1099 / W-2 program

[TAG]

What 1099 / W-2 software program do you recommend?

[Catherine]

efilemyforms is what I switched to a year or three ago.  Set up clients and recipients once, and it all carries forward year to year.  They print, mail, and efile (including states) for $3.49 per form (then you charge your client whatever you want, to cover your login time and trouble, plus cost).  And you get full pdf's (all copies, almost instantly) to download for your records - so when Joe Ninny calls in August saying he lost his payer copies, you can reprint those and charge him for that time and trouble, too.

I have used QuickBooks, Drake Client Write-Up, and several other iterations over the years.  These online folks have been the easiest to deal with overall. 

 

[Jack from Ohio]

I use the payroll program that is included as part of ATX MAX.  

[BulldogTom]

ATX Max for me as well.

Tom
Modesto, CA

[rfassett]

And like Jack and Tom, we do the same. I guess one pertinent question would be “how many of each will you be doing?”.

[Gail in Virginia]

If I am keeping the books using QuickBooks, I use that for the W2s.  I like the way ATX works for W2s and 1099s if I just do them at the end of the year and don't already have the information on QuickBooks.   I have used CFS in the past, and it is adequate as well.  I may check out efilemyforms based on Catherine's comments.

[BHoffman]

Quickbooks for most W2s and Drake CWU for 1099s and W2s not on QB.  I prepare about 100 W2 forms and around 30 1099s.

[ILLMAS]

What you recommend for submitting 941's electronically, QB or MAX?  Also, do you have to register to use the service in either?

[Sarypion]

If you use QB Enhanced, I would recommend using that to submit 941s and W2s.

[Lion EA]

QB for clients in QB, including Forms W-2, 1099, plus quarterly and annual filings.  If not in QB, I also use one of those online programs if just a few to type in.

[Edsel]

I use TAS software (Tax Accounting Systems).  It is distributed by "Busiforms" in Chattanooga, TN.  Great little piece of software for $75 which also does the entire family of 1099s.  I am otherwise devoted to Drake, but have found out that using their write-up companion only adds time and repercussions to other things that are available.

[Roberts]

When are they going to let us print off a 1096? Drives me nuts having to use originals still.

[Jack from Ohio]

51 minutes ago, Roberts said:

When are they going to let us print off a 1096? Drives me nuts having to use originals still.

I submit electronically.  No need to print 1096.

[JohnH]

For W-2 forms, I use Tax-Print.  It's a little quirky, but it does the job.

For 1099 Forms, I think 1099Express is outstanding.  Have been using it for some time now.  It supports seamless uploading from Excel, cost is reasonable, and support is great.  YOU can pick and choose which elements of their program you want to use. Last year, they automatically filed extension requests for everyone already in their data base.  I thought that was a nice touch the first year of the Jan 31 deadlines.  

[Roberts]

15 hours ago, Jack from Ohio said:

I submit electronically.  No need to print 1096.

I do two of them per year. My total number of 1099's are 5.

[Catherine]

21 hours ago, Jack from Ohio said:

I submit electronically.  No need to print 1096.

I print it to go with the Payer copies, for my clients.  Those "in the know" want/expect to see it.  And once, some years ago, a lower-than-expected 1096 total clued in a client that he had missed a contractor - we were able to file the missing 1099 on time.  He would not have looked through the stack; he just saw the total and thought "Wait, something's not right here."  So I'll keep printing it as long as I can.

[rfassett]

We also print a copy of the compete 1096 / 1099 and W-3 / W-2 packet for the client.  We do not use the red version though for the client copy.  I have not used the red version since we started e-filing 1099s several years ago.

[BulldogTom]

I still buy a pack of 25 1096's every year.   I have 4-5 clients that need to send out 1099's.  I don't even know how to efile a 1099, but I can print out the copies pretty quick. 

Tom
Modesto, CA

[RitaB]

I use Sage Accounting.  I held off on saying that because I think it makes me a dinosaur.  Also print W-2/W-3, 1099/1096 forms and mail.  I prepare about 150 W-2s and 50 1099s.  It's not a chore to me.

And I want to thank my esteemed colleagues for giving me the courage to be transparent, and yes, I still have an iphone 5s.  

[Catherine]

28 minutes ago, RitaB said:

it makes me a dinosaur

I used to use Sage Accounting and would still prefer it except none of my clients are capable of handling it, more's the pity.  And not only do I not have an iPhone, I still have a *stupid* phone!  Voice and text only; no internet, can't even send or receive pictures.  Maybe that means I pre-date the dinosaurs.  Puts me in with the slime molds, perhaps? 

[Roberts]

19 hours ago, BulldogTom said:

I still buy a pack of 25 1096's every year.   I have 4-5 clients that need to send out 1099's.  I don't even know how to efile a 1099, but I can print out the copies pretty quick. 

Tom
Modesto, CA

They are free if you order them online via the IRS site - they'll mail you however many you want.

I order a bunch and hand them out to whoever wants them. A grouchy CPA in my building literally has his clients walk down and get copies from me occasionally. Several became nice investment clients for me.

https://www.irs.gov/businesses/online-ordering-for-information-returns-and-employer-returns

[RitaB]

28 minutes ago, Catherine said:

I used to use Sage Accounting and would still prefer it except none of my clients are capable of handling it, more's the pity.  And not only do I not have an iPhone, I still have a *stupid* phone!  Voice and text only; no internet, can't even send or receive pictures.  Maybe that means I pre-date the dinosaurs.  Puts me in with the slime molds, perhaps? 

You complete me.

[RitaB]

35 minutes ago, Catherine said:

I used to use Sage Accounting and would still prefer it except none of my clients are capable of handling it, more's the pity. 

Most of my clients can't even handle a spreadsheet.  Got one tax client who enters everything on a word processor, columns as crooked as a dog's hind legs, no totals.  I'm jealous of you people who only have to catch em calling assets liabilities and such.   My one techy guy just has to figure out if sales tax is included in his sales figure.   /s

[Catherine]

3 minutes ago, RitaB said:

just

Yeah, ain't that quite the word?!  "Just" is sometimes the size of the Taj Mahal.  Then again, sometimes it's even bigger still!

 

[BulldogTom]

1 hour ago, Roberts said:

They are free if you order them online via the IRS site - they'll mail you however many you want.

I order a bunch and hand them out to whoever wants them. A grouchy CPA in my building literally has his clients walk down and get copies from me occasionally. Several became nice investment clients for me.

https://www.irs.gov/businesses/online-ordering-for-information-returns-and-employer-returns

I tried that one year.  Backordered, backordered again, then the wrong forms.  It is much less stressful to pay the $9 or whatever it is to know I have enough of them.

Tom
Modesto, CA