Fix e-filing program errors for Federal Form 5227 and PA-41

[Timburgh]

Your program attempts to attach Form 1041 to Form PA-41 according to the PA instructions, but you should not do that. The trusts I prepare returns for must file federal Form 5227, NOT Form 1041. Thus Form 1041 technically does not exist (even though your software prepares it, for some reason that makes no sense to me). Since Form 1041 should not be prepared for Charitable Remainder Trusts, it should NOT be attached to Form PA-41. And yet your software apparently tries to do so. It is a nightmare to go through this every year, taking twice as long to get through the filing process as it does to prepare the returns. 

PLEASE, PLEASE fix this error and make it possible to file federal Forms 5227 and Pennsylvania Form PA-41 without jumping through hoops and causing me and your phone reps to spend hours to understand what is going on. 

Also, please correct your client screen of e-filed returns. It has three lines for each Charitable Remainder Trust: 

US Return

US-STI Return

PA Return

What in the world is "US-STI Return"? That phrase is not explained anywhere that I could find, after several searches. It appears to be Federal Form 5227, but if that's what it is, why not say so?

I am generally pleased with your system but don't understand why this headache can't be resolved by some seemingly simple software programming. Stop trying to attach something to PA-41 that doesn't exist. Forms 1041 do not exist and are not prepared for Charitable Remainder Trusts, thus they cannot be sent -MUST NOT BE SENT - to Pennsylvania.

I made this request last year but nothing happened. This forum is where the Lacerte phone rep sent me to provide feedback to Lacerte regarding program errors. If this is not the right venue, please let me know how to make this appeal in the correct channel.

Sincerely, 

Tim