jainen

>>Does jainen remind you of Randy? << My 12-step program doesn't permit even a tiny peek at TV, so I had to look this one up on Wikipedia. I found that "Randy fashioned a fishing hook out of parts from his glasses and the tribe was finally able to get some meat." Later he gave his last cookie away, taking none for himself. The good news about me is that I have NEVER copyrighted anything. If you happen to like something I post, you are free to use it without dealing personally with me at all. If you don't like something I post, you still don't have to get personal.

>>why doesn't your DEMO work?<< I think Roger already answered when he said, "We will cross that bridge when we get there." I wasn't being arch when I invoked the specter of Battlecruiser 3000. Lots of bridges never have to be crossed because one never does get there. They have "a team of full time developers that are working on this project day and night," but they don't have a plan for anybody actually installing the game. @rchinchilla (this cute way to address comments is one thing I am ready to implement right now!), here is my advice that I have been working on day and night. You suggested multiple software applications are undesirable, but surely you don't expect your new program to replace everything we use all at once. Open Source lends itself to plugins and links and the like. I suggest you first produce something special to establish your reputation for clean programming and reliable tax theory. Later you can integrate it with other modules. For example, you are associated with a national travel agency. I'm quite sure you've got a few under-employed contract lawyers hanging around this month. Ask them to build a set of election statements. It won't take long to come up with something vastly better than what is currently available, especially for independent tax preparers struggling with less-than-high-end resources. Make it complete, with clear instructions for use including citations to solid authority. MS Word templates would be a useful format so we can edit and cut-n-paste. Sex it up so it's fun to use, and give it a clever name like Election Grimoire.

I really appreciate Mel's high-level technical cautions for developing new software (in rchinchilla's thread, "Poll: top 20"). I've been skeptical of the open source project all along, but all I know is as a user. Frankly, clients won't accept apologies; somehow I have to get the job done. Two years ago even mighty Intuit got in exactly the kind of pickle Mel warns about--their servers couldn't handle the traffic. They actually made the I.R.S waive the filing deadline for Intuit customers. In my opinion, you'd have to be a well-heeled nut case to run a start-up against that kind of power. But there IS plenty of opportunity for new tax software. TaxTools continues virtually unchallenged even though it still runs like a DOS program. Essential databases like RIA Checkpoint cost more than basic tax prep software; it's a decent search engine but could be a lot better, and it's all public domain documents anyway. Same with capital changes. Tracking gains and losses through all the new investment vehicles remains inexplicably awkward considering everything is already computerized. There is nothing comprehensive available for audit support, a professional specialty with a bright future. Tax planning for divorce, retirement, college, inheritance, and all the other life events is only haphazardly integrated. Client correspondence with personalized news and updates is totally untouched.

>>very STRANGE<< Buffy isn't exactly counter-culture. Successful Hollywood movie released on DVD by Fox, seven years in prime time, an Emmy, TV Guide and Time magazine greatest shows of all time lists, a popular spinoff, more than 60 novels, at least five video games, a long-running comic book series....

>>Not my style<< That's okay. I think we can still be friends. In the final episode, it was the vengeance demon's fear of bunnies that kept the uber-vamps confined to the school until the apocalypse problem could be settled.

>>It is the Bunny. It is always the Bunny << Big fan of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, are you?

>>what would be a reasonable cause explanation on Form 2553? << I'm always uncomfortable with this question because it suggests to me some excuse rather than actual circumstances. One thing that is extremely important is to show that the decision was based SOLELY on factors that were in place prior to the original due date of the election (3/15/08), so you are not using hindsight to take advantage of, for example, real estate losses or a sales slump that occurred later in the year. It's okay to color the explanation with language that truthfully emphasizes certain aspects of the timing, such as being beyond the taxpayer's control in spite of a rigorous attempt to comply. My understanding is that the IRS is fairly tolerant of late elections. However, you are way past the six month limit so you probably won't succeed without a Private Letter Ruling. You need a strong argument backed with excellent documentation.

>>am I missing something (like a new check box) that will make the software do this for me?<< I put this question up to rchinchilla in his thread about the top 20 poll, since he is actively developing software for this very purpose. (As for my knickers--it's a holiday weekend and I'm working at home, if you know what I mean.)

>>its a work in progress and hopefully soon you guys will be able to use it<< This is another example of how your programming is limited by your lack of tax office experience. Switching software is a HUGE decision for accountants. Generally we can't phase it in, like using a second program for certain rare forms or the state returns. We can hardly even evaluate an incomplete program. Take a look at Bulldog Tom's thread today on "2008 Program issues." This year we have an alternative deduction for some but not all taxes. Would you say that ATX got this right according to your standards? Are you going to have the same feature? The calculation is correct either way, but either way could likewise miss something for a few taxpayers. Tom is stalled a bit, and this is just a new tax year with software he already knows. Imagine trying to understand an entirely new program! Here's a problem that concerns us all -- depreciation. Most users are going to need some way to convert their prior returns without entering everything from scratch. Professional software typically does NOT follow the IRS depreciation tables, so how are you going to assure us of an accurate continuation of existing depreciation schedules? By the way, RoyDaleOne showed "wit" but he was also entirely serious. The price of most tax returns is based on the forms used, but it's always tough deciding about forms like Schedule B which might be short or long or have extra troubles. Apparently one of your goals is to avoid "multiple software applications" so how do you plan to integrate this function that affects every single return? Other than laughing it off, I mean.

>>Wouldn't it seem that if there is an amount added to the Sch. A for property taxes, it would flow to that worksheet when it realizes that the Standard deduction is better?<< That would help in most cases, but not all. You can only deduct FOREIGN property taxes on Schedule A, not as standard deduction. Perhaps they should have "itemized itemized" deductions, but then everybody would have to take another step (at least mentally) instead of just the few who are borderline for itemizing.

>>Care to send me the mistakes?<< I wouldn't take the trouble but for the lovely oxymoron of "develope and adhere to strict coding guidelines." If the website showcases your software skills, tax preparation is not your best choice. Hello? Your release date was supposed to be yesterday, remember? Want to know the very worst complaint tax professionals have about software? When it's not ready on schedule. It's time to fish or cut bait, you know what I mean? And frankly, "No File Packages Defined" doesn't quite cut it so Go Fish. See if you can find a better development model than Battlecruiser 3K. By the way, your timing isn't that great either. Tax Season starts in 36 hours. After that, the only professionals who have time to help you will be pessimistic losers like myself.

>>I did catch all the missing entries but doesn't all software do that? << Now I know you are joking! YOUR software didn't even catch all the spelling errors on your own web site. But that's really not the issue. It isn't the common goofs I worry about--it's the could-be's. The tax code can have a number of perfectly valid interpretations, depending on related matters and even rather subjective positions. That's where a good program can show its power, not in basic mathematics and database organization.

>>what do you like about ProSeries?<< I like the diagnostics. It's the only thing that means anything at all to me. I don't give a dang about the price or the entry screens or the speed of calculation. I just want to make sure everything is covered. I do three fourths of my work on Lacerte and I feel exactly the same about it. Diagnostics.

>>Thank you for your input Jainen<< You're very welcome. Are you really going to use data from here to direct software development? This thread doesn't even rise to the level of anecdotal evidence. I hope you have a more robust methodology for some of your other decisions.

>>There you go.<< Thanks. Now I don't feel so bad about not recognizing them--that's a mighty odd assortment of candidates for "which do you find yourself using a lot." Related to your other project, I suppose?

>>which do you find yourself using a lot<< I don't even recognize what some of those are, so how do I know if I use them a lot? Can't you put their names in the poll? Please?

>>What features do you love about your tax software?<< I use ProSeries and I love all the money I give to Intuit every year--but there's an old proverb that when you truly love something you have to let it go.

>>from a Cat's Daily Diary<< Good translation. I know it's hard. Cats write in code, some sort of hieroglyphic script they incise on table legs. This cat seems pretty smart, but she did make one big mistake. A dead mouse will not upset most people very much--she should have brought in a bird.

>>yadonegood!<< Agreed. Although it had a novel hook, it was basically commercial spam.

>>We don't see this to be an issue. Oh...and President Obama is on our side<< Well, that's not exactly a transparent response. Now please explain when you expect to finish the website that you so awkwardly invited us to take a look around? It's kind of barren for a project in its third year. What I can tell so far (from that site and its links) is that you are a commercial software developer with little background in accounting or taxation and don't proofread your work. This doesn't tend "to inspire and to educate" tax professionals.

>>our philosophy is transparency<< Please make it transparent to "us, the tax professionals" how this project will approach the IRS approval process. Do you have a plan for the IRS accepting efile and printer output from this program, or is that still part of the "community testing and refactoring" that your website mentions?

>>what the standard fees would be<< There are no standard fees. Like other industries, tax preparation is subject to the rules about price fixing, which prohibit even informal comparisons for the purpose of setting rates. Set your RAL fees like any other, considering your own direct costs, overhead, and profit requirements. Since it's a small part of your practice, you might find it most profitable to offer it as a free come-on.

>>You got to see these new rules<< This is about outsourcing tax prep to India, isn't it? That's a procedure I heartily endorse, because only the the big firms have the capability and it is so offensive to the general public that it will certainly drive some clients in my direction.

>>I think the post should stay<< Me too. Because I still wonder whether this project could ever be viable in terms of getting IRS approval for open source forms and formulas.

>>it's 70 here in sunny Florida, after all it IS winter << It's sunny here in Santa Cruz too this morning, but not because it's winter. Because it's Santa Cruz.