Support

[FJZCPA]

What level of support will Lacerte provide to CPA's who prepare returns? The current model of speaking with non-tax professional support people is frustrating, I am asking question about forms, where are numbers coming from,  and calculations. The people on the other end are looking for error codes in their database. 

Example: prepared a return, lacerte calculated a penalty for failure to pay estimated taxes for 1,890. Client paid the penalty. IRS refunded 790 because they calculated a lower penalty. Tried to speak with a support person, and she was focusing on the estimated payments being withdrawn. Not even close to the problem. Eventual response was to send us the calculation through Lacerte.

I have 20 years invested in Lacerte. Its really frustrating when questions can't answered because part of the problem is that we are using a different language. I speak tax preparation, they speak error codes. I spend more time teaching them tax than getting support.

Is there a way we can go directly to a higher level of support? What other options do we have? 

I can't even find a phone number to call and speak with someone about this. Lacerte has quite successfully hidden contact phone numbers from the user community.  The phone tree is not set up for this. 

Being able to speak with someone would be a huge help. Some of the support folks are more concerned about their feedback survey results than helping me.  I don't fill them out because the answers have not changed the process.

If anyone from Lacerte read this and wants to talk, call me.

[Strongsilence-CPA]

Great idea!  I have mentioned this once in the past with no action taken by Intuit.  (I think I might have written a post in the Idea forum but can't check now.  You might want to look for it and give it a thumbs up.)

Thanks for taking the time to suggest this.

On a related note, today I called, got through to a pleasant-sounding woman but with a thick Indian (South Asian) accent and just said to myself, "I am tired, and I don't have the energy to listen and communicate."  And I hung up.  I am aware of how this sounds, but right or wrong, I am the customer.

@FJZCPA 

[BobKamman]

Most of the taxpayers who received refunds from overpaid ES penalty were residents of disaster areas who did not have to pay some of the quarterlies.  Something a CPA should be able to figure out without having to call tech support.  

[sjrcpa]

The underpayment penalty is computed on Form 2210 and there are worksheets generated. A common error for a new client is to not enter last year's tax and AGI.

So are you or your client upset that a refund was issued?