How in the world are your NC customers supposed to wait to file a NC tax return until 2/27??? That is when you show final release of primary forms? This is CRAZY!!

[George4Tacks]

@Kathi_at_Intuit or @IntuitAlicia Are there any soothing thoughts to explain the delay?

[astcpa]

I would not be so upset if I didn't know that many of your competitors are already submitting NC returns for e-file.  This delay makes me and my firm look terrible to my clients who know that their friends and family are already filing these same forms.

[parway14]

It's not a problem for other software vendors. I assume the e-file date is the same time as the "final" form. NC forms have been on their website since August. Is everyone going ahead and filing the federal and not doing anything with NC or are you giving clients the watermarked forms if you are certain there are no dollar amount changes?

[IRonMaN]

That kinda sucks.  Tax season becomes awfully compressed with that time schedule.

[parway14]

I'm sitting here on more than 60 returns in a one person office.

[astcpa]

I am in the same boat and I feel too embarrassed to give them a form with "Do Not File" on it.  To make matters worse, the S-Corp and other business returns are the same way!  I can't get anything finalized and apparently Lacerte expects us to somehow finalize them all after 2/27.  I am going ahead and e-filing the federal for clients with refunds.  They will get their refunds before I can even print a tax return!

[louis]

Have you checked today? Mine now says April 16.

[George4Tacks · Accepted solution]

I think Intuit Austin may not have mentioned you have to disable efile error check

https://accountants-community.intuit.com/articles/1607060-disabling-e-file-diagnostic-error-checking

[astcpa]

This does not work either.  The error we get is not a diagnostic error it is a transmission failure.  Making this change has no effect on the results.

[George4Tacks]

@Intuit Austin  = HELP!

[IntuitAustin]

@astcpa Are you getting a transmission failure on any other individual returns?

[astcpa]

I have only e-filed Federal and NC.  The Federals have all gone through just fine and are all "accepted".  

[IntuitAustin]

Okay, I got some updated information from development about this issue this morning. It appears as though the forms are not final and that e-filing has not yet been approved, which is why we're seeing the transmission failure. It sounds like we are targetting a release of 2/21 for the NC forms with agency e-file approval. Our development team is working with the agency to ensure this is their final version and will be ready for e-file on this date. 

[louis]

Why is it taking until 2/21 to get this done? I have checked with other CPAs that use other programs that have been filing since January. Why is it that Lacerte can never get it's products ready before mid February or later?

[IntuitAustin]

While I can understand your frustration, it's imperative that before implementing changes and updates to our program, we work with state agencies to ensure we are working with a finalized version of the form, and internally we are testing before rolling out to eliminate any issues in the program

[louis]

With all due respect Austin, I don't think you can understand my frustration. Trying to explain to clients why I still cannot file their returns in the second week of February when firms using other software are able to file.

[astcpa]

I agree with Louis.  2/21 is ridiculous.  I have not normally had this problem with Lacerte so I have no complaints about prior years but something is not making sense about this year.  I see only two options.
Either NCDR is making Lacerte a low priority or Lacerte developers don't know what they are doing.
If other software developers are getting their forms approved then the problem has to somehow be with Lacerte.  I don't understand why you guys can't utilize other Intuit products that are working.  Funnel our tax returns through them or something.  (Honestly, even Lacerte employees don't know what is going on which has made this even more frustrating.  I have called and been told over and over again that I must not be on the latest update because Lacerte can e-file all 2018 NC returns. Even on this page, we have been told to 1)update our software 2)turn off error checking and then finally, someone admits that the program is not working.)  You guys have simply dropped the ball this year.  The only reason you are not getting more flack is that you apparently don't have too many NC customers.

[astcpa]

One more thing, you guys keep acting like this is just an individual tax return problem but it is not!  Business tax returns are due 3/15 and the NC forms aren't working for any of them either!

[astcpa]

NC business tax return forms are now showing for final release at 4/16/19

[parway14]

NC Individual returns are showing final release of 4-16-19. 36 years of building my practice only to have Lacerte destroy it in one tax season.

[astcpa]

They have to do something to fix this.  We pay far too much for this software for these kind of results.

[hannacarter-cpa]

I use Proconnect Tax Online and am having the same issue with North Carolina and Alabama returns that I cannot file.  It is very frustrating and embarrassing to have to tell your clients you are not able to provide them with service.  I am extremely disappointed with PTO and will be looking into another tax software next year.

[IntuitAustin]

@parway14 The release date for those forms should be 2/21. The date in the program of 4/16 is incorrect https://lfs.intuit.com/#/s/NC/I

[astcpa]

https://www.ncdor.gov/documents/efile-individual-income-approved-software-developer-list-tax-year-20... (Should it concern us that Lacerte is not listed here?  Is it because Lacerte forms have not been approved yet by NCDR?)

[IntuitAustin]

@astcpa I believe that Lacerte is not on the list because we are still working with the agency. I haven't seen any indication to say that NC won't approve us however.

[sjrcpa]

@Intuit Austin "The release date for those forms should be 2/21. The date in the program of 4/16 is incorrect " Could they correct this in the program? Or is that too much to ask?

[IntuitAustin]

They are working on a fix, should be out in the next release scheduled for Thursday

[garman22]

Lol @Intuit Austin ......to fix the date of 04/16? It takes until the next scheduled update? No wonder why you all are swamped at support with phone calls. Oh man.

[IRonMaN]

@garman - but we do have to make the update, check to see if it works, make sure it didn't break something else, and then order out for pizza.  I'm surprised it will be ready so soon :wink:

[louis]

Go download the update that was just released guys, it is working!!!

[hannacarter-cpa]

what about for Proconnect Tax Online?

[IntuitAustin]

Exciting news, I got some information I'm able to share about NC. As @louis has stated, there is an update now live that has the individual forms for NC final and e-file ready. @astcpa @parway14

In regards to PTO @hannacarter.cpa PTO follows a similar release schedule and the forms should be made available in the next update

[astcpa]

I am thrilled that progress has been made.  However, unless I am missing something, Lacerte is still not calculating NC correctly, at least not for those taxpayers that have less itemized deductions than the federal standard deduction but have more than the NC standard deduction.  The program is defaulting to the standard deduction for NC when the standard was used on the federal.  This was in fact the law in previous years but according to page 18 of the 2018 NC instructions, "You may deduct from federal adjusted gross income either the NC standard deduction or NC itemized deductions even if you did not claim itemized deductions on your federal return...."

[astcpa]

Also, is anyone else getting the diagnostic about "NCDR requesting payment contact name, email address and telephone number in the appropriate fields"?  I clicked on the link to get more info and followed the two solutions on how to fix this but neither removed the diagnostic.  Please let me know if you have found a fix.  It is now showing up on all of my individual NC tax returns. (#41977)

[astcpa]

Finally (sorry!), The program seems to be calculating the new NC Child Tax Deduction properly but the NC Tax Summary Report still shows the amount as a credit rather than a deduction.  Furthermore, a  critical diagnostic that seems to coincide with this problem is showing up  #42003.  If there is a fix to this or if I am doing something incorrectly, please advise!

[Rebecca3353]

i am sitting on over 300 individual returns that i can't even print or view a copy of the NC return.  i collect my fees till i can give them some kind of copy.  you are killing my business.  i have no revenue yet.  and you expect me to pay the total deferred tax preparation software cost by March 1st.  wish me luck.  i have used Lacerte over 25 years and can't believe this is happening.  i have never charged my clients before i furnish them with the tax returns.  we spend so much time trying to explain why the return is not ready.  i will lose clients over this.  other preparers are filing the returns.  makes me look so stupid.  the stress is unbelievable and i am expected to pay the staff on no income.

[Rebecca3353]

i can't even get a watermarked copy to print.  just says not available.  i can't give the client an incomplete tax return copy and charge them for it.   i have no revenue from tax season at all yet.

[abctax55]

OK Rebecca - please clarify which software you are actually using.  You've revived old posts in both Lacerte AND PTO forums. 

[NorthCarolinaSteve]

Am I to understand that NC S corps are not available until 2/27

Unacceptable.

I should be filing NC returns ---NOW not later.

What can Lacerte do to get this corrected.

Please contact me with an answer.

[abctax55]

Please contact me with an answer.

My answer to you is, call support & complain.  We aren't support; this is a forum of fellow software users.