Choosing Tax Software

[bingram]

I am looking into purchasing one of the Intuit Tax Products.  I only prepare a small number of returns but I have 1 Form 1120 with 20 state tax returns.  Also a large number of fixed assets for depreciation.  What do you recommend?

[TaxGuyBill]

Nobody can give you a legitimate recommendation based on the minimal information that you gave us.  For example:

• Why do you want to change software?
• Why do you want Intuit software?
• How many returns do you do?
• What software are you using now, and what have you used in the past?
• Do you like forms-based data entry?  Worksheet-based?  Something else?
• What are you primary considerations?  Cost of software?  Ease or speed of use?  Detailed worksheets to help you?  Something else?
• Are you a paid tax preparer?
• Any other concerns?

[bingram]

I am a CPA working for a private corp preparing their Form 1120, Forms 1065 and 1040's.  I am an employee of that corp.  Used Thompson Reuters Ultra Tax before and loved it, just cost prohibitive for preparing only 15 tax returns.  The Corp return has 300 fixed assets and has 20 state tax returns.  So I need something that handles apportionment.

I can deal with forms input or input screens, I am a seasoned CPA with over 30 years of experience.

[bingram]

I am also looking at other tax software but I know Intuit will be around for a while, not sure about something like Drake.

[George4Tacks · Accepted solution]

https://proconnect.intuit.com/community/form-1040/help/comparing-lacerte-and-proseries-and-proconnec... shows a comparison of features. 

The 20 states is most cheaply done with the Online Software, but I fear the interface might be time costly. You can give it a free test drive - do everything except print or efile - by looking at the forms in Check Return. https://proconnect.intuit.com/tax-online/ You can log onto the software with the user name and password you used to get here. The cost advantage is 1 state or 20 states - same price (Notice that they have a "sale" on now)

[bingram]

Thank you for the info.  Can you tell me if ProConnect has the same Multi State Apportionment Report as Lacerte?

I have been unable to access the free trial.

[George4Tacks]

I do not know if the reports are the same. It is modeled after Lacerte, but has some deficiencies. I have not done a return requiring this with PTC. 

Either Click the ORANGE Sign up for free OR the orange Sign in to your existing Intuit account at the bottom of https://proconnect.intuit.com/tax-online/try-pto/ to try the software.

[qbteachmt]

Don't forget to ask google:

state apportionment proconnect

There are videos from Intuit, end users, and even help articles, such as: https://proconnect.intuit.com/community/partnership/help/multi-state-returns-for-partnership-s-corpo...