Sixty- three percent of respondents answered "yes," and many reported some difficulty in resolving the problems it caused (see "Majority Coped With Tax ID Theft"). In another new question this year, given the growing prevalence of tax identity- theft fraud and its impact on taxpayers, the survey asked respondents whether one or more of their clients had been victimized this year.
Regardless of how well CPAs and their clients themselves were able to apply these new provisions for tax year 2014, they reported their software was largely up to the task (see "Overall Ratings"). 36B and its reconciliation with any advance credit. 5000A individual shared- responsibility payment, popularly known as the individual mandate, and the health insurance premium credit under Sec. For additional insight, however, this year's survey asked specifically how users' software performed tasks relating to PPACA, such as calculating the Sec. This year, the core metrics of adequacy of updates, technical support, and-always a concern-perception of pricing versus value showed little change from previous years, despite the additional challenges. Sixty- eight percent of respondents said they were solely responsible for choosing their software, with another 22% saying they had some role in deciding.
Most respondents prepared some business returns as well, however, with 46% saying business returns were up to one- quarter of their returns and another 41% saying they were between one- quarter and one- half. A majority of respondents predominantly prepared individual returns for 79% of respondents, these returns made up more than half their workload. Respondents in firms of six to 20 preparers formed another 19% of respondents, 7% worked in firms with 21 to 100 preparers, and a small fraction worked in firms larger than that. PRODUCTS COVERED AND PROFILE OF RESPONDENTSĪlthough the survey asked about 15 software products by name, as in past years, only the eight products shown in the accompanying data tables garnered sufficient results for meaningful analysis, i.e., each product was the software predominantly used by at least 1% of the nearly 5,000 CPA paid tax preparers who responded to the survey.Īs in previous years, a majority of respondents were in small firms, with 36% sole practitioners (up from 21% last year) and 36% in firms of between two and five preparers. The latter's reliance on tax preparation software can be a source of either welcome assistance or yet another tribulation, depending on its performance thus the JofA asks them each year how their software performed. 111- 148, and continuing depredation of taxpayers' identities by filers of fraudulent returns all contributed to making the 2015 tax filing season a trying one for many taxpayers and their CPA return preparers. Late passage of extended temporary items, new individual provisions stemming from the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (PPACA), P.L.