15.8 Coming Soon

[FDNY]

Just read that 15.8 will be here soon.  It ends the free trials for Tax Research and Credit for State taxes paid (I think ended already).  Also some fixes for # of forms,  when adding them to a return, and something with customized forms.

Hope everyone finished their multiple state returns.  I'll be interested to hear what it will cost, was a nice added touch to the program.

[Yardley CPA]

I agree, FDNY...it is a nice feature.  The program does not seem complete without it.  I don't understand why it should cost more, when you have "MAX", for the  program  to complete credits paid to other jurisdictions?  Why shouldn't it be included as part of the program?  Amazes me that they have chosen to dangle a carrot and then pull it away.  I assume some firms will pay the premium.  I wont be one of them. 

[joanmcq]

I didn't know that was an add on until I read it here. Maybe I won't update. 

[FDNY]

You both gave me an idea.  Since the program does seem incomplete without the other states feature, maybe it should be negotiable as a trade off for the time wasted in Retrying and Starting Services (also makes the program incomplete).  Sort of like double entry bookkeeping for time, and time is money.   I know I'll be asking my rep, he better not laugh at me.

Joan, I think the feature is gone already,  blog said it ended 4/18. 

[mcb39]

Are you saying that my Wisconsin OS form; which has always been part of the WI program, is no longer going to be available?

[FDNY]

No, you'll just have to input all the info manually.   Thanks Marilyn, I try to learn something everyday, now I know what the OS form is.  Still hoping for that GB Packer client.  Bill

[jklcpa]

"Maybe I won't update."

 

At some point in time though, won't ATX require the most current version in order to e-file?

[FDNY]

I seem to remember that's usually been a week or so after it came out.

[grandmabee]

I didn't see the "add on" either.  And I agree that with MAX that should be part of the program.

[mcb39]

6 hours ago, FDNY said:

No, you'll just have to input all the info manually.   Thanks Marilyn, I try to learn something everyday, now I know what the OS form is.  Still hoping for that GB Packer client.  Bill

OS = Other States.  I think I am finished with that for this year.

[JohnH]

I just want to be sure I understand this correctly.  Does this mean that after paying $1,500 for MAX, it is now necessary for their customers to pay more just to get the software to calculate the credit for tax paid to other states when a taxpayer has a multi-state return? And that this functionality existed during the regular season but they are taking it away during the extension period for the same year?

[jklcpa]

John, this was always a weakness of ATX, in my opinion. Other software products handle the out of state credits, but ATX required manual entries or overrides, and this was a new feature they dangled. Tax research is going away too. I remember using links back to the nonresident forms on those resident forms that required manual entries for the out of state credits so that if I later changed a number, that I wouldn't have errors in the credits, then I think there came a time when they got rid of the ability to use those links too.

Each year they are charging more for less product. Remember, ATX also used to include the payroll that is now a separate module also.

[joanmcq]

Max still includes the payroll module.  It's just a separate program. 

I hope the returns which I've got on extension that I already calculated the credit using this feature don't get screwd up.

i looked at how much they are charging for ATX Advantage. $3599!!!!!!

[mcb39]

I have always been used to entering the OS calculations manually, so no great upset. In fact, this is the first year that I had difficulties with a return with eight states.  Maybe that update wasn't as polished as everyone thought.

[JohnH]

I guess I had forgotten that ATX had an deficiency in this area. Drake's basic package handles it flawlessly, at least for the states I prepare. I still double-check multi-state calculations ( probably a holdover from doing it all manually back in my ATX days. How soon we forget) 

[joanmcq]

I find the o/s calculations to be a pain in the butt, and rarely worth my time until this year, when it flowed so smoothly. But I do them for a complete return.  If I'm taking the credit on a CA return, not so bad. 

Manual = find out other states tax rate, do the calc.  Unless you have to take the credit on the out of state return, like resident CA with either AZ or OR income. Then I've got to look up instructions to out of state return, do the calcs, and for OR, the calcs are miserable. 

[Randall]

ATX has a good worksheet for KY if you need to take another state tax credit.  You have to enter some income info but once the income is entered, the appropriate tax credit is calculated.  I don't recall any add-on for this and the worksheet has been there several years.

 

[Lynn EA USTCP in Louisiana]

Has anyone in this group downloaded the 15.8 update yet?  I'm holding off until I see some feedback on it.

 

[NECPA in NEBRASKA]

I did this morning. I haven't had any problems. It apparently is good to go after my Windows 10 fiasco last weekend. The ATX tech worked for over 30 minutes to get me back up and running. I'm still fixing preferences, print packets, etc. that were all lost in the freaking mess. He even had to get all three years of ACKS again.

[mcb39]

No known issues here.  Prepared two complete returns using a variety of forms.