Lion EA

If my spouse brings home a replacement, I'll pack up both of them and send them to the moon. I guarantee you that my behavior will NOT get better!

It's only my frustration at losing the ATX board and my frustration at losing the QF board that's similar from my viewpoint. Obviously, the QF board still exists in it's original format. And, I am often able to log on as one of the three identities that I and a QF techie set up.

Spoke to soon and too optimistically! Lion was still logged in, but apparently their database still hasn't saved my name and password. I can't even sign out. It just tries to process and warns me not to hit any browser buttons but is stuck in limbo: [Macromedia][sqlServer JDBC Driver][sqlServer]Syntax error converting from a character string to uniqueidentifier. is the beginning and then a whole page follows of database items listed on the left and, mostly, "empty string" listed for each of them on the right. I can't sign in as Lions, because Lion remains signed in since it can't process the sign out. I've exited QF, rebooted my computer, etc. Of course, tech support is closed until Monday and I don't expect to be off work for long enough to wait around on hold until at least Friday.

The telephone numbers customer service sent me to all led to tech support for PPC's online research products; not one of them had ever even heard of the message board. I was logged on as dCock4 but don't know his password, so could make no changes. I'm appalled that a tax message board that must know about security and privacy could allow a member to hack into my account and log on under his name on MY computer! Anyway, the techies did discover that although the name Lion still existed as a member, both the username and password were blank for Lion in their database. So, I couldn't do anything as Lion nor as dCock4. Filling in their database still didn't allow me to log on from my computer. They then set up a new screen name Lions and password, so I can now -- or at least last night, haven't been over there this morning -- read and post and re-setup the Lion name. I admit I'm an old woman and not very computer literate now that my children aren't around to help, but I'm a bit scared to use that board again for fear dCock4 or someone else will hack into my computer. This is the computer I'll use next tax season. Thanks, Jack, for shedding some light on this for me.

Thanks for thinking about me. At least I can read and post on this board. (Although, I haven't decided whether to renew ATX yet and am still evaluating other software.)

What did I do to deserve this? Yesterday, dCock4 was logged onto the QF message board instead of me. (Who is he, anyway?) When I log in as Lion, I can see the list of posts but cannot respond nor start a new thread nor go into my profile nor.... No one from QF has answered my email. No one on the telephone so far supports the message board (I'm on hold again for the second day). And, I just ordered their new Special Situations handbook; maybe I'll cancel that order! Shades of ATX all over again.

When trying to explain why a client won't be itemizing, I try to put round (but actual to that client) numbers on it: "You have only $2,000 in itemized deductions, but you can deduct over $10,000 by taking the standard deduction. Let's take the more generous deduction and run with it, because it means a lower tax for you. Uncle Sam is giving you the benefit blah, blah, blah...." It's been a dozen years since I took the HRB Basic course, but I still remember learning that repayments of prior year income have special rules, that Social Security and Unemployment were included in those rules, that $3,000 was a breaking point for options available, that Schedule A, Misc. 2%, was one of the options, etc. Then, when I get such a situation, I know to look up the details. (Maybe, this topic was actually in the old Intermediate course, but it was certainly within a year of beginning work for Block.) I don't try to memorize or know a lot of details (tax law changes each year; and it's not logical, it's just the law), but I do try to know what topics I will have to look up and where to look for them. When I have trouble finding sources, this board is invaluable for providing leads, cites, support, etc. Thank you to all the responders who help us out, and thank you to all the posters who bring up topics that are new to me and expand my horizons as well as topics that jog my memory or reinforce my understanding.

We had a lightening strike that fried our TV, microwave, and a few other appliances. It fried the UPS but not until it protected our computer and peripherals. We replaced the UPS (or maybe just the battery) but continued to use the computer. We did upgrade our electrical service at a later date when we finished the attic, but still buy an UPS for each computer. I even have a little portable one for my laptop, just in case. I'm sold after the first UPS we had saved that computer. It's a small price to pay to have one less thing to worry about.

Are you talking about the K-1 detail page where you have each shareholder's beginning year basis? Or, the K-1 global information where you might be recording percentages of ownership? Or...

Thank you for clarifying when royalties go on Schedule E. I had someone who'd inherited the rights to a song, so must be remembering that outcome. And, I had someone spending lots of money preparing to write his first book who was disappointed that I wouldn't let him deduct everything through the years while he "researched" his potential book on golf courses around the world. Of course, there was the partnership that listed R&D expenses for all their travel and greens fees and ... while they "researched" how to market their golf cart cushions. Love those people who attend seminars telling them they can write off all their personal expenses when they have a business. ("I had to buy a living room lamp to show off my clothing better to guests in case a visitor might buy something from me.")

It's been a while since I've had a author for a client, so this is just from my failing memory. If he's actively writing and researching and has been reporting on a Schedule C, then this is income on his C. If it's a random royalty that shows up just because one of his old books was just translated into Urdu or something and a few students bought it this year even though your client has long been retired from writing, then doesn't it go on Schedule E? Not at the office, but would have to look for those author/prior clients to see what I learned back then.

Amen to everyone's comments. Relax. We're in a profession where we're working against a deadline, many of us as sole proprietors with no employees, and we're human. Amend 2006. Write a letter asking abatement of penalties. Apologize and offer to reimburse interest. I like the gift idea, can be as simple as a bouquet of flowers you assemble from your own cutting garden. Don't regret the past; learn from it. Highlight the FIT w/h boxes before you start inputting data so you can continue your practice of adding the w/h before printing or transmitting the return. Best yet, ALWAYS use Form 1040. Why use three different forms with things in different places when you can use one form for all your personal return clients. It's easier for you to concentrate on one form, and your clients won't feel their returns are so easy that they have the A or EZ to show for their preparation fees. Again, relax. You'll get through this.

Maybe they've got a pay-per-return version, lol !!! :rolleyes:

A couple more items on my wish list: I do a lot of two/multiple state returns, especially NY nonresident with CT resident, so want software to flow well from federal to state and from nonresident state to credit on CT. In fact, this is a very mobile area around metropolitan NY, so I get a few new-to-me states and part-year states each year and need good help within the program to tackle a WI or AZ or whatever once in a while. Kiddie Tax! I seem to have several families with multiple siblings that were all growing out of Kiddie Tax as the kids aged, but have returned to Kiddie Tax under the new 18 and now 19/24 law changes. Would love software that would pull from parents' and siblings' returns. Any good and bad experiences with the above two issues on any software you have tried would be gratefully appreciated. Thanx. :)

Thank you :D

Thank you. B)

What does ProFX offer that ATX and similarly priced software does not offer for personal and business/entity returns? And, how much of a price difference would there be? Is the price gap smaller or larger for 150-250 returns vs. 1,500-2,500 returns?

On the official board, ATX employees were identified to let us know that we were hearing an answer or solution from, for instance, the inhouse efile expert. But on this unofficial board, identification should NOT be REQUIRED. If in the course of suggesting a solution to some member's concern, an ATX employee wants to explain the source of his/her expertise, that's fine with me. As has been mentioned, some of the members are quick to recognize the identities and/or backgrounds of posters and to let us know when we should pay attention and when to take the comments with a grain of salt or discount them entirely! Welcome to all who can shed some light on how ATX works. I for one am still evaluating other software, thinking stronger diagnostics and more reliable flow from federal to multiple state returns would suit my business better. And as I'll be on my own for the first time, I was disappointed by the close of the message board and the live chat with a techie, removing a couple of sources of help, especially very late at night. Thank you erc and kc and any ATX employee and all power users for populating THIS board.

Been seeing some restaurant ad for their CALI - fornia Salad...

Hey, MonkeyMan: Where do you see ATX -- the program -- going for tax year 2007? Not the prices, we have the price list. MAX, for instance, what will be the same and what will be different and what will be missing and what will be added? What's happening between and among ATX and TaxWise and the high end CCH programs, if anything? Any and all insights appreciated.

I saw that the Intuit site had forums for each of their software, including ProSeries. And, the salesman mentioned a forum at TaxAlmanac.org but I haven't yet checked out either of those. Have you used them?

Again, I'm not an Intuit fan (I used Parson's that was bought by Intuit years ago), but my QB support line is answered in Texas. As more of my clients go to QB or Quicken, I really have to evaluate the Intuit tax software to see if their integration might be of use to me. Someone mentioned Ultra Tax recently, so I think I'll install that disk next. Keep the comments coming. Knowing what are strong points and weak points with different packages in your experiences helps me to pick a few returns to give the packages a thorough workout in what really isn't a lot of time. Thank you all very much for sharing.

I was going to up to Max from PPS, but the loss of the message board hinted at other cuts in support. With a growing business, if I'm going to leave ATX, it should be this year before I have more returns to convert or retype. So, I've sent for copies of everything I could think of. Only tried ProSeries so far. I like what I've seen. Salesman claims support is in VA and not outsourced. Also said efiling fee of $150 is waived if purchased by 31 August. Since I'll be on my own, want really good diagnostics. 1040 and entities and efiling and a message board, too. An assistant would cost me about $3,000, so won't complain about price under that as long as I get my really good diagnostics. And, I understand what some of you say about Intuit products, but I have several small businesses that bring me their QuickBooks file to prepare their taxes, so integration with QB might be nice. I'm listening to any and all software comments.

H&R Block is posting over 110 courses online and still has classroom courses around the country. You can go to HRBlock.com to find a classroom near you, to register and pay for online and classroom courses, and to view the entire list of courses: Corporations, S-Corporations, Partnerships, NonProfits, and yes, even courses re US citizens with foreign income and foreign citizens with US income. The textbooks still have their share of typos, with the short time frame to write and edit and print and distribute; but you can check for course corrections online, also. Some textbooks are rewritten every two years instead of every year, so maybe they'll correct more of the errors by the second year.

And, don't forget that charitible mileage is a lower rate than business mileage...