Going from Pro Series Professional to Pro Series Basic

[Golfer2016]

I only do about 25 returns.  All of them are personal returns.  Because of pricing, I'm looking at switching to Pro Series Basic from Professional.  I have talked to customer support and they have told me the entry is different, you can't email password protected documents directly, you can't do business taxes, and there are a few less forms.

For my purpose, I'm thinking basic will be OK.  However, is there something I'm missing?  Does the data input take more time on Basic then it does on Professional?

Let me know your thoughts.  Thanks

[Just-Lisa-Now-]

You should be able to download Basic to test it out (if you paid for Professional you should be able to get Basic for Free)...but I just logged into my Intuit Account to see how it works, and I dont see Basic available for me to download.

Maybe someone else will have better instructions.

[George4Tacks]

This may help https://proconnect.intuit.com/community/help-articles/help/comparing-lacerte-and-proseries-and-proco...

[TaxGuyBill]

The actual data entry is the exact same.  Navigating TO the forms and worksheets is different.  If you use the 'Find Form'  (or whatever it is called), then it would be the same.

In some ways, I actually like the navigation in Basic better.  One downside is if you have lots of items (such as many depreciable assets), it is a bit harder to find the one you want (you can't read the title on the 'tabs' for each asset).  But overall, I like the navigation of Basic better. 

So getting the Basic 50 package (50 returns) may be a good idea.  If you need a business return (Corporation, Partnership etc), you can use Professional on a PPR basis.

Basic does not have NOL support or At-Risk losses (but you could use Professional on a PPR basis if you really need those).  Other than those two items, I've never needed a form that I would need Professional instead of Basic.

There are fewer customizable "options" in Basic, but with only 25 returns, that probably isn't a big deal.

[Golfer2016]

Bill, thanks for the feedback and what your opinion is.  I have clients with multiple rentals.  Is that harder to navigate on Basic?

[TaxGuyBill]

Maybe a little?  But not much (but I'm also 'used to' it) and I don't think it will take long to get 'used to'.  I'm attaching a picture.  And if you use the 'Find Form' (Control F) it is the same.

So you see I went to the "Income" tab on the left, and the worksheets are all on the little top tabs (the ACTUAL filing forms are on the little bottom tabs).

So if you have lots of items on the top (such as lots of assets from multiple businesses or rentals), it is sometimes a little more difficult to 'find' the one you are looking for.   If you have lots of those little tabs, you even need to 'scroll' for another line of those little tabs.

But again, once you are on the actual form or worksheet, it is the exact same thing as Professional.

.

[Just-Lisa-Now-]

that actually looks easier to find stuff than in Professional

[TaxGuyBill]

I agree, I like the navigation to the forms better.  But it is just when there are a lot of "worksheets" on the income tab (such as Assets Entry Worksheets), it can be a bit harder to find the one you are looking for because you often can't see the entire title.

[Golfer2016]

Great feedback.  In a case where a client has 5 rentals (let's say), are the asset tabs arranged in an easy fashion?  As in, all of one rental are together, then the next, then so on.  If they aren't it could get annoying finding the right asset because then you'd have to click through everything.

[TaxGuyBill]

If I remember correctly, they sort-of are arranged.  But offhand I don't remember for sure.

One think I've done is add a prefix to the assets.  So for rental #1, I may call it 1Building.  For rental #2, I may call it 2Building.  But you don't want a long prefix because then you can't read the rest of what the asset name is.