Income Tax Software

censuspro

Just curious as to how other accountants/tax consultants are filing Income tax returns? Are you using ROS or another software?

maddogcollins

ROS all the way..Makes it so much more smoother to do.

mwalsh7

ROS its free why pay for something else.

dbran

ROS and its free

I have found all the other pay for software has disgraceful bugs in them.

dbran

censuspro

dbran wrote: »

ROS and its free

I have found all the other pay for software has disgraceful bugs in them.

dbran

I just got relate personal tax, it uses the ROS calculation engine on the ros website, so you'll need an internet connection to use it. But it retains all the info like name address PPS numbers and produces better reports/F11 than ROS. It only costs around €450 and that includes 4 users.

Before that I used CCH Taxpack which is riddled with bugs and always messes up the PRSI calculation.

Dixie Chick

We use ROS offline that just loads up perfectly to ROS. Its great. in all the returns we do in work we have only ever had one 2 ros errors since 2006

dbran

Hi

Thanks for the heads up on this one.

As you know the one draw back with ros is you have to reenter everything every year.

Dbran

censuspro wrote: »

I just got relate personal tax, it uses the ROS calculation engine on the ros website, so you'll need an internet connection to use it. But it retains all the info like name address PPS numbers and produces better reports/F11 than ROS. It only costs around €450 and that includes 4 users.

Before that I used CCH Taxpack which is riddled with bugs and always messes up the PRSI calculation.

Johnbt

A lot of firms use tax software to double check their computations against ROS (which is not always correct) to manage their client data base and for back up support provided by tax consultants see www.itssltd.com

zora

only 2 ROS errors since 2006??
list of some ROS errors I have come across
- ROS does not recognise modified insurance classes, therefore will calculate prsi incorrectly on other income.
-where you have no case I/II a directorship, more than 15% shareholding, another "A" employment or M and no income from directorship, ROS will again incorrectly calculate prsi on other income.
- they incorrectly calculate prsi for non-residents
-they incorrectly calculate the paye credit in a number of cases.
-some sources of foreign income are totalled in 1 box on ROS, they therefore incorrectly include income with no foeign tax deducted in thier effective rate calculation.
-they apply the health levy for people in receipt of widows/widowers pensions

this could go on and on.....

seco

Using CCH Taxpack and Compad. Taxpack has historically had bugging problems but found that it was fairly stable when preparing 2008 returns. Still some problems with PRSI calculations. Crosscheck ROS file created by Taxpack on ROS Offline to be sure and upload to Revenue.

Compad has been OK until recent upgrade that caused major headaches on our database. CCH were very slow in responding to problem eventually taking 5 - 6 weeks to get problem solved, which was by way of a beta release. Seems to have corrected the problem, but will be fighting with CCH when renewal fees up for discussion. I spoke with one of their Irish programmers who stated that in his opinion, the programme needs to be rewritten as it is in existance for many years with many upgrades in that time.

The beauty of these programmes is that information is carried over from year to year without having to re input, prelim tax calcs available at press of button and quickly works out what if scenarios.

mickbyrne

We used Relate Personal Tax (RPT) this year and filed 80% of our returns with it. I never had a tax package before this. Used ROS since it was first available and before this used excel.

RPT is a new package so their are a lot of additional features I would like on it which I imagine will be included in next years build, but appart from this I found it much quicker to produce a return rather than using ROS, which itself is excellent. It should be faster still next year as all the repetitive info will allready be in. The comparative column should also be useful to look at.

zora

seco wrote: »

Using CCH Taxpack and Compad. Taxpack has historically had bugging problems but found that it was fairly stable when preparing 2008 returns. Still some problems with PRSI calculations. Crosscheck ROS file created by Taxpack on ROS Offline to be sure and upload to Revenue.

Compad has been OK until recent upgrade that caused major headaches on our database. CCH were very slow in responding to problem eventually taking 5 - 6 weeks to get problem solved, which was by way of a beta release. Seems to have corrected the problem, but will be fighting with CCH when renewal fees up for discussion. I spoke with one of their Irish programmers who stated that in his opinion, the programme needs to be rewritten as it is in existance for many years with many upgrades in that time.


The beauty of these programmes is that information is carried over from year to year without having to re input, prelim tax calcs available at press of button and quickly works out what if scenarios.

ITSS tax program has a ros computation included in it. you need an internet connection to use this feature, but it actually gives you revenues comp by connecting to thier web-server (clients details are not sent), so you can compare the comps before filling. Any differences are highlighted. Thier corporation tax package also has this feature. Its really useful when it cmes to prsi issues, this is what highlighted modified insurance classes for me as well as many other issues.

also has automated capital allowance calcs, this i find really good.

censuspro

mickbyrne wrote: »

We used Relate Personal Tax (RPT) this year and filed 80% of our returns with it. I never had a tax package before this. Used ROS since it was first available and before this used excel.

RPT is a new package so their are a lot of additional features I would like on it which I imagine will be included in next years build, but appart from this I found it much quicker to produce a return rather than using ROS, which itself is excellent. It should be faster still next year as all the repetitive info will allready be in. The comparative column should also be useful to look at.

I used Relate personal tax this year and found it very hand. uses the ROS calculation enging and retains all the info. Costs €450 for 4 users.

zora

I can see why it would be useful, as in it carries across info from one year to the next.

My issue with this is that because it uses the ROS engine, there is no level of comparison. For me, using an actual software package is essential for accuracy.

Besides the benefits or back up reports, comparative comps, carry forward of data and so on.

as mentioned above, I came across numerous issues with ROS over the years.

censuspro

zora wrote: »

I can see why it would be useful, as in it carries across info from one year to the next.

My issue with this is that because it uses the ROS engine, there is no level of comparison. For me, using an actual software package is essential for accuracy.

Besides the benefits or back up reports, comparative comps, carry forward of data and so on.

as mentioned above, I came across numerous issues with ROS over the years.

In fairness, I've had alot more software isues than I've had problems with ROS. But I hear what your saying about having someting to compare it to.

Also, Relate personal tax can provide pretty much any report you want including comparitives and also carries forward the info.

I've been using CCH/Taxpack/MYOB for the last 3 years. They've changed ownership alot in that time and their based out of UK along with their support so Ireland is not really their primary market.

zora

censuspro wrote: »

In fairness, I've had alot more software isues than I've had problems with ROS. But I hear what your saying about having someting to compare it to.

Also, Relate personal tax can provide pretty much any report you want including comparitives and also carries forward the info.

I've been using CCH/Taxpack/MYOB for the last 3 years. They've changed ownership alot in that time and their based out of UK along with their support so Ireland is not really their primary market.

You should give ITSS a try, honestly, I can see you have been burned by your previous software provider, but it is supported by Irish tax consultants, my calls are always answered and i have to say they were of great assistance through the deadline.

I was sceptical at first as I previously used Sage Personal Tax (which I didnt find great), I then switched to a company called SSAP whom I was pleased with, who Sage then bought over, but to my relief, all of the same staff remained with the product, and still do under ITSS.

They are fairly competive price wise, and considering the support you get, I can well justify what it costs. Roughly from between 400 - 600

I do wonder how many practioners manage without it, it highlights so many issues with ROS, and generally deals with things before they do, i.e. development land losses used as a 20% credit.

censuspro

You sell it well I'm almost convinced. The fact that the support team are tax consultants is impressive and €600 is very reasonable IMO.

The only reason I wouldnt change at this point is because Relates accounts production packgae automatically populates the form 11 figures if you use both of their software packages.

zora

can I ask out of curiosity, what fields does it populate? acs menus?

censuspro

zora wrote: »

can I ask out of curiosity, what fields does it populate? acs menus?

That's correct but you must have their accounts production softwware. They're supposed to launch a CT software in the new year and the Co Sec was released a few years ago.

The whole idea is that everything is on the one database So if you have all their software i.e. accounts production, personal tax, CT and Co. Sec, and you make a change to directors on the B1 it will automatically update the accounts and CT return. They also have a time and billing module.

zora

censuspro wrote: »

That's correct but you must have their accounts production softwware. They're supposed to launch a CT software in the new year and the Co Sec was released a few years ago.

The whole idea is that everything is on the one database So if you have all their software i.e. accounts production, personal tax, CT and Co. Sec, and you make a change to directors on the B1 it will automatically update the accounts and CT return. They also have a time and billing module.

yes, itss does the same re importing figures from Sage Accounts Production in both the personal and corporation tax program. Thier company sec is built into thier corporation tax.

I see the benefits, but i suppose each to thier own.:)

The only way i would ever use a link for the acs menu is if i was the only person with access to the software, i.e. in any departmentalised office the accounts and tax returns are being prepared by different ppl, and accounts ebing finalised or not to me it still leaves things open to errors, i.e. acs being amended after import is done.........but thats my opinion.

My main concern is always accuracy..and to me the benefit of having two computations built on seperate engines is always going to be a winner. Time saved ensuring computations are correct, definately outweighs changing a directors name or filling some figures into the acs menu.

censuspro

Just rang ITSS, going to arrange a demo.

zora

censuspro wrote: »

Just rang ITSS, going to arrange a demo.

Let us know what you think.

Johnbt

seco wrote: »

Using CCH Taxpack and Compad. Taxpack has historically had bugging problems but found that it was fairly stable when preparing 2008 returns. Still some problems with PRSI calculations. Crosscheck ROS file created by Taxpack on ROS Offline to be sure and upload to Revenue.

Compad has been OK until recent upgrade that caused major headaches on our database. CCH were very slow in responding to problem eventually taking 5 - 6 weeks to get problem solved, which was by way of a beta release. Seems to have corrected the problem, but will be fighting with CCH when renewal fees up for discussion. I spoke with one of their Irish programmers who stated that in his opinion, the programme needs to be rewritten as it is in existance for many years with many upgrades in that time.

The beauty of these programmes is that information is carried over from year to year without having to re input, prelim tax calcs available at press of button and quickly works out what if scenarios.

Cant understand why you would stay with a software provider that took 5-6 weeks to solve a problem. Other software providers would be glad of your business and would usually install and convert over your data reasonable quickly. Why not move ?

durkadurka

Does anyone have problems with cch corporation tax forgetting where the database is all the time?

I keep getting problems with it falling over on me. Very frustrating.

NCG

Zora. We have used all the Relate products since their launch (basically practice management, company secretarial, accounts production, and tax). No connection with Relate but very happy with products, particularly the integration.

The overall system can be as complex as you like, but it is relatively easy to avoid the types of error you mention - eg accounts production goes through various stages and can be locked down at partner review level so no further changes can be made (without the authorisation of that partner). It is actually much tighter than using a less integrated solution because these lockdowns can't just be ignored or bypassed.

zora wrote: »

yes, itss does the same re importing figures from Sage Accounts Production in both the personal and corporation tax program. Thier company sec is built into thier corporation tax.

I see the benefits, but i suppose each to thier own.:)

The only way i would ever use a link for the acs menu is if i was the only person with access to the software, i.e. in any departmentalised office the accounts and tax returns are being prepared by different ppl, and accounts ebing finalised or not to me it still leaves things open to errors, i.e. acs being amended after import is done.........but thats my opinion.

My main concern is always accuracy..and to me the benefit of having two computations built on seperate engines is always going to be a winner. Time saved ensuring computations are correct, definately outweighs changing a directors name or filling some figures into the acs menu.