SFA

I agree with you. It is sad. For years, ATX had a good product and reputation. The problem with many of us, is that we too have to serve many clients. If we drop the ball and mess up, we lose the client. Rarely do we get a do-over. Many of us will pay our clients penalty if the fault is ours. I asked for a refund last year and was told that the refund policy was based on some formula, that as it turned out, meant that our refund was zero. Nada. Nothing. So, that was then, this is now. Everything is fixed, great, wonderful. So why are we not enthusiastic?

Could you elaborate on this comment? Did you redo returns prior to e-filing or after?

I was not at the roadshow, but would also like to hear some feedback. I know I'm a straggler, still on the fence. Our experience with ATX was so horrible, that we are reluctant to reward them with a renewal, no matter how good their new and improved version of the program is. I don't like to feel this way. We were so drained after April 15, that is was hard to recover the energy that it takes to stay on track and rebuild our bottom line. So here we go again, slamming into another uncertain tax season.

Catherine, in our region, it is surprising how many reputable firms post help wanted ads on Craigslist.org.

Yes, but if you're going down, you might as well go down in flames. Sometimes it feels so good to throw out a cheap shot--until later, when remorse ruins all the guilty pleasure! I know about this. I've been married for almost 40 years, and I haven't always taken the high road. Thankfully, we have learned how and when to say "I'm sorry" and mean it.

if I sell Coke and buy Pepsi, they are both colas, but the recipes are slightly different. Not a wash sale in my opinion.

Jack, I am on the verge of renewing with ATX. We have a domain setup on our network. All Win7 computers. We have nine computers using ATX. I've been reading prior topics here relating to ATX 2013, the Raven platform, and networks, and am not sure if the network issues have been resolved in the rewrite of the program for this coming year. Do you have any insight that you can share on the subject of networks?

Darn It. rfassett contributed many thoughtful ideas, strategies and made important points here in the ATX Community. I didn't always agree, but I have a healthy respect for rfassett. I for one will miss rfassett's input and insight.

Please don't leave. I have always enjoyed your posts. You bring a lot to the table.

Hopefully your client is not expecting a large refund. Identity theft situations can take much longer to process. At one of our accounting association chapter meetings, the group exchanged their war stories of this subject. I was surprised at how many members had this experience in their practices. Some were suggesting that their clients adjust their federal withholdings so that their refunds are smaller, just in case the refund is delayed for identity theft reasons. I also passed this suggestion on to our clients where I could. Good luck.

That's how it works!

Sometimes it's ok to read the published instructions, and take them at face value. If PA is taxing out of state pensions, then they should say so in their general PA40 instructions. It is not an obscure situation. There is nothing in their instructions about distinguishing where a pension originates.

Ok, here's one from yesterday. Client and I went over every single piece of paper in his folder (and there were a lot). I entered and reviewed every line item with him as we went along. He had a 1099-R code 3 distribution from Fidelity that he cannot remember receiving the money. He grumbled about it, went home, I finished his return for him to pickup the next day. Meanwhile he calls Fidelity and is not getting a satisfactory explanation from them. So he calls me and wants me to exclude it from his return. I said no, we can amend if it is wrong. He then starts to get edgy with me because I won't budge. Once I know about something, I can't unring the bell. It stays on the return. Period. Sometimes we get these obsessive personalities. I am good with them. It's OK. They either end up extremely loyal or continue to bop along from preparer to preparer. In any case, I don't care. I chalk it up to them and like teflon, it bounces off me. On with the show!

I believe we have all the fixes and updates, and have good computers all on Windows7 and our server was replaced in December 2012. Don't want to rehash all the problems, but must admit I am more than a little bitter and angry at ATX. Still . . . I feel like Charlie Brown and ATX is Lucy promising not to pull back the football when he goes to kick it. Argh.

Can anybody report their experience negotiating the ATX-MAX package unlimited user license? This year they sent a 2013 renewal notice with a retail price of $634.50 for the network unlimited user license, in addition to the ATX MAX package price of $1,249.00, plus the "processing" fee of $69.00. Total renewal after a 10% discount and sales tax: $1,870.00. My rep called last week to sign us up! Ha! BTW, we are still experiencing serious problems. Our backups are not working. We have worked with technical service on three separate occasions this summer and the feature is not corrected yet. Also, we had a problem yesterday--when a dependent was removed from the return, it popped up again, after everything was printed? Caught the error when I was signing the returns.

Hi everybody! Looks like I've been missing in action, and there have been some battles! I've liked this forum because of the diversity of personalities. I am hoping that it doesn't become boring and too politically correct. Yawn. That would be a shame.

what did the baby corn say to the mom corn? Wheres the pop-corn.

It makes me sick.

Well now, that's too funny. Thanks for the perspective.

Ok, but then why bother to discuss or fix any problems, if all we do is reduce our conversations to "tit for tat" accusations.

Sorry folks. After posting this topic, I searched the forums for 3800 and found that this subject has already been covered in May. However, in checking our inputs, and comparing to the advice from the prior forum, looks like our input was correct. What still doesn't sit well, is that they have no record of our April correspondence and suggest that we use 1040X to secure the credit. So much busy work and wasted time.

We now have several 1040 clients who have received denial of credits from pass-through entities that were submitted using Form 3800 and the related form specific to the tax credit such as F8941 Credit for Small Employer Health Insurance Premiums. The returns were all e-filed near the end of March 2013 or later. One client first received notice in April and we responded by sending copies of all the forms and copies of the federal K-1. On 6-10-13 another collection notice was sent to the same client for the balance due (because of denial of credit). When I called the IRS, I was told that they had no record of our original response, and that the original return did not even include Form 3800. We were advised to submit a 1040X and include Forms 3800 & F8941, so that the return could be processed correctly!? Interesting, because our ATX report shows that F3800 & F8941 were both included in the e-file transmission. So, is this an ATX problem or an IRS problem?

Thanks Jack. Actually, I found the answer to my dilemma.

Hi everybody, i haven't been on the forum since April, but as usual, here is a topic that I am dealing with right now. A new client, closed an s-corp in may, 2006. Never filed the final return, never filed a 2006 1040. Says he closed it because the corp went broke (it was a bar/restaurant). Now wants to file his 2006 1040 without including a K-1 from his defunct corporation. He dropped off all his 1040 paperwork, but NO business records. Can a 1040 be filed with a disclosure statement? At this point, he is on my call list to pick up his papers and move on to another preparer.