| 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 | |
zaro_ex4
