zaro_ex4
Please note: This item is from our archives and was published in 2003. It is provided for historical reference. The content may be out of date and links may no longer function.
Related
No Results
TOPICS
-
Uncategorized Article
| Exhibit 4: Software Product Details | |||||||||||||
| 2nd Story Software | ATX | CCH | Creative Solutions | Drake Software | Dunphy Systems | Intuit/ Lacerte | Intuit/ ProSeries | Laser Systems | RCS/ TaxSlayer Pro | Tax$imple | Universal Tax Systems | ||
| TaxACT | Total Tax Office, Max, Saber, ZillionForms | ProSystem fx Tax | UltraTax | Drake Tax Solution | 1040 Professional Tax Prep | Lacerte | ProSeries | TaxWorks by Laser Systems | TaxSlayer Pro | Tax$imple | TaxWise | ||
| Prices | |||||||||||||
| 1040 | $99 | $210 | $2,775 | $1,900 | $1,495-$1,995 | $849 | $2,055 | $949 | $1,095 | $895 | $495-$695; $12/return | $995 | |
| 1040 renewal | $79 | same | Call for details | $1,600 | $995-$1,495 | $699 | $1,746.75 | same | $995 | $795 | same | same | |
| State package | $12.95/ state; $51.80/ all states | $105 | $275-$700 | $150-$250 | Included | $319-$339 | $225-$325 | $249-$349 | $345 | Included | $250-$299; $10/return | $295 for up to five states | |
| State renewal | same | same | Call for details | same | Included | $319-$339 | $191.25- $276.25 | same | $200 | Included | same | same | |
| Additional fee for laser package | N/A | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | |
| Pay-per-return pricing | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | |
| Additional cost for electronic filing software | No | No | Yes | No | No | $99-$499 | No | No | No | Included | Yes | N/A | |
| Additional cost per electronically filed returns | $0-$7.95 per return, depending on number of returns filed; unlimited federal e-file $350 | $5 each; $100 unlimited | $3 per return; unlimited available | $2 federal; $1 state | N/A | Service Bureau (SB): $5-$3- $1/return | Unlimited e-file for $1,250; $2-$5/return | Federal $750 unlimited or $3/return; state $400 unlimited or $2/return | $1-$5/return based on volume | $3/return | $195 at $3/return federal; $99 at $2/return state | $0.50- $5/return depending on level ordered | |
| Conversion package available | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Cost of conversion package | N/A | Free | Free | Free | $0-$100 | N/A | Free | Free | Free | $200 | Free | Free | |
| Filing | |||||||||||||
| Direct filing or service bureau (SB) | SB | Direct | Both | SB | Both | Both | SB | Individual filing via Intuit | Both | Both | Both | Both | |
| Files state return electronically | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Allows for electronic signature | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Market | |||||||||||||
| Number of users of 2002 package | N/A | 50,000+ | 20,000+ | 12,000+ firms | 15,144 | 1,500+ | N/A | N/A | 4,300 | 3,000+ | N/A | 23,000 offices | |
| % of renewals from 2001 package | N/A | 92% | 97% | 95+% | 92% | 95+% | N/A | N/A | 91% | 89% | 95+% | 94% | |
| Number of years in business | 6 | 11 | 40 | 24 | 26 | 20 | 24 | 12 | 31 | 12 | 21 | 19 | |
| Support | |||||||||||||
| Toll-free number for support | N/A | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | |
| Hours support available (ET) during tax season | M-F 9-10; Sat. 9-6; Sun. 1-6 | M-F 8-10 (midnight with Super Support packages); Sat. 9-5 | M-F 8:30-9:30; Sat. 9-8; Sun. in April 10-6 | M-F 9-9; Sat. 9-6; selected Sun. | M-F 8-10; Sat. 8-6 | M-F 8-6; Sat. 9-1 | M-F 9-9; Sat. 11-5; Sun. 1-5 | M-F 9-9; Sat.10-5; Sun. as needed | M-F 9-10; Sat. 9-3 | M-F 7:30-11 | M-F 8:15-7:30 | M-F 8-9; Sat. 9-4 | |
| Hours support available (ET) during off-season | M-F 9-6 | M-F 8-8; Sat. 9-5. | M-F 9-8 | M-F 9-8 | M-F 8-10; Sat. 8-5 | M-F 9-5 | M-F 9-8 | Mon.-Thurs. 9-8; Fri. 9-6 | M-F 10-7 | M-F 8-5 | M-F 8:15-5 | M-F 8-4 | |
| Number of support staff during tax season | 20 | 200 | 200+ | 100+ | 200+ | N/A | 120 | N/A | 50 | 20 | N/A | 250 | |
| Online support | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| 2nd Story Software | ATX | CCH | Creative Solutions | Drake Software | Dunphy Systems | Intuit/ Lacerte | Intuit/ ProSeries | Laser Systems | RCS/ TaxSlayer Pro | Tax$imple | Universal Tax Systems | ||
| TaxACT | Total Tax Office, Max, Saber, ZillionForms | ProSystem fx Tax | UltraTax | Drake Tax Solution | 1040 Professional Tax Prep | Lacerte | ProSeries | TaxWorks by Laser Systems | TaxSlayer Pro | Tax$imple | TaxWise | ||
| Technology | |||||||||||||
| Operating systemsavailable | Win 95/98/ ME/NT/ 2000/XP | Win 95/98/ ME/NT/ 2000/XP | Win 98/ME/NT/ 2000/XP | Win 98/NT/ 2000/XP | Windows 32 bit | DOS, all Windows | Win 98/ME/NT/ 2000/XP | Windows | Windows 32 bit | Win 98/ME/ 2000/XP | Win 95/98/ ME/NT/ 2000/XP | Windows | |
| Minimum RAM recommended | 32 Mb | 64 Mb | 128 Mb | 64 Mb | 64 Mb for Win 95/98/ 2000/NT; 128 Mb for ME, XP | 640 Kb | 128 Mb | 64 Mb | 128 Mb | 32 Mb | 128 Mb | 128 Mb | |
| Recommended operating system | All | All | XP | All | Win 98 and up | All | All | Win 2000/XP | Win 2000/XP | Win 98 | Win 98/ME/NT/ 2000/XP | Win 2000/XP (with Service Pack 2) | |
| Display and data | |||||||||||||
| IRS data displayed on screen | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | |
| Vendor data displayed on screen | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | |
| Batch processing | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Heads-down data entry | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | |
| Program management tools | |||||||||||||
| Reports | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Organizers | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Labels | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Client letters | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Scheduling program | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | No | |
| Other packages available | |||||||||||||
| Online tax preparation option | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | No | Yes | No | |
| State packages available | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Multistate package available | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | N/A | Yes | Yes | |
| 1120 | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | |
| included in price of 1040 | N/A | No | No | No | Yes | No | No | No | No | Yes | No | No | |
| 1120S | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| included in price of 1040 | No | No | No | No | Yes | No | No | No | No | Yes | No | No | |
| 1065 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| included in price of 1040 | No | No | No | No | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | No | No | No | |
| 1041 | No | No | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| included in price of 1040 | N/A | No | No | No | Yes | N/A | No | No | Yes | No | No | No | |
| 990 | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| included in price of 1040 | N/A | No | No | No | Yes | N/A | No | No | No | Yes | No | No | |
| 706 | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | |
| included in price of 1040 | N/A | No | No | No | Yes | N/A | No | No | No | N/A | No | No | |
| 709 | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | |
| included in price of 1040 | N/A | No | No | No | Yes | No | No | No | No | N/A | No | No | |
