ATX Renewal Notice

[ETax847]

Has anyone else received an ATX renewal notice? I just got mine yesterday.  Is this truly the best deal and why did they send it out so early this year?

[Margaret CPA in OH]

I usually have renewed early but for 2018 tax year it may have been a mistake.  I chose the 1040 package after MAX dating back to 1998 because I had so few remaining 'business' returns.  Those were $54 each plus $30 for each extra state over 3 and I had 2 of those.  This came out less than MAX.  Well, about 3 weeks ago a 'special' deal was announced to upgrade to MAX for just $250.  I called my rep who was able to get 3 business returns, $162, credited back so my net cost to upgrade was $88.  I thought that acceptable then have had another state and 709 so think it was a good choice.  Just annoyed that I did lose a bit that wasn't credited back.

Suddenly I received two 2019 Master Tax Guides, a 2018 States Tax Guide for tax year 2017 and a 2017 Tax Book, the latter two useless.  What a waste! And now I have to dispose of more stuff.

I haven't received a renewal notice yet.  I think it premature to send out when we are in the depths of hell but what do marketing people know?

[ETax847]

I was told the early bird renewal discount ends next month

[FDNY]

Got mine today, $1,610 for Max, shipping, tax, and tip included. 

[Lion EA]

Wash and wax? Cut and blow-dry?

[Abby Normal]

19 minutes ago, FDNY said:

Got mine today, $1,610 for Max, shipping, tax, and tip included. 

No download fee?

[FDNY]

1 hour ago, Abby Normal said:

No download fee?

Don't give them any ideas.

[scottmcfly]

The renewal notice for 2019 Max that I received a couple of days ago indicates $1610 BEFORE shipping and sales tax for a total of $1809.  Does every one get the same price?

[jklcpa]

5 minutes ago, scottmcfly said:

Does every one get the same price?

 

[FDNY]

59 minutes ago, scottmcfly said:

The renewal notice for 2019 Max that I received a couple of days ago indicates $1610 BEFORE shipping and sales tax for a total of $1809.  Does every one get the same price?

I incorrectly stated my price as $1610, but it was $1809.   I don't think everyone gets the same price.   People negotiate, scream, curse, and threaten to hold their breath.   Not sure which course I will take but the increase doesn't seem fair.   Social Security only increased about 3%.  Not like we're getting any added value.  Program still has its problems but we stay because we.......I don't know, you finish the sentence.

[Margaret CPA in OH]

I'm not sure screaming and cursing will work. I might try begging and pleading, though. My offer for just 1040 went up 8.5% and that all -important processing fee went from $59 to $69.  They would save a bundle if only they wouldn't ship out those outdated MTG's and other tax books.  I guess the downloaded electrons cost something. And I wonder whether that bargain price of only $250 more for MAX will be floated next March.

Frankly, it's just easier for me as I phase out my practice to stick around as this program is a known beast to me since 1998. To save $75 now, though, to renew early is most likely what I will do.  I just wonder about the justification for such a raise.  Yep, my SS and IRA draws aren't up to 8.5% increases or 16.9% for 'processing.'

[scottmcfly]

Yes Margaret, I’m in the same boat as you.  I know the program and don’t want to climb the learning curve of another program as this stage.  In their defense of an 8.5% increase, they did have to cope with the TCJA which has been called the biggest tax rewrite in 30 years.  

Im listed here as a newbie but I’ve been using tax for 14 years.

[grandmabee]

No, everyone does not get the same price.  The person I recommended two  years ago gets a better price than me and I have been with them since the beginning.  She paid 995.00 for the MAX program and I paid 1595. thus year.  I think it depends on who your rep. is. 

[Margaret CPA in OH]

grandmabee, find out who your friend's rep is and share! That's a pretty big discount, I think. 

[mwrightea]

I want the $995.00 rep !

[grandmabee]

I am going to try and switch reps anyway.  I don't care for Health.  Never can get ahold of him. and pretty much said I was lying about the price.  She sent me a copy of her bill so I am going to be ready this year.

[Margaret CPA in OH]

Do you mean Heath Richardson? Yeah, I need a new rep, too.

Although I have to say he managed to get 3 1041's credited back so my upgrade to MAX resulted in just $88 extra instead of $250. I stil like $995 for MAX, though

[Tax Prep by Deb]

I wasn't keen on learning a new program either, but decided to jump boat this year because I could see the pricing was getting out of hand.  I went to Drake and will save quite a bit of money over ATX.  The learning curve was much easier than shelling out more dough!

[grandmabee]

On ‎04‎/‎14‎/‎2019 at 5:09 PM, Tax Prep by Deb said:

I wasn't keen on learning a new program either, but decided to jump boat this year because I could see the pricing was getting out of hand.  I went to Drake and will save quite a bit of money over ATX.  The learning curve was much easier than shelling out more dough!

How was the transfer?  did the depreciation go over well?

[Tax Prep by Deb]

26 minutes ago, grandmabee said:

How was the transfer?  did the depreciation go over well?

Yes.  What little problems I did have I was able to post on the Drake forum here on this community and was helped.  The only real problem I had was with a client who had multiple rentals and for some reason ATX had empty spaces (Numbering of the properties), but all I had to do was reassign the proper for number and everything worked ok.  I won't kid you, there is a learning curve but I found Drakes knowledge base very helpful.  The one problem I did have was in using the portal that is available.  I had a small issue with files that were restored from my laptop not wanting to go into the working portal, they wanted to go into what is called an archive portal.  But I called Drake (spoke to a live person within 3 rings) who tried to figure it out.  He promised a call back and about a week later he did call with a fix.

Very impressed with the program and customer services!  Plan on early renew which I haven't done with ATX since 2012.

[Catherine]

17 hours ago, Tax Prep by Deb said:

Very impressed with the program and customer services! 

That last piece is what makes it worth while.  The program itself - while I like it very much in many ways - still has spots that are rough.  But that customer service gets you over them quickly and with little trouble.  MUCH nicer than floundering on your own while waiting on hold for way too long!

[JohnH]

Personally, I'm not a big fan of early renewals.  I see it as potentially gambling your entire tax filing season on the equivalent of the fees for a couple of tax returns.  Risk is greater than the reward.  I was certainly glad I wasn't locked into ATX when the 2012 debacle struck.  I simply moved over to Drake and found my only regret was not having done it many years earlier since it's a superior product (software and customer service) overall.  But even though I now have a high level of confidence in Drake, I won't commit to them either until I see the software working.  Anything can happen with any vendor in a given year.

(I do realize that one could prepay with a vendor, find the program is unacceptable, and move to another vendor by either sacrificing the prepayment or gambling that the original vendor can be browbeat into funding all or part of the prepayment. But prepayment creates too much pressure to stick it out and hope the original vendor can rectify their problems.  Meanwhile, there are those pesky clients wanting their darn work done, and they don't give a hoot about our vendor issues.)