not looked at the states they do, however, they do 42 states and DC and I think that is all that have income tax. I read on some board where they are making a package deal, including unlimited e-file for around $600. I have not really checked out either of these issues, but I will.

By the way, I did get a response from ATX in which the responded said, "I seriously doubt that the sales representative you spoke with would have allowed the sale to go through without disclosing the change in e-file fees." The point was, until I began asking specific questions I was told the packages were the same. I don't think that anything was left out of the package just the e-filing charges added. I have ATX software going back to 97 I think, and they have always been forthright about changes before when I have called them. Maybe I'm hyper today, or ultra picky, however, I don't think they were making a fair comparison. I will have to think this over.

It was nice to receive a reply, however. I didn't really expect on.

Mike

[bstaxes]

I have been reading about 2nd story in this thread. Where can I find more about them, perhaps their website?

[Don in Upstate NY]

I have been reading about 2nd story in this thread. Where can I find more about them, perhaps their website?

2nd Story Software = TaxAct. www.taxact.com

(I think the federal plus all states plus unlimited e-file package is $500. The price with per-return e-file is about $150; per-return e-filing is about $11.50 for the first 25, and goes down from there. See the site for complete e-filing prices. AFAIK the $500 package is NOT advertised on the site, you have to call for it.)

[JohnH]

Mike:

Nice response you got there:

"I seriously doubt that the sales representative you spoke with would have allowed the sale to go through without disclosing the change in e-file fees."

How close is that to saying...?

1) You must have a really lousy memory;

2) Our people don't make mistakes;

3) You're lying to us.

Seems to me they could have been more succinct.

How about "This is the way we do business. You're only a customer - get used to it!"

[redux]

It is so sad, John but I'm afraid you're right when you say their attitude is "This is the way we do business. You're only a customer - get used to it!"

[bstaxes]

Thanks Don for the link. Site looks interesting but I did not see 1041's. Although I might give the demo a try.

[OldJack]

Why not just forget about "efile" and give your clients a paper return to file. The only savings with efile is paper since you take as much or more time playing with signature forms, acknowledgments, and efile errors than it takes to produce the paper return. The taxpayer's desire for quick money is not your problem unless you let it be.

[TAXBILLY]

I've gotten along very well without e-filing and the few clients who request it are sent with the return to the cheapest e-filer around. Most say they won't spend the money to e-file in the future.

taxbilly

[JohnH]

Ditto (on both Old Jack & taxbilly's posts regarding eflinging)

[MAMalody]

Hmmm. I could go to paper returns only, however, unlike your practices my practice is entirely internet based. I have not had a fact-to-face interview or office visit in 5 years. About 80% of my clients I have never seen. They contact me through the Internet, receive their organizer in Word or .pdf format, get any additional questions vial e-mail and recieve a copy of their return in a .pdf file. I rceive their F8453 and e-file the return. My office is 90% paperless. All their correspondence, information and docs are kept in electronic files (which is how I receive most of it.). My fax machine comes directly into my computer, etc. It would be a major change for my clients to all of a sudden have to file a paper return. For me, it was a major pain when ATX dropped their web based tax organizer that I could download directly into the tax program. A paper return is an option, as you pointed out. I'm just not sure I want to go that way.

Mike

[kcjenkins]

You should be able to find some info on TaxAct on both this site and on the TaxProExchange group site. It's been discussed pretty throughly there. Not for those who have clients with business entities, etc.

[OldJack]

Hmmm. I could go to paper returns only, however, unlike your practices my practice is entirely internet based.

Mike... Your practice is especially easy to paper file and it costs you nothing. You simply make an image of your signature and use it to sign the pdf tax return before you send it to the client. The client prints the pdf file on paper and U.S. mails his paper tax return. no big deal.

[MAMalody]

Mike... Your practice is especially easy to paper file and it costs you nothing. You simply make an image of your signature and use it to sign the pdf tax return before you send it to the client. The client prints the pdf file on paper and U.S. mails his paper tax return. no big deal.

Now, this is new to me. I have heard of this process, but have never employed it. Does it require a specific program? Do I just scan a signature into, like, MS Pub, Word, etc and cut and paste in a .pdf file. My Acrobat Adobe is an older version, would this require AB Pro 8.9? This may be technical for this board. You can email me at [email protected] if that would be better. Sorry for the trouble, but this may solve some problems.

Mike

[OldJack]

>>Does it require a specific program? <<

You print the unsigned tax return from the tax program to Adobe Acrobat creating the pdf file. Then, after you have once scanned your signature to a .jpg image, you setup Acrobat signature feature to use the image when you use Acrobat to "sign" the pdf tax return in the tax form signature box area. I do have the full Acrobat Pro 7.0 program. I am not sure if Acrobat Reader has signing abilities but I believe it does. I am not sure if the image signature emails as I have used this only with "faxing" the tax returns, from the pdf file, for a couple of my clients.

[JohnH]

Jack/Mike: I'm puzzled by why you would want to do this. Most tax programs now offer the option to print your signature on the signature line, which is acceptable to IRS . (I modify mine in ATX to make it a larger font and script, but that's just because I can, not because it's necessary). In any event, there's no need for a cursive signature - original or scanned.

[MAMalody]

I also have my ATX program set to type in my name...I have found that most people still thinks you need to sign the return. You make an excellent point. Thanks for refreshing my memory.

Mike

[samingeorgia]

I manually sign the returns so that grandma won't call me at 9:30 at night: "Did you forget to sign this return?"

[TAXBILLY]

Be sure to also sign the client copy because grandma might send in the wrong one (it happened to me) and IRS tried to penalize me. Luckily I pointed out the fact that the copy they received was stamped "copy".

taxbilly

[JohnH]

As I mentioned before, I enlarge the font and change it to script. Having done all that, I still also sign the original, but not the copies (although taxbilly now has me thinking about doing that). My thinking is that if I forget to sign the reutrn, the script might just fool the taxpyer and they won't bother asking me. And of course, if they do call at 11 pm anyhow, I can tell them the printed signature is just fine, and to leave me alone.

[TAXBILLY]

In my case the old lady thought that the IRS would appreciate the "copy" because it was in "such a pretty folder".

taxbilly

[bstaxes]

I have the tax program print my name and I also sign each one as I check the return. Even the ones that are the copies (theirs and mine). I also put a reddi-tag for "sign, date, and mail" on the copy to IRS. Only had one person call me back and ask what do I send to the IRS, she was confused. She removed staples and paper clips and probably shuffled all the paper together, what a mess.

[jainen]

>>In any event, there's no need for a cursive signature - original or scanned.<<

Perhaps you mean there is no REQUIREMENT for a cursive signature. Neither is there a requirement to keep a copy of the complete return, or to print the depreciation schedule, or to arrange the pages neatly stapled in a nice folder, or many other elements of good service. But there are plenty of reasons, and some of those reasons reach the level of "need"