Lacerte software FAQs

General questions

Does Lacerte work for tax preparers outside the United States?

Yes. Tax preparers can generally use Lacerte Tax outside the United States, subject to applicable sanctions and export-control restrictions. However, the software is built exclusively for U.S. federal and state tax compliance. Tax professionals are also responsible for complying with Section 7216 and other applicable privacy requirements when tax return information is disclosed to preparers located outside the United States.

I’m already a Lacerte customer. Is this the right place to get help?

How do I schedule a demo of Lacerte?

You can explore Lacerte with a free trial, or talk with a specialist for a personalized demo.

Start a free trial to explore Lacerte’s interface and workflow at your own pace. Download the software or access a hosted version online. Answer a few quick questions to get started at accountants.intuit.com/tax-software/lacerte/free-trial/.

For a guided walk-through, call a Lacerte specialist at 844-322-7095. Our team can assess your firm’s needs, talk through your options, and help arrange a personalized demo.

Note: The trial is designed for evaluation. The trial software doesn’t e-file or print, and the hosted trial doesn’t save data.

Do I have to buy every form or can I use them on a pay-per-return basis?

You don't have to purchase every form to have access to them. Lacerte programs are available on an unlimited-use, fixed-quantity bundle, or pay-per-return basis. Choose whatever option is most economical for you, or a combination of both.

Unlimited-use: Unlimited-use bundles and modules are offered with no per-return charges, and you can prepare as many returns as you wish.
Pay-per-return only: Pay for the software license at the time of purchase, and only purchase returns as you need them.
Combined solution: Combine fixed-quantity bundle or unlimited-use and pay-per-return. You can choose unlimited or fixed-quantity versions of the modules you'll use most often—and use our pay-per-return option to prepare an out-of-state or other uncommon return.

Can I use pay-per-return for any type of return?

Does Lacerte support complex returns like large estates, partnerships, or multi-state and R&D apportionment filings?

Yes. Lacerte is built specifically for firms handling complex returns, from large estates and partnerships to multistate filings. Lacerte supports individual (1040/1040-NR), partnership (1065), corporate and S corporation (1120/1120-S, including consolidated returns), fiduciary, estate, and trust (1041), estate and gift (706/709), exempt organization (990), and employee benefit plan (5500) returns.

More than 7,200 forms, schedules, and worksheets, 25,000+ diagnostics, and a powerful calculation engine support complex work like multistate apportionment, R&D apportionment, K-1s and partner basis tracking, NOL carryforwards, consolidations, and specialized calculations.

To confirm a specific form or schedule, use the supported forms lookup at accountants.intuit.com/supported-tax-forms/.

How do bundles work?

Bundles combine your Lacerte software with a set number of returns and additional workflow tools like 1099/W2 filing and/or Document Management Tools. When you choose a bundle, you typically pay less than purchasing each product separately, helping you save on the tools you need to run your practice. If you have questions about bundle pricing or individual products, contact our sales consultants at 844-322-7095.

Is Lacerte a good fit for a large firm with hundreds of preparers?

What Lacerte pricing options are available, and how do I choose the right one?

Lacerte offers two ways to buy:

Pay-per-return: Get full access to Lacerte software with an annual license and pay only for the returns you file. This option includes single-user access, unlimited Intuit Tax Advisor reports, and digital signatures and KBAs for your clients. Hosting is available as an add-on. It works well for lower-volume or seasonal needs.
Custom plan: Choose bundles of individual and/or business returns or unlimited individual and/or business returns. Both options include all states and unlimited 1099 and W-2 filing. A custom plan may be a better fit for higher-volume firms or those handling more complex work. The unlimited option also includes Tax Planner and Analyzer at no extra cost.

Not sure which option fits your firm? Call 833-671-4527 to build a custom plan with a Lacerte specialist.

When is the new year's tax program made available and how is the product delivered?

What is Hosting for Lacerte?

Data conversion

Can you convert my data?

Can Lacerte convert my data from Thomson Reuters or CCH?

How long does data conversion take?

How do I upload my files for Lacerte data conversion?

How much is conversion?

The converted data files aren't identical to the original files I submitted. Why?

Why were some of my files not converted?

Support and system requirements

What type of training is available to help me get started?

Is support included?

Yes, technical support is included with the purchase of your Lacerte product. Lacerte offers support in many ways to put answers at your fingertips:

Toll-free phone support
Email support
Website support
In-program help
Help Me option with screen-specific topics
IRS instructions per form

Toll-free technical support is typically available from 6 AM to 5 PM PT, Monday–Friday. Extended support hours are available during tax season, including weekends. Find the most current information regarding support hours of operation.

What operating systems does Lacerte run on?

- Additional limitations may apply. Terms and conditions, features, support, pricing and services options are subject to change without notice. For more details, visit accountants.intuit.com/lacerte/.
  
  Trial information: The Lacerte free trial includes either a Lacerte tax software download or online access to hosted software for tax year 2025. The desktop trial software will not e-file or print. The hosted trial will not save any information. New customers only.
  
  Pay-per-return pricing: An annual license fee (Fast Path) is required to purchase returns on a per-return basis. If purchasing a bundle, this fee is included.
  
  Consolidated per-return pricing: The Consolidated Corporation (CON) is the fee to consolidate or combine multiple corporate entities into one consolidated tax return. Each separate Parent or Subsidiary corporation (CORP) is also subject to applicable per-return fees for that entity.
  
  Cancellation/refund policy: If you are a new customer and not satisfied with your Intuit Lacerte tax software (the "Software") you may request a refund within five (5) business days of the software release date for the tax year purchased or your payment date, whichever is later. No other refund requests shall be honored. In order to request a refund, contact the Intuit sales agent that sold you the Software. If you are unsure of who your agent is, contact Sales at 844-877-9422. See full refund policies for Lacerte here.
  
  CPE/CE credit information: CPE/CE credits available only for live webinars.

Lacerte Features
- Additional terms, conditions and fees may apply to optional add-on services.
  
  Intuit Tax Advisor: Intuit Tax Advisor is for informational purposes only and should not be construed or relied upon to be legal or tax advice. Any advisory impact is speculative and not guaranteed. Graphics/images are for illustration only. Additional terms and conditions may apply. Fast Path required (sold separately).
  
  Intuit Sign: The ability to add e-signature fields to all forms and documents, including business forms, is designed to be used at the preparer's discretion. Per the current IRS Guidelines, electronic signatures are only accepted for the Individual Modules. Please review IRS Publication 4163 and PMTA-2018-08 for more detail. It is your responsibility to keep updated and compliant on which forms can be used/recognized in connection with federal and state e-file tax returns and authorizations. Additional terms and conditions apply. For more information, please visit accountants.intuit.com/intuit-sign/.
  
  Knowledge based authentication (KBA): Knowledge based authentication, also known as KBA, is an identity verification measure that requires end users to establish their identities through the use of specific security questions. The e-signature option is only available to taxpayers e-filing their tax returns through an Electronic Return Originator (ERO), who uses software that provides identity verification and e-signature functionality. To meet e-signature requirements, the ERO must be able to record the taxpayer's name, social security number, address and date of birth electronically for identity verification purposes. As part of identity verification, the software may create what is known as a "soft inquiry" in the credit reporting industry. A soft inquiry is not a credit check, although it is conducted by a credit reporting company that uses information from the taxpayer's credit report to generate knowledge-based authentication questions. Typically, the knowledge-based authentication questions address the taxpayer's personal and financial history. These are usually multiple-choice questions such as the name of their mortgage lender, type of car financed, a former address or phone number. The taxpayer is expected to answer the questions correctly. Taxpayers who cannot complete the identity verification check cannot use e-signature. Ordinarily, knowledge based authentication is not mandatory for envelopes which do not contain Form 8878 or 8879 or their state equivalents.
  
  Quick Employer Forms: License of Intuit Quick Employer Forms Accountant for tax year 2026 begins on November 21, 2026 and expires on October 31, 2027. Only customers with a current tax year license will be able to access their Intuit Quick Employer Forms Accountant client data from the prior year. Additional terms, conditions and fees apply. For more information, please visit accountants.intuit.com.
  
  Tax Planner: Sold separately. Tax Planner and Analyzer are included free in Lacerte Unlimited. QuickBooks Desktop Accountant available separately. Intuit Accountant Suite available separately.
  
  Hosting: Hosting for Intuit Lacerte powered by Rightworks is a monthly add-on subscription service. Purchase of Fast Path services for Intuit Lacerte is required for concurrent user activity within Hosting for Intuit Lacerte. Additional terms, conditions, and limitations apply. Pricing, features, service and support options are subject to change at any time without notice. For more information, please visit accountants.intuit.com/desktop-hosting/. If payment fails during your subscription period, we will attempt to contact you and retry your payment. If the payment retry is not successful, your subscription will terminate on the 15th day. Upon termination after payment failure, you will have access for an additional 15 days to retrieve your data from the hosted environment. If you need to add a seat or change account information, you can do so at any time by calling Customer Service at 1-800-933-9999 for Lacerte and 1-800-434-6818 for ProSeries, during service hours.
  
  New Lacerte Tax Customer Only: Discount applies to the monthly base price of cloud hosting Business, Advanced, or Premium plans ("Hosting") for Intuit Lacerte tax software. Solo plan not eligible for discount. New Lacerte customers are eligible to receive 40% off Hosting plans for up to 3 users or 20% off Hosting plans for 4 or more users for the first 4 months of service. After the discount period, you will automatically be charged monthly at the then-current price until you cancel. During the discount period, you cannot add or remove users to the Hosting service; otherwise, the discount will be voided. Offer valid through 1/31/2027 at 5 PM CT. Offer does not apply to add-on fees or services, is not available with free trials of Lacerte, and cannot be combined with other offers for the same product or service. Limited to one per customer. For more info, see accountants.intuit.com/desktop-hosting.
  
  Rightworks Data Security: Rightworks performs backups of all hosted data on a nightly basis and retains the back-ups for a rolling 90-day period in a protected offsite facility as an additional level of protection. Rightworks maintains robust security enhancements, including enhanced firewall protection, encryption protocols, and security audits. There is no limitation to the size of a customer's tax and business-related data back-up. Customers are responsible for verifying the integrity of hosted data at least every 90 days. Rightworks employs Snapshot technology to backup customer data. Snapshots are taken daily and then replicated to another physical Rightworks facility for Disaster Recovery. Rightworks maintains compliance with international security standards and regulations, including IRS Security Six compliance. Rightworks uses top-tier data centers and multiple layers of redundancy within its infrastructure to provide 24x7 availability. However, availability can vary, is subject to occasional downtime, and may change without notice. Rightworks encrypts all backup files and backup tapes. Virtual desktop connections are protected via TLS with a minimum of 128-bit encryption and authentication. Each customer has a unique Rightworks virtual desktop. Access to each Intuit ProSeries or Intuit Lacerte company file is controlled at multiple layers including file access permissions. Access is locked out after multiple failed login attempts for the same user. Security features, functionality, and access are subject to change without notice as deemed necessary by Rightworks. Availability can vary and are subject to occasional downtime and may change without notice.
  
  Hosting add-on services and integrations
  
  Microsoft Office integration: Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Outlook integration with Lacerte or ProSeries in the hosted environment requires an existing license for Office 365 Apps for Enterprise, Microsoft 365 Business Premium, Office 365 for Enterprise—E3, or Office 365 for Enterprise—E5. If you already have one of these licenses, you can bring it over on your own, or purchase a separate license through Rightworks or another provider. Intuit provides limited support for third-party applications that integrate with Lacerte and ProSeries including but not limited to: application installation, application set-up, tax product integration, and technical and/or login issues within Rightworks. Intuit does not provide technical support for third-party in-application or other product issues.
  
  Adobe integration: The following Adobe integrations with Lacerte or ProSeries in the hosted environment are supported: Adobe Acrobat Pro for Teams (subscription required), Adobe Acrobat Pro for Individuals (subscription required), Adobe Acrobat Standard for Teams (subscription required), Adobe Acrobat Standard for Individuals (subscription required), and Adobe Acrobat Reader (no subscription required).
  
  QuickBooks Desktop Hosting: Hosting for supported versions of QuickBooks Desktop (Enterprise, Enterprise Accountant, Premier, Premier Accountant, Pro) is included in the Advanced and Premium offerings of Hosting for ProSeries Tax or Lacerte Tax. Intuit provides QuickBooks Desktop product support for three years from the time of purchase. QuickBooks Desktop integration with Lacerte or ProSeries in the hosted environment requires an existing license for QuickBooks Desktop Enterprise, Enterprise Accountant, Premier, Premier Accountant, or Pro. If you already have one of these licenses, you can bring it over on your own, or purchase a separate license through Intuit or another provider. Additional applications are also available for Hosting. Full list of available applications can be found at accountants.intuit.com/desktop-hosting/pricing/. Additional terms, conditions, and limitations may apply. Pricing, features, service and support options are subject to change at any time without notice. Rightworks may also offer additional third party services, not core to Lacerte or ProSeries, for an additional fee. The Signature pad functionality within Document Management System (DMS) is not supported in the Lacerte and ProSeries hosted environments at this time.

Pay-by-Refund
- Pay-by-Refund or refund transfer program ("Program") participation available to eligible ProSeries, Lacerte and ProConnect Tax customers for a limited time only. Program participants (will be designated to an incentive category as determined by Intuit and), depending on the software used, may earn a credit or other incentive for every qualified federal funded Pay-by-Refund transaction (excluding Quick Collect transaction) that is filed from January 1st through the 1040 tax filing deadline of the then-current Tax Year through either of the following banks: Santa Barbara Tax Products Group or Refund Advantage (each a "Participating Bank"). To be eligible participants must adopt industry refund transfer best practice principles by charging customary and reasonable processing fees, and federal returns must be transmitted to the IRS using a single account and EFIN. Federal returns that are rejected by the IRS, or deemed fraudulent, or a result of identity theft are not eligible for credit under the Program. For the current Tax Year, if software and a user are eligible for credits, aggregate credits payment will be delivered from Participating Bank by August 31st of the current year. For all other Tax Year filings, if software and a user are eligible for credits, aggregate credits payment will be delivered from Participating Banks by May 31st of the year you are currently enrolled. For Refund Advantage, a $59.90 one-time bank set up fee applies to each federal Pay-by-Refund transaction. For Santa Barbara Tax Product Group, a $64.90 one-time bank set up fee applies to each federal Pay-by-Refund transaction. Additional fees apply to state Pay-by-Refund filings. Offer may be terminated or modified at Intuit's discretion and Program and software terms and conditions, including available features, credits, pricing, and support are subject to change without notice. You must meet certain minimum funded Pay-by-Refund transaction thresholds in order to be eligible to qualify for free or discounted software. For complete Pay-by-Refund Program details, including eligibility and participation requirements, restrictions, and currently available credits, see accountants.intuit.com/pay-by-refund/.

Pay-by-Refund Cash Advance
- Intuit is not a party to any transactions you may choose to enter with Refund Advantage or Santa Barbara Tax Products Group banks and disclaims any liability arising out of such transactions. Visit Refund Advantage and Santa Barbara Tax Products Group's websites for full terms and conditions. Intuit receives compensation from third parties, and the compensation may affect how and where such product offers appear to you.

Protection Plus
- Subject to the terms, conditions, limitations, and exclusions outlined in the Protection Plus Firm-Level Membership Agreement for 1040s. Business return coverage is subject to terms, conditions, limitations, and exclusions outlined in the Protection Plus Firm-Level Business Return Membership Agreement. Protection Plus is a registered trademark of Tax Protection Plus, LLC. For more information, please visit accountants.intuit.com/protection-plus/.

Claims
- Coming soon: This information is intended to outline our general product direction, but represents no obligation and should not be relied on in making purchase decisions.
  
  E-file acceptance rate claim: Based on Lacerte's preventable e-file rejections for federal e-file acceptance rates for all federal filing types for TY24 as of Dec. 31, 2025.
  
  Taxpayer claims: Based on a survey commissioned by Intuit of 3,000 remunerated respondents who hired a tax professional for their 2023 personal taxes or personal and business taxes as of July 2024.
  
  Advisory exclusivity claim: Based on publicly available data on tax advisory/planning features from leading professional tax software competitors as of March 1, 2025.
  
  Electronic signature exclusivity claim: Based on publicly available data on electronic signature features from leading professional tax software competitors as of January 28, 2026. Note that ProConnect Tax requires advanced user access.
  
  [spring 2026] G2 claims: Based on scores calculated from G2 reviews collected as of Feb. 17, 2026. See www.g2.com/categories/professional-tax/.
  
  [winter 2026] G2 claims: Based on scores calculated from G2 reviews collected as of Dec. 3, 2025. See www.g2.com/categories/professional-tax.
  
  Automated K-1 feature claim: Lacerte's K-1 automated functionality saves an average of 5.6 hours per firm. Based on usage data of 12,500 firms of Lacerte Tax in tax year 2024 who transferred K-1 data manually, and approximately took min 6 mins per manual transfer. User experience may vary.
  
  Timesavings claim: Based on Intuit time-savings data and claims averaged across ProConnect, Lacerte, and ProSeries tax products as of November 2025. Actual results may vary depending on client complexity and individual workflow.
  
  Training claim: Intuit Accountants training was taken by more than 34,000 unique tax professionals from April 16, 2025, to January 29, 2026.
  
  Training claim: Intuit Accountants offered more than 280 hours of live training from April 16, 2025, to January 29, 2026.

Promotions
- Bundles: Lacerte plans and add-on products or services (e.g. Hosting) are available for purchase separately at a different price compared to when purchased in a bundle. Should you have any questions regarding the pricing of individual items versus the bundle, please do not hesitate to contact our Sales Consultants at 1-844-321-9734.
  
  Three-year pricing offer: Available only to new users of Lacerte Tax software who have not used ProSeries Tax or ProConnect Tax in tax year 2025. The three-year pricing offer requires entry into an auto-renewing contract. Lacerte Pay-Per-Return products are excluded. Your first-year price will be based on the current-year price for the Lacerte package and module(s) you select, and will be attached in a quote to your contract prior to signing. After your first year, the annual renewal price for the same package and/or module(s) will not increase above the percentage set forth in your contract for the next two years. Additional terms and conditions apply; auto-renewal, cancellation and refunds are subject to the terms of your contract.
  
  Deferred payment option terms: To qualify for deferred payment, a customer must purchase an eligible Lacerte or ProSeries product (ineligible products include but are not limited to ProSeries Basic, ProConnect, Hosting eSig sign up, EasyACCT); have a current EFIN or CPA number; not currently have any past-due payments; not have defaulted on payments in the past; and meet any other eligibility requirements in Intuit's discretion. Additional terms and conditions apply with payment plan options and are subject to change without notice. Eligible customers must enroll by January 8, 2027. Final payment must be received by February 25, 2027. You must re-apply and agree to a deferred payment agreement each year. If your "Deferred Payment Option" application is approved, you must submit payment for your order by February 25. You will need to submit payment by such date even if you had previously selected the "Auto Renew" billing option (as you will not be automatically charged on your usual annual renewal date once approved for deferred payment). Your payment will be processed immediately once made online or by phone.
  
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