But what about the product itself? UltimateTax gets good reviews on that, too. The company makes easy-to-use, feature-rich tax preparation software for both desktop and online platforms. UltimateTax gives tax preparers two modes for processing tax forms.
One is data form entry mode, which simply presents a tax form to be filled out with information. The other is interview mode, which guides you through the process of completing a tax form with prompts and indicators. Smart diagnostics can review processed returns and warn you if there are errors.
Don't experience the hassle of submitting a return only to have it get rejected! You can enjoy paperless filing if you have an EFIN , real-time progress reports on e-filings, regular automatic back-ups to ensure that your data is protected, e-signature support, check printing, reports, and context-sensitive help built into the software.
Four different UltimateTax packages are made available to meet the needs of several different types of users, from new tax preparers to industry veterans. UltimateTax Pay-Per-Return offers great value to the new tax preparer dipping their toes in the business.
While it's well-suited for use by an individual tax preparer, UltimateTax PPR allows for quick expansion in case you need it! The software supports up to 10 users out of the box! No need to send a request to customer support, no need to pay extra for additional accounts! Add up to 10 user accounts as you like—hassle-free! This one works well for the small tax office catering to several hundred clients. The package comprises free unlimited e-filing, tax form support, all States included, and bank product rebates.
UltimateTax Online is perfect for the on-the-go professional. You don't need to install anything. Access the online tax software from anywhere, file unlimited returns electronically, view real-time progress reports, and grant account access to as many as 10 users at once. UltimateTax Desktop is very similar to Online. The key difference is that it needs to be installed on your office computers. UltimateTax Desktop lacks some of the mobility features of Online—such as accessibility on different types of devices, including a Macbook, Windows PC, or Chromebook.
It does have the distinct advantage of supporting unlimited user accounts. Unlimited user accounts are provided. It is certainly the lowest priced option that allows for unlimited corporate e-filing. UltimateTax places a strong emphasis on customer support, offered through its Service. An in-house team provides year-round technical assistance at no additional cost to UltimateTax subscribers.
You can contact a help agent via phone, email or live chat. All customer support agents are based in the USA. You can get bank product options that let your firm process IRS refunds faster for clients and earn additional revenue through rebates.
For your information, UltimateTax works in partnership with TaxWise for tax calculations and e-filing functions. The UltimateTax software adds several proprietary features, including Service and the easy-to-use Launchpad workflow optimizer. Summary: Drake offers packages that bundle together tax preparation software, office management tools, and optionally Drake accounting software.
Note that in addition to each package, a subscriber still needs to purchase a Drake Tax software license to be able to e-file tax returns. Focuses on speedy tax preparation via automatic form filling and offers multiple tax-year analysis. Plays well with Drake Accounting software. Drake Tax adds the functionality to e-file and print tax returns. In total, there are four Drake Tax software packages. Three packages offer versions of Drake on the Desktop, which has to be installed on your computer.
One package is available for Drake in the Cloud, which is an online application. To simplify the price breakdown, the cost of the Drake Tax software license is included in the price shown for each package. The price breakdown shown on the Drake Software website looks different because the Drake Tax license fee is listed separately there. Drake in the Cloud supports hosting for the Drake Accounting application. But take note that Drake Accounting Pro is not included in this particular package.
If you only want to purchase the tax preparation software, then the other packages may appear more attractive. Whatever package you choose, Drake on the Desktop will equip you with a set of various software tools. These include a digital filing cabinet for documents, a tax planner app, and a scheduler. Basically, the package includes a few office management software applications. Drake on the Desktop also provides e-filing functionality.
The software supports the following tax forms and schedules: , NR, , , S, H, , , , All standard State returns are included as well.
Drake Tax also offers 12 tax forms in the Spanish language. The supported tax forms in Spanish include W-4, W-7, , and Drake Tax is your basic tax preparation software. It is designed to make the process of completing a return more efficient and streamlined. The software can automatically calculate a return as you fill out the data fields. You can set up shortcut keys and macros to speed up tax return data entry tasks. One Drake Tax feature, Look Back, lets you view the prior year's tax return data.
You can easily compare it with the current year's return. With a keyboard shortcut, you can toggle between Look Back and the current view. DoubleCheck is the name of Drake Tax's diagnostic tool. It can track any changes that affect verified data entry items. If DoubleCheck detects such changes, it will automatically flag the entry for review. You can further speed up tax preparation using optional hardware add-ons. These include an e-signature pad and a 2D barcode scanner. The signature pad can simplify electronic tax filing by letting clients digitally sign returns.
The barcode scanner enables importing data from W-2s or K-1s with 2D barcodes. The online software package includes cloud-based hosting on the Right Networks accounting platform. Every user account receives 40 GB of cloud storage. Using Right Networks, Drake in the Cloud can be accessed on any computer with a broadband Internet connection 1. Drake promises Drake in the Cloud supports Microsoft , but you must provide your own Microsoft license.
It is used to edit PDF files. You can also purchase and add applications that are compatible with the Right Networks accounting platform. If a subscriber has issues using the tax preparation software, they can get support via phone or email. The Drake web site also hosts a knowledge base of troubleshooting information. Drake Tax Software is purchasable through the official Drake Tax site. You can also purchase Drake through UltimateTax for a much lower price.
This package supports unlimited e-filing of individual income tax returns. Summary: TaxWise still provides distinct desktop and software based packages, with the online application specialized in the processing of individual returns. Add-ons like a mobile app are available at an extra cost. TaxWise software provides basic tax preparation tools that can be supplemented by add-on features such as a mobile app and a refund estimator.
Comparing TaxWise with UltimateTax shows that the tax software programs offer similar features: on-premise and online application options, form-entry and interview modes, interface customization, diagnostics, online tax preparation and bank product integration. With the two products sharing many similarities, customers are left to look at how their prices compare.
TaxWise has fairly competitive market pricing, but it remains significantly more expensive than its UltimateTax counterpart across several categories of price and package. You might notice that the prices above are not the same as the prices listed on the Wolters Kluwer site. That's because they have been adjusted to include the processing fees listed in the fine details of the product descriptions.
This gets allocated to paying fees for e-filing individual income tax forms. You can purchase additional State return support. TaxWise Desktop supports the preparation and filing of the following tax forms: , , S, , , , , , TaxWise Online supports filing. Software users can shell out a little more to activate additional features.
As of this review, TaxWise Mobile does not work with the desktop software. You may check with your Wolters Kluwer sales rep to find out if this has changed. This sets up a customizable website that works like a very basic client portal. Tax preparers can direct clients to check out the website to get a quick estimate of their federal refund.
The feature description on the Wolters Kluwer site is somewhat vague, but promises that tax returns of the current year and two prior years can be restored from backup via Return Retrieval. If having this safeguard matters to you, be sure to have a chat with your Wolters Kluwer sales agent to learn more about how it works. It's a little funny that a tax software product so simple and straightforward should offer all these complicated pricing, packaging and add-on options.
TaxWise feels like it is stretching itself a bit far to accommodate many types of tax preparation businesses. Now, there are four. Then again, software companies need to react to changes in technology, consumer preferences, and market realities.
With having been a pivotal year in many respects, Wolter Kluwers must certainly be banking on this new approach to prove a strategically sound response. Getting back to the tax software itself, TaxWise indeed has a simple and straightforward look and feel. Main functions are navigated via the dashboard, from which you can get to the tax returns, the e-filing area, text and email messaging, and the digital reports. TaxWise offers both standard tax form entry and interview mode.
The interview mode provides guide questions for a new user or new tax preparer working to complete a tax form. It assists one in filling out the tax information correctly without skipping anything of importance. The diagnostics tool adds an extra layer of accuracy checking to prevent errors that may result in rejected e-filings. A number of help and support options are packaged into your TaxWise subscription.
It lets users access the U. Master Tax Guide and primary sources. All kinds of tutorial and training videos can be explored to expand users' understanding of the software and the tax preparation process.
Customer support is available via a Solution Center on the Wolters Kluwer web site. You can also chat with a virtual representative or call the customer support desk. As for Spanish language support: TaxWise provides over 60 forms and schedules in Spanish. Bilingual customer support is available. Summary: CrossLink software is pitched at high-volume retail tax preparation businesses.
Its flagship product is CrossLink Desktop. An online software version is available, but its web documentation is limited—you will need to try the demo to learn its features. CrossLink markets itself as a professional software solution for high-volume tax return preparation. It is available on desktop and online platforms. The flagship desktop version, CrossLink , is designed for processing individual income tax returns. If you want to prepare business returns, you have several options.
You can try contacting CrossLink directly to see if there has been any update. The chart includes price adjustments made to reflect the true costs of each package. The prices shown on the CrossLink web site will differ because the various costs are listed separately. So the price on the chart above reflects the price of the desktop software in addition to the business tax software.
CrossLink features an attractive interface that should appeal to the tech inclined. The desktop program needs to be installed on a computer with a Windows 8 or Windows 10 operating system.
It provides the usual set of digital tools for tax preparation. The software aims to increase the efficiency of tax return processing while maintaining a high degree of accuracy. It conveniently leads you straight to data entry errors to ensure you won't end up with an unacceptable return.
If you have an EFIN, you can use the program for e-filing. You will be able to view IRS acknowledgements and rejections soon after they take place. CrossLink supports automatic tax calculators that can handle all states, all city tax returns and home-based business filing for Schedules A, C, E, F, and K-1, plus Forms and CrossLink Business is available in a joint package with the desktop software.
This professional tax solution works to streamline the process of calculating tax forms for your corporate clients. It is meant to be used by tax offices that handle high volumes of returns. One nifty feature is the project management dashboard for accessing multi-office tax preparation tasks.
You can set up sub-sites that can all be supervised from a single location. You can view all returns processed to help your tax preparation business maintain quality assurance. The software supports data entry via electronic signature pads and handheld scanners.
You can scan tax documents and associate them with a specific client's tax return. This can make it easier for you to run a paper-light or paperless office. CrossLink emphasizes the scalability of its online software. It promises to support a tax business as it grows from a single office to a multi-office company. CrossLink Online can be used on various devices that have broadband Internet access.
You can use the software on desktop computers, laptops, tablets and mobile devices. The CrossLink web site does not provide too many details about the online software's features. You should check out the CrossLink Online demo to learn more about what the product can do.
The demo is available on the product page on the vendor's site. If you subscribe to a CrossLink package, you get free access to a couple of mobile apps for iPhones or Android phones. One is a Taxpayer mobile app that is meant to be used by your clients. One is an ERO app that you can use for tax office management.
The company provides technical support through phone, fax and email. The official website provides various product and training videos these are hosted on YouTube. Summary: ProSeries Basic is restricted to s only, which feels too limiting given the product's price point. ProSeries Professional supports individual and business returns. Cloud hosting is available as an add-on to ProSeries Professional for an additional fee.
Intuit is a well-known company in the accounting world. It is best known for its QuickBooks software, a widely-used application among accounting offices. Intuit ProSeries includes a data transfer feature for QuickBooks offices.
The question remains: does this feature set ProSeries apart from other professional tax software options? Simply put, a tax pro will be able to transfer data directly from the QuickBooks desktop program to the ProSeries desktop version.
In both cases, a data verification process remains necessary—and that verification process can take a fair amount of time. By itself, the data transfer feature is not enough to place ProSeries ahead of other tax software options. A cloud hosting service is available to ProSeries Professional subscribers for an additional fee. The service is not offered to ProSeries Basic users. ProSeries Basic is quite limited as detailed below. Tax preparers will get more out of ProSeries Professional, which offers QuickBooks data transfers, support for multi-user access and a Schedule K-1 import feature.
ProSeries Basic only provides Form filing. Most tax preparers will find this inadequate for servicing the needs of a diverse clientele. As many as survey respondents said that they switched from ProSeries to a different taxes software for professional purposes—with the majority going to UltraTax or Drake. One key deciding factor for any purchaser is value for price. ProSeries Basic 20 lets you file up to 20 returns only. Basic 50 lets you file up to ProConnect Tax Online is a cloud-based tax preparation platform.
Users pay per e-filed return, with the price varying depending on the volume of returns. If you plan to e-file over forms in a single tax year, you may be eligible for special pricing—call Intuit customer service to discuss it. ProSeries Professional is a tax preparation solution that includes support for 3, tax forms and schedules.
You have to call an number and speak with a sales representative about the pricing of these options. For your information, ProSeries Choice is offered only to new customers. Getting it will update your ProSeries subscription to the network version. This will enable file sharing and synchronization for all users of your ProSeries subscription. Essentially, the Network Sharing feature enables multi-user access to your ProSeries application.
As previously noted, a cloud hosting service can be added to your ProSeries Professional account. If you get this add-on, you will have to pay a monthly subscription to use it. Once you purchase it, you will automatically be charged the subscription fee every month unless you call customer service to cancel it. The actual subscription price of the cloud service is not stated on the Intuit website. You need to call Intuit customer service or request an online consultation to initiate a discussion on the subscription pricing.
Intuit provides a cloud-based professional tax preparer software option. ProConnect Tax Online is accessible via any standard web browser. According to customer reviews on TrustRadius, ProConnect demonstrates accuracy and ease of use, but the software has a clunky interface and it is not a good fit for processing a high volume of returns.
ProConnect lets you use the software and pay per return e-filed. You have a choice of several pay-per-return packages, which charge variably depending on volume of returns. ProConnect offers packages for individual returns and for business returns.
ProSeries subscribers enjoy access to Intuit's reliable help and support resources. The official Intuit website hosts a Customer Help Center. You can check it out to find useful information about ProSeries.
You can also request help from a live community of ProSeries users. Telephone, email and chat support options are also available, with customer support costs bundled into the ProSeries software pricing. TaxAct Professional also backs its work with a money-back guarantee and access to dedicated technical support:. Yet, Drake provides very capable tax software and has been in business since All state programs are included, and you can prepare multiple state returns for a single business with no additional charge.
Its hardware add-ons and paperless options also streamline the process:. Drake Tax offers great value to firms that want the ability to prepare any type of income tax return. It offers most of the same features as more expensive software, including client organizers, a tax planner, MFJ to MFS comparison, and multistate returns. Unlike some popular professional software, you cannot purchase Drake Tax bundled with a tax research service. If you do require a tax research service, then you may want to check out CCH Axcess Tax , which we selected as the best cloud-based software to manage a whole accounting firm.
CCH Research provides up-to-date tax and accounting information with powerful search functionality, which ultimately saves you time. You can only get pricing information by speaking with a sales representative. Lacerte Tax only provides pricing information through a sales representative.
The company offers three plans:. Lacerte Tax is a powerful tax solution that offers a variety of tools to help streamline your practice.
These tools include an expansive form library, a paperless option for organizing and collecting tax information, and a variety of tax analysis and planning tools. Lacerte is expensive, but with complicated returns, you should be able to recoup the cost through client fees.
With Lacerte, you can prepare all individual and business returns, including forms , , S, , , and It can also prepare gift and estate tax returns, forms and as well as Form benefit plan returns. It also lets you choose to enter data through forms or quick-entry sheets and offers an integrated billing clock.
You must speak with a sales representative for pricing information. No pricing or information regarding available packages is available on their website. CCH Axcess Tax is a well-rounded, cloud-based software program for tax professionals. It integrates with other CCH Axcess modules to provide more features to help you run your practice. Its user interface is easy to navigate, and it allows you to create a tax organizer for your clients. Another outstanding feature is the ability to link to CCH IntelliConnect without leaving the tax preparation program.
When evaluating the best tax software for tax preparers, we considered the needs of tax professionals who prepare individual and business tax returns. The price of the software is a primary concern as are features, such as importing data, integrating with client portals, and sending out returns and invoices for e-signature and e-payment. Based on the needs of bookkeepers, accountants, and tax professionals, the criteria we used to evaluate the best tax software for professionals include:.
You should choose software that provides a pricing option that fits the number and types of tax returns you prepare. However, you must also consider your need to prepare complex returns and the time you could save with bookkeeping software and practice management integrations.
Find Timothy On LinkedIn. Tim Yoder is a subject matter expert at Fit Small Business focusing on small business bookkeeping, accounting, and tax content. As a dedicated tax preparer taking the administrative and logistical burden off of taxpayers who simply don't have the time or means to carry it themselves, you want to have tax software that provides a high security and efficiency level.
Tax preparation requires constantly keeping abreast of changing tax laws, which became more difficult in the past year with the effects of COVID The federal and state governments have extended filing deadlines, mailed stimulus checks and other forms of aid, and allowed for deferred employer payroll taxes.
The tax landscape has changed drastically , but the best tax software will always hold high value under the most volatile economic circumstances. Here are a few of the industry's best professional tax software programs available to tax preparers. Drake Tax is generally known for being the tax software that offers the best value for tax professionals serving primarily mid-market clients with more complex tax circumstances and some small businesses.
It is also known for providing several streamlined electronic filing features, including SecureFilePro. Let's take a look at why it remains one of the best choices for tax preparers.
Drake Tax is consistently on the list for best tax software because of its ease of use, simple navigation, and highly-rated customer service. Some of its most attractive features include simplified data entry, automatic data flow from various federal and state returns, and automatic forms filing, just to name a few.
Various tax-year analyses make Drake Tax a great choice for tax preparers. Features include:. Drake Tax offers two platforms: A desktop version and a web-hosted version called Drake Tax in the Cloud.
ProSeries Professional is a popular and reliable tax preparation service software created by Intuit. It gives tax preparers the ability to transfer data from QuickBooks, also an Intuit product, to ProSeries Professional seamlessly. Here is a closer look at some of the best features from both. Prices vary depending on packages and pay-per-return. ATX is a professional tax software by Wolters Kluwer. It has a vast and comprehensive tax form library with over 6, tax compliance forms and business returns, making it a great choice for small- to medium-sized businesses serving corporate and business clients.
TaxSlayer Pro is the professional version of the commercial product TaxSlayer. It is a great option for independent professional tax preparers and larger firms alike. Each edition offers business and individual tax preparation and filing options. With so many tax preparation software products on the market, it can be a challenge to know which one is the best for you.
Some tools are better than others. An independent tax professional or small business owner may be better suited to a different tax preparation software than a CPA working in a large corporate firm. Like any product you'd buy, you want to consider your budget, first and foremost. A premium plan may provide more features and forms, but it may not be the best option for you if it is over your budget.
Consider what kinds of forms and features you will actually need. Write down a list of must-have forms and features. You may find that a basic software package will suit your needs.
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