In addition to all the usual difficulties of tax season, many preparers are saying that glitches have appeared in their tax prep software as the filing season kicks off.
In some cases, preparers are finding glitches in software they’ve used successfully for many tax seasons. Many of those affected said that they’re not sure of the reason for the problems, which span software from varied vendors, but did say that it may be more a matter of vendors’ inadequate testing and the rushing of a product to market, rather than fallout from Tax Code upheavals after the fiscal cliff deal.
While glitches in some tax prep products have sparked outrage and frantic last-minute switching to other software providers, some preparers are reporting more minor issues with their software.
“Other than forms, we've had some small minor glitches with the 2012 tax program,” said Enrolled Agent Betsey Buckingham, a member of the tax staff at David C. Murray & Co. CPAs Inc., in Troy, Ohio, and incoming president of the National Association of Enrolled Agents. “The largest glitch is a change in the underlying platform, requiring some of our workstations to run a Windows update in order to be able to open the tax package.”
Whatever the reason, preparers are scrambling to adapt or shift to different software.
“I am not so sure that the post-cliff deal has anything to do with my situation: A particular software provider out there got caught with their pants down,” said Winter Haven, Fla.-based EA Lynn Schmidt of Lynco Financial & Tax Services Inc. “They completely revamped their product and rolled out a piece of garbage that as of today is still not functional.”
“It's not just me. Tax professionals who all use this same company are flocking to other software providers in droves,” Schmidt added. “The problem is, filing season is [open] and we’re just now downloading new software, having to make data conversions and verifying carry-forward calculations, not to mention learning a completely new software program!”
Overhaul of a ‘Perfectly Fine’ Program
EA Mele Perrego, a preparer in Clayton, N.C., and vice president of the North Carolina Society of Enrolled Agents had used her tax software for eight years with satisfaction, though she did add, “Things started to go downhill slightly … in the last couple of years. This year they planned to unveil a whole new program,” she said. “Only problem, it's not ready and they don't really know when it will be ready! Why they would undertake such a massive overhaul of a perfectly fine program and not have at least a working model completed by at least early December, giving them time to work out any bugs, is beyond me.”
Perrego started looking at other software at the end of the first week of January, using the NATP's “Sorting Out Tax Software” survey and searching for other Internet reviews of tax software. She also watched webinars from four software companies, and “played with evaluation programs, all the while hoping against hope that my vendor would miraculously get the program out before I had to switch.”
“On January 18, when for the second day in a row I couldn't even get into my program without calling tech support (minimum wait time 50 minutes), I decided to jump ship, asked for a full refund and purchased another program,” she said. “I couldn’t take the stress and uncertainty anymore.”
37 Comments
ATX completely failed in software design, timely updates and customer support. To suggest these failed areas were caused by "user errors" clearly demonstrates to what extent a company would go to try to create a position that "it is not us, but you" scenario. Are you listening JeffCPA or joanmcq?
I have been with ATX since day one. Loyalty goes both ways and only goes so far. I have already notified them I would not be renewing.
Does anyone have any comments about Drake?
Thanks,
Code
Posted by: CodeSection | May 20, 2013 5:34 PM
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I have been an ATX loyal customer since 2007 and so far, the software WAS a productive software. This tax season in particular CCH (or the ATX Division) Management decided to change and proof their new software DURING TAX SEASON using us and our clients as their "guinea pigs", and that people, is unacceptable.
This is our business, our source of income, our families depend on it, and while this business is all I have, looks like for CCH one customer (myself) is just another number in their list.
After Tax Season was finish I call their number and TALK about my personal experience this year, but regardless of the fact that I was still courteous, all I heard was a defensive position saying that the software NOW is a better software with a better "look and feel", etc. Nobody ask me if I was looking for a better "look and feel" software... all I want is a productive tool like the one we had before, that if in a certain way was going to be improved, please do it during of season, CONSIDERING PRUDUCTIVITY AS A PRIORITY, and please without USING us as your FREE CONSULTANTS, anyway, this is just my opinion.
By the way, even in the case ATX offers me a FREE software update, I will not even consider them again. There are a lot of better options out there, maybe not with good "Look and Feel", but managed by more responsible people.
Posted by: Juan S | April 23, 2013 11:36 AM
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We have used Tax Works software for the past 15 or so years from 2 different franchises: NTS and TRX. I think it is a great program but for some unknown reason, TRX decided to switch to Tax Exact this year. I thought Tax Exact went defunct in 2009, and as far as we are concerned, they should have stayed that way. The conversion program hardly converted anything, you can't find where to enter what you need, and you can't get help because your hold time for tech support is unending with horrible on-hold music. Buyer beware with these people because we were not informed about the change in programs so we could make other choices. Now we are stuck with this mess.
Posted by: MsMissy | March 1, 2013 5:15 PM
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We've been using ATX since 2008. Most years went off without any major issues. The initial data conversion from UltraTax was pretty straight forward. Rollovers always worked in batches, app was easy to launch quickly, login was fairly painless, printing was a snap...etc etc etc.
Well, this year not so much. None of the basics are working well. Forms that have been on irs.gov for weeks are not in ATX. e-File of some of these forms is not ready or reject for odd reasons.
Overall, it's one big pile of technology that deserves the recycle bin. I wish everyone the best of luck. I'm an IT professional with decades of experience and I've never seen a program crash like this on all of the windows platforms from Win8 all the way to XP Pro. It's quite an accomplishment to code that poorly.
12.9 has been the most stable release to date but it is February 19 so you would think that ATX has their act together.
Posted by: iwantsimple | February 19, 2013 2:09 PM
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Hi,
Some of our clients were also facing the issues while using ATX2012 in multi user enviroment. We have successfully resolved this issue and now they are able to use this in multi-user mode. If you are still facing this problem you may contact us at our tollfree number- 8884086044. Also you can mail us your issue at sales@myrealdata.com.
Thanks, Meenakshi Real Time Cloud Services,LLC
Posted by: Meenakshi | February 19, 2013 9:57 AM
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DRAKE...DRAKE...DRAKE...Program works great...I have NEVER BEEN ON HOLD longer that ONE MINUTE...usually support picks up within 3 rings....unreal...
Posted by: keglerjg | February 9, 2013 6:11 PM
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I have been using TRX for 5 years with absolutely no problem at all. Their tech service has been awsome and the program to me has been easy to learn. I have been doding returns for 30 years so i can do them manually as well as electronically. This year TRX had a problem during the off season that has caused them to cahnge the software a great deal as well as they still do not have state software available for my 2 states. Getting to a tech has been very lenghthy and they have no information to share as to when the state programs will be ready. I would like to know if this is one of the few that people are having huge problems with? I feel that they should have let us know before tax season opened that the product wasnt up and running. I have read several complaints about software. If I have to buy new software I would like to know one that is good.
Posted by: DTS313 | February 7, 2013 2:01 PM
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MRLI I feel this is the only path opened to us, I'd love to join you, in my case there is real physical and mental suffering as well. The complete story is heartbreaking.
Posted by: Mariux | February 6, 2013 7:57 PM
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From ATX Customer who stated he started legal action:
"We've been with ATX for 8 years. CCH is going to put my firm out of business. They breached an implied warranty, withheld warnings they knew I should have been informed about and kept my money under false pretense. They knowingly didn't allow time for us to get out of harms way. The firm I helped build for 8 years cannot function during critical seasonal demands due to ATX's negligence. The President of CCH misrepresented in various interviews and publications that ATX 2012 had been tested and was functioning properly, which was grossly misleading. I have paid several thousand dollars in IT consulting fees and staff labor. All of this, and ATX won't respond to any communication."
Posted by: MRLI | February 6, 2013 6:27 PM
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There are reports on the ATX forum that a customer has sued CCH.
Posted by: MRLI | February 6, 2013 6:11 PM
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I'm honored to get an answer (supposedly) directly from an ATX rep. Todays update was a failure and a technician at your service center acknowledge that to our firm via a telephone call. If you could soon fix your software I'd be a staunch supporter of your program, being that it was a perfect program for our needs and we loved specially its interface. However this is like dreaming the impossible dream and I know that if I keep delaying the purchase and study of a new program would make me be 'the last in class,' double entendre intended. Thanks for all readers who suggested alternative programs.
Posted by: Mariux | February 6, 2013 1:40 AM
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I too am at the end of my rope. What have they done to what used to be pretty good tax prep software? And why? I have been using ATX for twenty years. I am a cpa. I cannot get anything done. It is slow, ponderous, unspeakably horrible. Takes forever to open the software up, takes forever to open up a return, takes forever to move from one form to another, the client letter feature is impossible. I could go on and on. Am buying new software today. Used to use Lacerte when I worked for a bigger cpa firm, it was always accurate and reliable. Sounds like it still might be. Learned not to EVER call ATX customer support since CCH took over. But I want a refund..... How hard is it to get one?
Posted by: krant | February 5, 2013 4:51 PM
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@ Mariux - I understand your ATX program issues. Today we released an update and are fully committed to continuing to improve software performance.
We're also dedicated to keeping you informed on the latest developments as we work through these issues, communicating through our support channels including: our Latest News ticker, the ATX blog, the ATX Community Board, our searchable Knowledge Library, Good Morning SFS TV and our new ATX Afternoon TV show.
Again, we apologize to all our valued ATX customers and we appreciate your patience. We are committed to resolving your issues, and the entire ATX team is working diligently to do so.
Posted by: mjung | February 5, 2013 12:51 PM
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I have used CCH since I left the IRS. In contract work I used Lacerte, Tax Works, and Ultratax. Ultratax is terrible, Tax Works was excellent for the price until they rolled out software changes before they were assured they worked, and Lacerte is used more most CPAs and it is expensive but performs beautifully like going down a waterslide. Their support I rate at a B+ or an A-. And, they solve problems.
As regards the court ruling against the IRS and the preparer standards theyt tried to institute: too bad for the general public. The IRS needs to regulate. It's their house, why not. Too many housewives, plumbers, and unemployed can get some software and start entering numbers. That's why we have crooks stealing money from the treasury with fraudulent returns and stolen identities. I say tighten up all the way and maybe those remaining know the difference between a tax code and a tax regulation.
Posted by: luke@tmr | February 5, 2013 12:15 PM
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I have been using TRX - a reseller of others tax software. Keep away to retain your sanity. They changed from ATX some time back and for the last few years sold RedGear's Taxworks which was excellent. This year they've tried to write their own and it is horrible, barely functional and i think was written by a couple of people over the summer while they were trying to negotiate a deal for this year with Red Gear. There is no carryover form last years imported 1040 forms, no 1120 or 1120 form import and a whole host of problems I don't want to bore the reader with, including some screens on the latest update (.25) where a number of lines on some forms are now flashing between two numbers, both incorrect!. I'm getting turbo tax to get some clients started.
Posted by: OldGoat | February 5, 2013 11:33 AM
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Two words...Ultra Tax!!! No worries, no problems - and Thomson help is some of the best - not that it is often needed...
Posted by: TracSail | February 5, 2013 10:59 AM
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Drake software there is no better. DRAKE ROCKS early release up to date info. very prompt when needing to contact them.
Posted by: leila | February 5, 2013 10:51 AM
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Drake. No problems, early release. Gotta love 'em.
Posted by: Dee in Tampa | February 5, 2013 10:44 AM
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I use Lacerte, which has operated flawlessly. All of the nightmare comments have come from ATX users. I reviewed ATX years ago and it was junk then, I can't imagine that they could have improved their platform that much, so it's not a surprise to me that there have been all these problems with it.
Posted by: davenpae | February 5, 2013 10:41 AM
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I use Lacerte and have not had one single problem. It might be expensive, but it's well worth the money in my opinion. I don't have to second-guess the calculations, it has all of the forms I need, it's stable, easy to use, and reliable.
Posted by: rwcpa | February 5, 2013 10:32 AM
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I AM AT THE END OF MY ROPE Everything began because I fell in love with ATX Max preparation software. Me and my partner Selenia loved the program, we were proud of it and it enhaced our experience as advanced tax preparers. We wanted to prosper with it and we thanked our good luck for having found such a marvelous program. Then the 2013 tax season started and our good luck became a dark cloud of a nightmare . Everything that is described by MRLI above has happened to us. We are sitting in our office and our clients are yawning and falling asleep while we go crazy trying to get the program opened and get the taxes rollovered from the previous year. THE PROBLEM IS MORE THAN SERIOUS. IT IS DRAMATIC AND LIFE-SHATERING! Our income has gone down by more than 50% we have managed to file less than half the taxes we did last year. OUR REPUTATION AS GOOD TAX PREPARERS is going down the drain! The moral of our helpers and secretaries is shattered. I DO NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO! I bought another program that seems to work fine but we are having problems rolling over clientrs from one year to another. AND IT IS NOT SO SIMPLE TO LEARN A SOPHISTICATED NEW PROGRAM while 30 clients are waiting in line to use our good services of 30 years. One daqy I just left my office almost crying and went to get drunk, luckily my stomach doesn't hold liquor and I survived the experience, but now I have nightmare when I go to sleep. Believe me I'm not exagerating. I just don't know what to do, I'm not a young guy nomer and my whole life is crumpling down because of a useless offensive piece of software. Respectfully - 30 years of experience.
Posted by: Mariux | February 5, 2013 12:30 AM
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I have used ATX for thirteen years without hitch and this year is a real problem. Software problems, six hours plus on a phone trying to solve problems. The problems really started shortly after cch took over. I dealt with them 25 years ago and dumped them for the poor service and various problems. This will happen again unless the product and services comes back to human standards.
Posted by: DRICH | February 4, 2013 9:51 PM
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ATX APOLOGY VIDEO http://www.atxinctv.com/presentation.asp?asx=2013-02-04-ATX.asx&
Posted by: MRLI | February 4, 2013 8:42 PM
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i have nothing better to do than to post comments. i am a cpa and cannot get my tax software to open. i use the three letter company.
Posted by: 1jennyt | February 4, 2013 7:41 PM
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ATX has been a total nightmare this year. The software was completely rewritten and our three offices have experienced the following issues:
1) Opening Returns takes 3 to 10 minutes
2) Rollover problems
3) Lag and Delay when Moving from cell to cell
4) Printing 30-60 seconds per page 5) Takes up to five minutes to get to sign-in screen to open program
6) Program instability and crashing
It's taking twice as long to do a return with ATX 2012 this year. ATX 2012 wasn't adequately tested and is a defective buggy product. Avoid.
Posted by: MRLI | February 4, 2013 7:01 PM
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@ JeffCPA- There have been three different companies that have had numerous issues this season; the three letter company is not the only one. I have been using the 'three letter company's' software since receiving my CD; at least since there were any forms available.
I have not had crashes, frozen computers- nothing that wasn't learning curve on a new platform or minor, and I have seen many complaints on their website that can be attributed to user error (like not having a computer that has the minimum required RAM or complaining of slowness when only having the minimum requirements). I'm not saying the software is perfect yet, nor discounting the frustration some users have, but I'm seeing so much user inability to even read the manual that comes with the software that I'm starting to respond to posts with 'read the manual!'. And when I get responses such as 'what manual?' I start to wonder how many other complaints are user errors.
Posted by: joanmcq | February 4, 2013 5:41 PM
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I use DRAKE and I have been completing and efiling returns with no problems.
Posted by: R1976 | February 4, 2013 4:39 PM
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We just posted a response from one software company, CCH SFS, to complaints about the latest upgrade of their ATX software. The blog post is called "CCH SFS Deals with Bugs in ATX Upgrade" and it can be found at http://www.accountingtoday.com/debits_credits/CCH-SFS-Deals-Bugs-ATX-Upgrade-65597-1.html
Posted by: MikeCohn | February 4, 2013 3:46 PM
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I changed software providers -- fortunately, I hadn't paid months ago, just for a small discount, so I don't have to wait for a refund -- but my new vendor tells me they are getting unhappy customers from more than one company. I agree that the offenders should be named, and given the opportunity for rebuttal, but for those of us who recognize "our" company: It just might be someone else's.
Posted by: bkamman | February 4, 2013 3:43 PM
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No problems with TaxSlayer Pro. Have been a beta tester for several years which may help. Virtually no hold time on support lines.
Posted by: DawgFan | February 4, 2013 12:51 PM
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I can assure you that I am not using the particular software alluded to in this article. My problem is with a re-seller that holds the service contract on my software. I ,too, have had problems logging on to my software and have made numerous calls to my servicer with no satisfaction in sight. Emails, also, go unanswered. The re-seller even setup my software with my name mis-spelled. Imagine the Irs e-file rejects when I transmit a return with an EFIN/name mismatch.
Posted by: ElanaFrans | February 4, 2013 11:28 AM
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I not sure why the tax program can't be named but here some clues.
The name has three letters.
Is owned by a company who also uses three letters.
Was bought a few years ago and left beautiful New England to a Southern State.
It seems the problem is mostly related to networked systems, using 32bit cpu's. To bad the company doesn't care about its customers.
Now they don't even answer the phone!
Posted by: JeffCPA | February 4, 2013 10:19 AM
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Anybody want to name names? Maybe we can do this by process of elimination. I use Ultratax and it isn't them.
Posted by: Unknown | February 4, 2013 10:08 AM
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I know about the liability issues, but certainly wish that some one would at least allude to the software provider having the "problems", whether it be poor product or something else. This surely would help countless other folks during this busy season.
Posted by: rrschneiderjr | February 4, 2013 9:31 AM
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If the author of the article isn't going to name names, then you are not only wasting the readers' time, you are being irresponsible as journalists.
Posted by: NormanMGolden | February 4, 2013 9:31 AM
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I know EXACTLY which software you are referring to and it is EXTREMELY frustrating. HUGE disappointment and I type this as I am sitting on hold waiting to tell them just how disappointed I am!
Posted by: LantzCPA | February 4, 2013 8:30 AM
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Many of the software programs are simply inadequate for tax preparation beyond straight and simple employee income. Unfortunately, while the tax preparation software companies have no problem rolling their shoddy merchandise off the shelves, they neglect to warn the taxpayer that more than 99% of the time, the taxpayer will be liable for any mistake on the return. Even the large tax preparation software companies are dropping the ball by using people less than qualified to provide the paying tax consumer with the significant tax help they deserve (and purchased!). If you need further proof, try contacting these so-called EA and CPA support individuals at one of the larger tax software company help-lines, ask them a substantive tax question, and see how accurate the information is. I guess that since the EA and CPAs at these companies do not have to sign the tax return on behalf of the people they help, they are less than motivated to fact-check their responses. Taxpayers simply deserve better...
Posted by: admin@GoldingTaxSolutions.com | February 3, 2013 6:10 PM
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