Thought I would download the 2018

[Jim-from-Ohio]

just to get an idea how the new 1040 looks and how the input works.. totally different. will take some time to get used to and learn. 

anyone else take a look at it yet?

are there any intuit courses or webinars on how to use the 2018 program?

[AshleyatIntuit · Accepted solution]

Here is the very beginning of the view of the Fed Info Wksht for reference.

[garman22]

albeit it different, i think I like that look at the top. I think what @Jim from Ohio is referring to is when you quick zoom to 1040 and scroll down to say, line 7 can you still quick zoom to W-2 worksheet and line 8 interest etc......or maybe he is referring to info worksheet?

[taxiowa]

That looks pretty similar to 2107.  but you do have 2 alerts Ashley to look into.

[garman22]

lol, Iowa!!

[AshleyatIntuit]

LOL, i'm not updating like i should.... you know me.

[poolcleaner]

There always has to be the odd one out there.  I just did a test return covering most things from an average return and found you can pretty much ignore those links on the Information Page.  Just go to the form you want to use in exactly the way we have always done it.  In my case I went to forms and typed in the letter C and went to a Schedule C as it has done for many years.  I did the same thing with SE with no changes from the way it was done in prior years. I think we just need to use intuitive (that pun again) reasoning and ignore the extraneous links.  

[poolcleaner]

So far the only form I couldn't reach that way was Sch A and that you find by using Postcard Line 8 and clicking on the box that is on the correct line.

[Jim-from-Ohio]

@poolcleaner I think the issue is with a lot of preparers we would prepare a return by going down the 1040 on the screen, tunneling down/quick zooming to the back up forms or schedules (vs. picking from list of forms)

[poolcleaner]

I once heard of an efficiency expert who said that if you took him into a new production line for advice, he would ask for the laziest person they had available.  He would put that person on the production line and that person would come up with the fastest way to do the work within 30 minutes.  I think I am that laziest person.

[poolcleaner]

@Jim from Ohio I must confess to going through the form in the order in which the client has given me information.  I bounce around a lot but I agree that yours is the smart way to do it.

[IRonMaN]

To be honest, I normally go directly to the form I am working on.  I will work back from the 1040 for something like a miscellaneous income but for the most part, I do go directly to the form -------------------- maybe I'm the running to compete in the laziest person competition :wink:

[Jim-from-Ohio]

@poolcleaner kind of how I was trained when doing returns via paper, lol. and then with Parsons Personal Tax Edge, then ProSeries the layout of the program  complemented that logic and order.

[poolcleaner]

I spent too many years doing returns by hand to not require a form right in front of me.

[AshleyatIntuit]

I know there is one for "preparing business returns" designed for new users, but not sure, let me see what I can find.  Here is where that one is though: https://proconnect.intuit.com/training/proseries/

[Jim-from-Ohio]

thank you. been using PS since 1997!  long time. it has always basically had the same look for those 20+ years... totally different now.  I am used to preparing the returns going down the 1040, like if i was doing it manually, quick zooming to the backup forms.. seems so different now

[AshleyatIntuit]

I just downloaded today, yes, i can see what you are talking about, the worksheet layout is different, but you know what they say, "practice makes perfect", but i'll see what i can find out about training :+1:

[garman22]

I have not d/l'ed yet....but ive prepared very similar to you @Jim from Ohio over the years. Is it that different?

[garman22]

@Ashley at Intuit (aka Henry Jr) I think that would be a fantastic idea. i think there would be many attendee's especially long time users.....especially if PS has had a face lift.

[Jim-from-Ohio]

I just brought over one simple return from last year opened it up and I thought to myself what is this is totally different

[garman22]

i wont ask too many questions @Jim from Ohio as i have not d/l it yet.....can you still zoom from the 1040 say for W-2, Interest...etc..??? I appreciate peoples feedback as I am making a list to look for when I am ready to download it.

[Jim-from-Ohio]

I’m not at my computer now but in all these other years you could scroll down to 1040 and quick zoom to the back up schedules it doesn’t work that way anymore

[garman22]

  oh, crap?! Yes, I prepared my returns very similar to your method. I would work my way down the 1040 and quick zoom to each line that I needed. I was very proficient in that respect. Shit, looks like we will have to adjust how we input now. Grrrrrr!! Thanks for telling me.

[IRonMaN]

Hopefully that is a bug rather than an "enhancement".

[garman22]

Amen, my friend. Amen!

[Accountant-Man]

To repeat this: <<oh, crap?! Yes, I prepared my returns very similar to your method. I would work my way down the 1040 and quick zoom to each line that I needed. I was very proficient in that respect. Shit, looks like we will have to adjust how we input now. Grrrrrr!! Thanks for telling me. >>

I know it's early, and I don't REALLY care yet, but this s*cks a big one.

[garman22]

@Accountant Man LOL....perfect......yes it does!

[Jim-from-Ohio]

Preparing returns in prior years using the forms me where I would navigate from the faith of the form 1040 to the various back up schedules hey soon-to-be musical or artistic rhythm to it .  I felt like I was creating something , creating a tax return.  The way the program works now it’s more just like answering questions.  I don’t see that flow anymore, At least that’s how it feels to me

[TaxGuyBill]

@Ashley at Intuit (aka Henry Jr)   What I *THINK* everybody is talking about, when you look at the 1040 within the program and click a line number, why the $%&@%^$ does it just bring you to the "1040 Wks" rather than the actual worksheet (for W-2s, 1099-Rs, etc.)?  You then need to go through the SECOND step of clicking that section on the W-2 worksheet.

In other words, for Lines 1-18 on the 1040, why the ^#^@ is Intuit making us work off of the new "1040 Wks" rather than working off the 1040 itself?

****So the top of the "1040 Wks" (the first 4 pages) should be deleted, and replace it with the actual 1040.****

It is already annoying enough that we need to re-learn where everything is due to the change in forms, why does Intuit insist on making it even more complicated?

[Jim-from-Ohio]

 I understand the 1040 has gone to these worksheets But I wish we can actually see the form 1040 the way it’s always been all these years on the screen even know that printed product may not look like that

[Accountant-Man]

I haven't looked at the IRS drafts this year; I've been kinda busy. But just like I always say about Intuit I can say about the IRS, too -- if it ain't broke, let's break it! THANK GOD I'M RETIRING IN A FEW YEARS. NOT SOON ENOUGH.

[garman22]

Im hesitant to download now....hahaha!! I will at some point and will need to relearn how to input again. ugh!!!

[Jim-from-Ohio]

@garman22  let me know what you think. i opened up a 1040 and i was like "what is this". it makes no sense.  i grew up doing 1040s by hand and being able to navigate the return that way, tunneling down to the backup forms is close to manual in some ways....  please do write back when you open up 2018 and report back with your reaction

[Accountant-Man]

I printed a 1040. Yuck. Two HALF pages on two sheets of paper. Page one has names, address dependents and signature line fills the top half only of the sheet. Page two says wages, interest divivends, AGI, income before standard deduction, business income deduction 199A, taxable income, tax, taxes paid, tax due. No line for Schedule C, just a side amount shown. Side two is half a page on a whole sheet. I almost puked.

[garman22]

Hey @Jim from Ohio.....try not to get yourself too worked up my man (easier said than done). I have seen these drafts from IRS. These new returns look like shit. I prepare just as you do. I look at the 1040 and tunnel (love the word) as deep as i must to prepare before I eventually come back up the tunnel to the 1040 and move on to the next line that i need to go to. I've prepared it this way for my entire career. I am 49 and started preparing when I was 16 years of age. I am hesitant to download 18's but know I must. I planned on middle of December but I will move that up so I have more time to familiarize myself with this new face of the software.

@Ashley at Intuit (aka Henry Jr) I truly hope we can piece together a webinar of sorts to go over our new PS software. See what magic you can put together.

I will report back @Jim from Ohio when I am finally brave enough to download.

[Jim-from-Ohio]

@garman22 thought i would click on help inside PS 2018, training videos there.. never watched clicked on that before as I came from Parsons Personal Tax Edge in 1997 to PS and PS looked real similar to Parsons (a great little program).. but that is just an aside.. so clicked on training videos, clicked on a one to start watching and the videos are based on the 2012 program and forms!

[Accountant-Man]

Jim from Ohio-I too used Parsons and switched to PS when Intuit bought Parsons and dumped it. $16 for 1040, $16 for NJ, et al. I also loved Parsons crosswords program, where you could create your own puzzle, too.

[Jim-from-Ohio]

@Accountant Man  parcels had a bunch of cool programs .  The personal tax  The personal tax edge edge program was a nifty program,  I think it was like $49 and for the preparers  edition  a whopping $79,   At least that’s what my memory prints back it may have even been less .  

When Intuit  bought them out I was amazed how similar the program was

[Accountant-Man]

For only 312 thousand percent of the price!

[Jim-from-Ohio]

@Accountant Man I just remembered something I’m not sure if this was during the Parsons days or the early intuit days  but it has to do with electric filing  ,   I would prepare the return in the program save it to a 3 1/2 inch floppy disk and actually mail the disk in the mail to parsons  or Intuit!  

[Accountant-Man]

I don't think I e-filed in those days.

[garman22]

@Jim from Ohio 2012 videos? hahha!!! Little behind, no? I dont remember the early days of efiling as I fought it until it was mandatory. You guys had to mail in floppys for efiles?

[Just-Lisa-Now-]

Its going to take a lot of getting used to looking at the new format!  Feels like we switched to different software but didn't get the new customer discount!

[garman22]

i dont wannnnnnnnna!!! :crying_cat_face:

[rbynaker]

Thanks Lisa, I needed a laugh today!

[Jim-from-Ohio]

get a load of this.. all these "schedules " make it more confusing. the old 1040 made sense.. logical and things flowed and there were backup forms or schedules.. in 2018 there is Schedule 1, add't income and adjustments to income.. the adjustments to income.. the part where SE deduction, educator expenses, and more go.. well say that section totals $ 1,000.. it does not carry anywhere. just gets blurred into page 2 of 1040 on line 7.. a good trail would show the deduction, then do the math

[Just-Lisa-Now-]

I agree with you Jim, it all seems much more complicated to me as well.  I'm sure we'll get used to it as we move forward....if you've been looking for a reason to raise your fees, BOOM here ya go!

[Accountant-Man]

Sadly, this is what the IRS draft looks like on their website. Dated August 13, 2018.

https://www.irs.gov/downloads/irs-dft?order=Name&sort=asc&page=0

[garman22]

@Jim from Ohio I see what you are saying. I knew the 1040 looked really screwed up but didnt realize all of the accompanying Schedules for "tax", "credits" etc.....I does not make much sense. Its no wonder the software probably looks soooooo different than what we are used to in the past.

@Just Lisa Now! I probably wont raise my fees for what used to be the Schedule A returns but my businesses (C, K-1's etc) I most certainly will.

@Accountant Man Thanks for the link. I looked at some forms for the first time. Especially the additional schedules.

[Jim-from-Ohio]

@Just Lisa Now! is this correct reasoning.. though no exemption deductions for 2018 the dependent section still get has to get completed for a number of reasons, child tax credit, education credits,  other credits, etc. right?