What’s New in Lacerte® 2018

Tax year 2018 is just around the corner, and the team at Intuit® ProConnect™ Lacerte® has been hard at work to provide you with enhancements to help your workflow. You told us the features you need most, the concerns that keep you up at night, and the problems you want to solve better for your clients. We listened and poured all of it into key enhancements for tax year 2018. Look for the 2018 Lacerte product download on Nov. 7.

In addition to 170+ new forms and 59+ new e-file capabilities to handle complex scenarios with ease and speed up your workflow, check out some of the new features and productivity enhancement we’ve added to Lacerte, as well as the ongoing work we’ve been doing throughout the year. From tax reform and security, to new forms and functionality, we’ve got your back so you can have your best tax season yet.

Tax reform: Our team has been working with the IRS and the Department of the Treasury so our products will be up to date for next tax season. You can file with complete confidence even though this is the biggest tax reform in 30 years. We have dedicated our time to help you quickly become a go-to expert on the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and the impact of tax law changes. Our tax reform resources include a new 1040 optimization that will seamlessly handle the new postcard-sized return and size additional schedules without changing familiar workflow; an updated and client-ready Tax Reform Impact Summary with details to explain tax impact; new tax-reform-related diagnostics that help you zero in on potential tax reform-driven changes while you prepare a client’s return; and our Tax Reform Resource Center, Entity Selection Calculator, and in-depth tax reform webinars to help you be the expert your clients count on.

Customer service: The Lacerte Customer Service team is standing by for tax reform assistance with extended hours in season. We have two new support options to help you save time and focus on getting you the help you need, fast, without disrupting your work. In addition to having more staff to take calls faster, we added an enhanced self-help system and the “Hold My Spot” feature so you don’t have to wait on hold. We will call you back when it is your turn.

Security: We added in extra layers of security to help safeguard your data. Lacerte for tax year 2018 will include an additional level of data encryption to help further protect your data and in-product security tips to help you keep your clients’ data and your business data safe.

Qualified business income simplification: New IRS forms, worksheets and calculations for the new QBI deduction will help you minimize your clients’ taxes.

Quarterly payment estimates in one step: Support e-filing for four quarterly estimated payments in just one transmission step for key states — all with the improved estimated payment wizard designed to bring you more efficiency than ever before.

Partner and oil & gas data management: Quickly import partner as well as oil and gas data from Excel and update it in Lacerte. Accelerate the process from weeks to minutes in most cases.

Partner search acceleration: Use the new, improved search function to save time on complex partnership returns. Instantly find a partner so you can update their information or provide a K-1 package with ease.

Client log access controls: Give firm administrators the ability to decide which staff members have access rights to clear client logs. Gain more control to help avoid unauthorized use of your firm’s Lacerte software.

The “Clear client log” option in the “Trustee Rights” tab of the Individual Master Options Form (bottom) is unchecked by default so that client logs cannot be cleared.

When unchecked, this pop up message appears notifying user that they cannot clear the client log.

Link enhancements: New features let you quickly track each client’s recent activity inside Link, plus update info on their behalf. Guided tours help you make the most of new functionality.

Unlimited cities in one return: Save time with the ability to file a single return with an unlimited number of cities for these four states: Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Kentucky. There’s no need to file multiple returns for clients who cover more than 22 cities in these key states — now you have a one-and-done solution.

Read more about these updates. Be sure to visit your Personalized Training Portal, where you will find bite-sized training modules with content, videos and webinars about these features and more.