|
|
Drake Software
|
GoSystem Tax
RS
|
Lacerte
|
Max Plus
|
ProSeries
|
ProSystem
fx
Tax
|
TaxWise
|
TaxWorks
|
UltraTax
|
|
Product prices
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1040
|
$995–$1,495
|
Starting at $2,500
|
$2,140
|
$985 plus shipping and updating
|
$949 (add $399 for network license)
|
$2,850
|
$995
|
$1,095
|
$1,975
|
|
1040 renewal
|
$995–$1,495
|
Starting at $2,500
|
$1,819
|
10% early renewal discount
|
Same
|
Call for details
|
$995
|
$995
|
$1,675
|
|
State package
|
Included
|
Included
|
$235–$340
|
Included
|
$249–$349
|
$295–$725
|
$295 for 1–5 states; $695 for all states
|
$345
|
$200–$300
|
|
State renewal
|
Included
|
Included
|
$199.75–$289
|
Included
|
Same
|
Call for details
|
$295 for 1–5 states; $695 for all states
|
$200
|
$200–$300
|
|
Additional fee for laser package
|
No
|
No
|
N/A
|
No
|
N/A
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
|
Pay-per-return pricing
|
$495–$545 for the first 50 returns
|
No
|
$22/return federal and one state
|
Unlimited returns included
|
$15/return federal; $11/return state
|
$26/return federal;
$21/return state
|
$400 for up to 30 returns
|
$15/return ($400 deposit)
|
$16/return federal; $9/return state
|
|
Additional cost for electronic filing software
|
No
|
$5/federal; $2/state
|
No
|
No
|
Unlimited federal: $750; unlimited state: $400
|
Federal: $100;
$50/state or $100
for all states
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
|
Additional cost for electronic filed returns
|
No
|
No
|
Unlimited federal: $1,350 or $2/return federal and $2/return state
|
No
|
$3/return federal; $2/return state
|
Unlimited federal:
$1,000; state:
$250/state or
$500 for all states;
or federal: $100 plus $3/return transmission charge; state: $50 per state plus $1/return or $100 for all states plus $1/return.
|
Unlimited federal: $750; $1–$5/return federal (depending on volume); $0.50–$1/return state
|
$1–$5/return federal (varies with volume); $1–$2.50/return state
|
Unlimited federal: $1,000; $2/return federal; $1/return state
|
|
Conversion package available
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes (Drake Software, Lacerte, ProSystem
fx
, Tax Relief, Saber, TaxWise, UltraTax)
|
Yes
|
37.1%
|
20.0%
|
48.1%
|
|
Additional cost for conversion package
|
No
|
$2/return
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
|
Filing
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Direct filing (DF), service bureau (SB) or both
|
Both
|
DF
|
SB
|
SB
|
DF
|
Both
|
Both
|
DF
|
SB
|
|
Files state returns electronically
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
|
Allows for electronic
signature
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Drake Software
|
GoSystem Tax
RS
|
Lacerte
|
Max Plus
|
ProSeries
|
ProSystem
fx
Tax
|
TaxWise
|
TaxWorks
|
UltraTax
|
|
Market
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Number of users, 2003 package
|
16,658
|
75,000
|
About 40,000
|
2,036
|
50,000+
|
20,000+
|
21,131
|
4,900
|
17,000
|
|
Percentage of renewals from 2002 package
|
95.35%
|
95%
|
About 95%
|
65%
|
N/A
|
96%
|
90%
|
About 91%
|
95%+
|
|
Number of years in business
|
26
|
39
|
25
|
12
|
13
|
40+
|
18
|
33
|
25
|
|
Support
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Toll-free number for support
|
No
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
|
Days and hours (Eastern time) support available during tax season
|
M-F 8-10;
Sat. 8-6
|
M-F 9-8;
Sat. 10-6;
Sun. 11-5
|
M-F 10-10;
Sat. 11-6;
Sun. 1-6;
24-hour support during week ending on April 15
|
M-F 8-10;
Sat. 9-5.
Super support: M-F 8-midnight; Sat. 9-5
|
Jan.6-April 15:
Mon.-Thurs. 9-9;
Fri. 9-8; Sat. 10-5;
Sun. based on seasonal demand
|
M-F 8:30-9:30;
Sat. 9-8
Sun. in April 10-6;
24-hour support
April 12-15
|
M-F 8:30-midnight;
Sat. 8:45-5;
Sun. to be announced
|
M-F 9-10;
Sat. 9-6
|
M-F 9-10;
Sat. 9-6;
Sunday before filing deadline 10-6
|
|
Days/hours support available during off-season
|
M-F 8-9;
Sat. 9-5
|
M-F 9-8
|
M-F 10-9
|
M-F 8-8;
Sat. 9-5
|
Mon.-Thurs. 9-8;
Fri. 9-6
|
M-F 9-8
|
M-F 8-4
|
M-F 10-7
|
M-F 9-8
|
|
Number of tax-season support staff
|
209
|
24 (for 1040 only)
|
Not disclosed
|
200+
|
Not disclosed
|
450+
|
200+
|
Varies during time of day or season (average 50)
|
100+
|
|
Online support
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes,via e-mail
|
Yes
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Drake Software
|
GoSystem Tax
RS
|
Lacerte
|
Max Plus
|
ProSeries
|
ProSystem
fx
Tax
|
TaxWise
|
TaxWorks
|
UltraTax
|
|
Technology
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Operating systems available
|
Windows 98, 2000, ME, XP, NT
|
Windows 2000, XP
|
Windows 98, ME, NT 4.0, 2000, XP
|
Windows 95, 98, ME, 2000, XP, NT
|
Windows 98, XP, NT, ME, 2000
|
Windows 98, NT
Workstation version 4.0, Millennium, 2000;
XP Professional,
MDAC version 2.6
|
Windows 2000, XP
|
Windows
|
Windows 98 SE, 2000, XP, Terminal Server, Citrix MetaFrame
|
|
Recommended operating system
|
Windows XP, but all of the above are fine
|
Windows 2000, XP
|
Any of the above
|
Any of the above
|
Windows XP, 2000
|
XP
|
Windows 2000, XP
|
XP
|
XP
|
|
Program size in Mb
|
57 Mb
|
273 Mb (1040 only)
|
26 Mb
|
800 Mb
|
2 Gb
|
100 Mb (includes
laser forms)
|
160 Mb
|
80–100 Mb
|
25 Mb
|
|
Minimum RAM recommended
|
64 Mb for Windows 98, 2000, NT and 128 Mb for Windows ME, XP
|
128 Mb
|
128 Mb
|
64 Mb
|
512 Mb
|
256 Mb
|
128 Mb
|
128 Mb
|
64 Mb
|
|
Display and data
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
IRS data displayed on screen
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
|
Vendor data displayed on screen
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
|
Batch processing
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
|
Heads-down data entry
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
|
Program management tools
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reports
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
|
Organizers
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
|
Labels
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
|
Client letters
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
|
Scheduling program
|
Yes
|
No
|
Yes
|
No
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
|
Other packages available
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Online tax-preparation option
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
Yes
|
No
|
Yes
|
No
|
Yes, via
www.taxengine.com
|
Yes
|
|
State packages
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
|
Multistate package
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Drake Software
|
GoSystem Tax
RS
|
Lacerte
|
Max Plus
|
ProSeries
|
ProSystem
fx
Tax
|
TaxWise
|
TaxWorks
|
UltraTax
|
|
Does your product include the following?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1120
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
|
Included in price of 1040
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
|
1120S
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
|
Included in price of 1040
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
|
1065
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
|
Included in price of 1040
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
|
1041
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
|
Included in price of 1040
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
|
990
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
|
Included in price of 1040
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
|
706
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
|
Included in price of 1040
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
|
709
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
|
Included in price of 1040
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|