BulldogTom

It is kinda awkward how they have it laid out. First of all, they default the taxpayer and spouse into the #1 and #2 student positions even if they don't have any ed expenses. Take a look at it. It is just awkward. Maybe more of a CCH issue than an IRS issue. But how many parents know the address of their kid's college? I had to look it up online for my return. Tom

I don't like that they killed the bunny and replaced it with a Fidelity Arrow. I don't like that they killed the rollover puppy either. Those guys at CCH need to be turned into PETA for their cruelty to animals Tom Hollister, CA

Back to speed of the program. I have brand new Win 7 8GB quad core machines this year. But the program is very slow on data entry. Got my forms going on my return and actually prepared it. Tab from field to field is very slow. Moving from form to form is slow as well. My return has Sch. A, C, 8863, Fixed Assets, 8829. Did any of you check out the new reporting on the Ed Credits. Requires a School name and complete address to claim the credit. Tom Hollister, CA

Sweet......The first good thing to happen this tax year. Tom Hollister, Ca

Medlin, I think the issue this year is that the program is so radically different, and it does not work as advertised. It has us all wondering if ATX (or more correctly, CCH) has a clue what they are doing. And as the time comes closer to client appointments, with little progress from the software vendor, we start getting aggitated. And of course, we cannot pull out our typewriters (like we can for payroll taxes) and whip out a return without the software anymore. The e-file requirements and circular 230 regs make us beholden to our software vendors. That loss of control over our own businesses does not make things any better. Finally, we have already paid for the product. And it did not work or perform as advertised. We can't change vendors at this point. We have no choice. So when a form letter type response to our concerns about our livelyhood comes back like that, we blow off some steam at them. Not sayin' it is right, I'm just sayin'..... Tom Hollister, CA

So far so good for me. Two Win7 64 bit machines up and running on the 12.3 update. Still too slow but improving. They have a ways to go and a short time to get there. Clients are calling for appointments and I don't know what to tell them. This better be fixed by next week or it will start costing me $$. Tom Hollister, CA

I am hesitant to download the update. Did you see any other issues with the software after you loaded it.? Tom Hollister, CA

Annie, You should know I was being tounge in cheek about that. Tom Hollister, CA

You can call ATX and get prior year install codes. It is free and you paid for the software already. (you did pay for the software already? didn't you?) Tom Hollister, CA

The issue is getting a policy in his company name. Generally, insurance companies don't like to write "group" policies for a sole proprietor business with only one employee. The second issue is the Self Employed Health Insurance Deduction is on the front of the 1040 (reducing taxable income, but not SE Tax) and an employee benefit like health insurance is deducted on the Sch. C where it offsets both taxable income and SE tax. The 105 reimbursement plan allows them to effectively move 100% of their health insurance costs off the Sch. A (subject to 10% of AGI haircut) and onto the Sch. C (where it offsets taxable income and SE tax). To be most effective, the Sole Proprietor needs to get a health insurance policy that allows him to decline coverage so that his wife can pick up family coverage (covering her dependents, the husband being her dependent) so his insurance costs are moved from the front of the 1040 to the sch C via her insurance. Tom Hollister, CA

I have seen section 105 plans written so that the deductible and copays (essentially the out of pocket costs) are reimbursable to the employee. What I have never seen is one that allows the reimbursement of premium costs. Is that allowed? Scenario is this. Sole proprietor is growing and he thinks he needs an employee. Wife would be the perfect employee. Wants to hire her, but needs to cover her for insurance. Can he get a 105 reimbursement plan and cover her health care insurance without getting the policy in his name (which is very hard to do for a 1 person company that never had employees). Thanks, Tom Hollister, CA

Since I have to travel to the "other" board to find out what the latest screw up is and what to do to avoid it, I thought I would start dropping this website on all my posts. Of course they do delete my posts quite frequently, so I am not sure how many will see it. But if we all just put the website on the bottom of all of our posts, someone will see them. Just a thought. It is so much nicer over here. Tom Hollister, CA

I wish I knew what they were saying as well, but they are censoring quicker than I can read them. But welcome to the club. I was on Auto Delete for about a week over there. I think it is because my screen name is "IDONTLIKECCH". Tom Hollister, CA

Nope. Can't do it until they open up efile for the season. Tom Hollister, CA

Stay away from State Fund if possible. Wells Fargo Insurance Services out of Rancho Cordova is who I worked with when I worked in Elk Grove. They are on Cobblerock Drive. Tom Higgins is the SVP. Not sure if he will take your call if you mention me, so I would not until the policy is signed. He is a good guy. Tom Hollister, CA

I am working with a client who had some filing "challenges" recently. The 2010 return had a large refund that we expected would be used to pay the other balance due returns. Nope, they held the 2010 refund. I had to get on the phone for about and hour working on all of the returns in question with the practitioner priority service. When we finally agreed on all the years and balances due, she released the refund to pay the back taxes. It may be worth a call to the IRS to help them speed up the process. Tom Hollister, CA

There is some thought out there that the payer manager is the issue. Someone tested a return without rolling over the payer manager information and said the software responded perfectly. Then they rolled over the payer manager (8500 payers) and the software took a dump in speed. If this indeed is the issue with the speed, then they may be able to fix it. They better not kill the payer manager feature. I save a ton of time not plugging away at all the names on W2's and 1099's. That is one of the absolute deal breakers for me if that feature goes away. Tom Hollister, CA

I got what the little boy shot at.....nothin'. Wonder if they don't give out those books to little boys who are naughty and get warning points? Tom Hollister, CA

Yep. Tom Hollister, CA

Does CA Accept E-files from a prior year? Thanks, Tom Hollister, CA

Is ATX MeF compliant and can I e-file a 2011 return out of the software? Today? Thanks Tom Hollister, CA

I have been toying with the idea of offering Federal Only Tax Prep services. That way I can only be regulated by the IRS. I don't think my clients would like it though. Tom Hollister, CA

Sorry I did not get back to you sooner KC, but I went to San Jose to take my family out to Lunner (lunch + Dinner = Lunner). We were also looking at the San Jose State University campus for my oldest son who may end up there if some of his other colleges don't pan out. So I was forgeting about it while you were typing. Great minds think alike. The software is behind from a programing point. Do you remember the Great ATX E-File Disaster year when it was so bad they offered us airline tickets? That is what this year is shaping up to look like. But not because of e-file, because of programing bugs. Do you know that Jan 6th is only 10 days from our opening day of our tax season? Yes, I have some of those clients that come in the day they get their W2 and are holding for e-file to open. And when they leave the office, they expect to know what they are getting back and the day it is coming. So this year, I can't tell them what their refund is (ATX issues), when I can e-file it (congressional delays) or when they can expect the refund (IRS removal of the refund cycle chart). Looks like it is going to be fun until March. Tom Hollister, CA

I loaded 12.1 the day it came out and the problems still happening after 12.1. Really looking forward to 12.2 to see if it resolves some issues. Tom Hollister, CA

Your not listening KC. It is not lack of forms that anyone is griping about. It is the performance of the software. Way too many bugs in it. Yes, the tax forms will be late because of congress. I give ATX a pass on not having any forms. That said, I only have a 1040 in a return. it should open up. I should be able to roll it from last year without going into 2011 and opening, saving, and closing again. These are fundamental programming flaws. Tom Hollister, CA