TaxCalc Pro

deanshepherd

Does anybody currently use this software in their practice?

I would be interested in your thoughts..

I have had my PTP renewal come through and it is more than twice the price of TaxCalc so I am considering a switch.

whiterose

I used Tax Calc working in a practice and doing upwards of 60 SA Rtns of various types and have stuck with it on setting up on my own - cannot fault it. Particularly like the schedules that are 'behind' the data in the rtns - and it displays last year's figures too.

Dean

whiterose wrote: »

I used Tax Calc working in a practice and doing upwards of 60 SA Rtns of various types and have stuck with it on setting up on my own - cannot fault it. Particularly like the schedules that are 'behind' the data in the rtns - and it displays last year's figures too.

Agreed!

Dean, I take it IRIS getting their claws in? I thought they promised customers they weren't going to do that! :001_rolleyes:

Regards

Dean

deanshepherd

Thanks for the comments - are there any drawbacks you can think of, or any ways in which you think it could be improved?

Everyone seems so positive. There must be some minor points?!

PTP/Iris have been a bit sneaky. I signed up for a 3 year price freeze but certain items that were optional are now integrated and they are trying to charge me for the integrated option that I never signed up to.

Dean

deanshepherd wrote: »

There must be some minor points?!

If i'm clutching at staws; they change the software slightly each year and over the past 3 years it has improved two fold! However, some features that you like might get lost. They do seem to re-appear one year later though!

All in all we have never had any problems with it. We just use the SA/Trust package and file all CT returns using the Revenue's online software.

Regards

Dean

shaxxa

I was very impressed with Tax Calc. As a small business I found it to be excellent value for money. However, now I'm getting more clients I am looking at other options.
PTP are very keen to get my business and have suggested that although they don't give discounts they would be prepared to do a deal in the 1st year.
Tax Calc is user friendly and it would have to be a very good deal from PTP to sway me.

deanshepherd

Shaxxa

Can I ask why you are looking at other options?

I.e. what is it that TaxCalc doesn't do that you would like it to? Or that PTP does that TaxCalc does not?

Poodle

Hi

Does anyone else apart from me use the Sage Accountants suite?

Any reasons why not?

My 3 year deal comes up this year and perhaps I should look at something else.

Poodle

PS You all work from home how do you cope with the client use of the loo issue?

deanshepherd

Last firm I worked for used Sage Tax Suite. It was awful. Many options didn't work - partnership tax was a mess from what I remember. It allowed you to do things that are not allowable such as setting rental losses against other income. It may have improved since then but I doubt it!

Not sure what your final 'issue' is? Not enough toilet roll?!

shaxxa

Hi Dean,
My reasons are:
My clients are mainly sole traders and a couple of partnerships. I am also taking on a couple of Ltd Co's so I am looking for software that will do it all. BUT do not want to take out licenses for Partnerships & Ltd Co's when I have so few at the moment.
However, Tax Calc do a smaller package with a couple of partnership licenses that come with it but ideally I would like Ltd Co's as well but am not in the market at the moment to spend £375 + vat.
Still a good deal I know but needs must!:001_smile:

Sharon

P.s I don't think either does anything different from each other, at the end of the day the end result is the same.

Poodle

deanshepherd wrote: »

It allowed you to do things that are not allowable such as setting rental losses against other income.

still does

red_devil

Does anyone else out there use Digita? I think it is an excellent product, although you do have to but a separate product for Corporation Tax returns.

deanshepherd

I tested out Digita corporation tax prior to going for PTP and found it to be excellent. Couldn't fault it.

I never tried out the personal tax but I'm sure it would have been to the same standard.

Unfortunately, the cost was extremely prohibitive. I seem to remember a requirement to pay a huge licence fee in the first year with smaller upgrade fees each year thereafter.

Perhaps Red_Devil can confirm the cost?

red_devil

Digita costs:

Personal Tax £620 (150 clients) / £413 (100 clients)
Corporate Tax £517 (150 clients) / £413 (100 clients)

A bit pricing I know, but if you charge decent fees then it is affordable!

Dean

Red_devil, why not charge decent fees, buy taxcalc and make a healthier profit?

Damn, I should have been a management accountant!

Regards

Dean

deanshepherd

Red_Devil, thanks for the info.

I understand their is an additional 'one-off' licence fee payable in the first year. How much did you pay for that?

red_devil

One-off fees for Digita:

Personal - £492
Corporate - £347

red_devil

Dean wrote: »

Red_devil, why not charge decent fees, buy taxcalc and make a healthier profit?

Damn, I should have been a management accountant!

Regards

Dean

It's actual very simple Dean; I prefer to use Digita as I think it is a better product than Taxcalc. I have only used a demo-version of Taxcalc but didn't like anything about it!

Thanks for your valued advice on how to increase my profits though - much appreciated!

Dean

red_devil wrote: »

Thanks for your valued advice on how to increase my profits though - much appreciated!

Glad to be of assistance! :001_smile:

My consultancy fee is £125 per hour - you should find that good value for money!

Regards

Dean

deanshepherd

red_devil wrote: »

Digita costs:

Personal Tax £620 (150 clients) / £413 (100 clients)
Corporate Tax £517 (150 clients) / £413 (100 clients)

A bit pricing I know, but if you charge decent fees then it is affordable!

If anyone is interested Digita have provided me with their actual fees for various client numbers as follows:

Personal Tax £677+VAT (150 clients) / £511+VAT (100 clients)
Corporate Tax £312+VAT (75 clients) / £268+VAT (50 clients)

License fee payable in the first year is approximately equal to the annual costs listed above.

I do really like the software but to purchase the above is going to cost me £1,558 in the first year compared to £840 for PTP and £375 for TaxCalc.

If only I had as many clients as Red_Devil!

Poodle

deanshepherd wrote: »

If only I had as many clients as Red_Devil!

Dean,

Perhaps you are building your practice on quality as opposed to quantity, so don't feel so sorry for yourself

Poodle