Updates for 2009 Editions of Tax Preparer

Tax Preparer and Windows 7

Good News! You can run Tax Preparer on all versions of Windows 7, but some versions may require you to install additional software. You can install and run Tax Preparer on all 32-bit versions of Windows 7 with no additional software, but 64-bit versions require you to install virtualization software on your computer. The virtualization software allows you to create a window in which you can install 32-bit Windows XP and run Tax Preparer without affecting your capability to run 32-bit or 64-bit programs under Windows 7. The virtualization software is FREE. However, if you have a Windows 7 Home edition, you must purchase or otherwise acquire a legally-licensed version of 32-bit windows XP (widely available for less than $100).

Better news for Windows 7 Professional, Enterprise, or Ultimate. If you have one of the Windows editions that are marketed to businesses, you may be able to install Microsoft's new FREE Windows XP Mode software, which integrates 32-bit Windows XP into your 64-bit Windows 7 system so that you can put a Tax Preparer icon on your Windows 7 desktop and run Tax Preparer without even knowing that a virtual machine is involved. But there's a caveat: the new Windows XP Mode works only on processors that support hardware-assisted virtualization. Although most of the newer processor chips have this capability, some do not, so you should check Intel's website before you buy.

Tax Preparer
(Form 1040)

Release 2009.01r now available.

(Updated 5/25/2009.)

Partnership Edition
(Form 1065)

Release 2009.01e now available.

(Updated 3/29/2009.)

California Supplement
(Form 540)

Release 2009.01e now available.

(Updated 8/8/2009.)

Manuals and IRS documents

Tax Preparer Alert

Change notice for Tax Preparer through 2009.01o. Anyone who has used a Tax Preparer release prior to 2009.01p should read the entry below for 3/11/2009 for important information on a potential failure of Form 8812 to be automatically generated when an additional child tax credit is available, and should update to the latest release NOW!

California Alert

Change notice for California 2009.01 through 2009.01c. Anyone who has used a California Supplement release prior to 2009.01d should read the entry below for 2/24/2009 for important information on a problem with a spurious TEACHER credit given to those who claim the Renter's Credit, and should update to the latest California release NOW!

Partnership Alert

Change notice for Partnership 2009.01. Anyone who has used the initial Partnership Edition release for 2009 should read the entry below for 2/19/2009 for important information on a problem with transfers from Schedule A (Form 1065) to Form 1065 and Schedule K and update to release 2009.01e NOW!

Pre-release Alert

Change notice for Pre-Release 2009.pre. Anyone who has used the Pre-Release should read the entry below for 1/16/2009 for important information on a Form 1040 printing problem, and update to the latest release now.

IMPORTANT NEWS

11/24/2009: Fall 2009 HowardNews now available on-line. See the benefits from the Stimulus Bill that expire in 2009, and the changes already made by the IRS to the forms. Also see what you can expect in Tax Preparer next tax season, including new forms and e-file transmission software. For details on these and other important information, see the latest issue of HowardNews.

8/31/2009: e-file products added for the next filing season. Until this date, our Advance Order Form for the upcoming (2010) filing season did not include e-file products because our contract for the e-file transmission software was not yet final. We can now offer the e-file transmission software required to e-file returns with Tax Preparer (Standard and Premium Levels only) ... at a 15% discount until October 31, 2009. Be sure to see our newly revised on-line Advance Order Form for full information on e-file for the 2010 filing season.

8/8/2009: California Supplement Release 2009.01e now available. If you have already installed California Supplement 2009.01, you can update to release 2009.01e NOW by going to the California Downloads Page. The downloads improve the handling of overflow credits when not all credits claimed on Schedule P fit on the form. The download for the Premium Level also adds Schedule G-1 and Forms 3501, 3533, and 3805Z to the Premium Level.

5/25/2009: Release 2009.01r now available. If you have already installed a Tax Preparer CD-ROM for 2009, you can update to release 2009.01r NOW by going to the Downloads Page. The downloads correct a potential for excessive credit from multiple Forms 1116, improve the automatic creation of Form 6251 for certain high-income taxpayers subject to the AMT, and make minor revisions to the manual.

3/29/2009: Release 2009.01q now available. If you have already installed a Tax Preparer CD-ROM for 2009, you can update to release 2009.01q NOW by going to the Downloads Page. The downloads add Form 8914 to the Standard and Premium Levels, add Form 3468 to all levels, add a new option for Form 2210 printing (to avert a potential e-file error), add several changes for 2009 tax planning resulting from the recent stimulus bill, and revise the manual accordingly.

3/29/2009 Partnership Edition Release 2009.01e now available. If you have already installed a Partnership Edition CD-ROM for 2009, you can update to release 2009.01e NOW by going to the Partnership Downloads Page. The downloads add Form 3468 to all levels and revise the manual accordingly.

3/11/2009: Release 2009.01p now available. If you have already installed a Tax Preparer CD-ROM for 2009, you can update to release 2009.01p NOW by going to the Downloads Page. The downloads add Form 8910 to the Premium Level, correct a potential problem with auto-creating Form 8812 described in Technical Change Notice TCTP0906, correct a typographical error in a graphic form, and revise the manual for all levels.

3/11/2009 Partnership Edition Release 2009.01d now available. If you have already installed a Partnership Edition CD-ROM for 2009, you can update to release 2009.01d NOW by going to the Partnership Downloads Page. The downloads add Form 8910 to the Standard and Premium Levels and revise the manual for all levels.

3/8/2009: Release 2009.01o now available. If you have already installed a Tax Preparer CD-ROM for 2009, you can update to release 2009.01o NOW by going to the Downloads Page. The downloads add Form 8801 to the Premium Level, correct a typographical error in a graphic form, and revise the manual for all levels.

3/4/2009: Release 2009.01n now available. If you have already installed a Tax Preparer CD-ROM for 2009, you can update to release 2009.01n NOW by going to the Downloads Page. The downloads add Form 8332 to the Premium Level, revise Form 8379 for better clarity and to avert an e-file problem, and revise the manual for all levels.

3/2/2009: Release 2009.01m now available. If you have already installed a Tax Preparer CD-ROM for 2009, you can update to release 2009.01l NOW by going to the Downloads Page. The downloads add Forms 4136, 8396, 8611, 8839, and 8853 to the Premium Level, and revise the manual for all levels.

3/2/2009 Partnership Edition Release 2009.01c now available. If you have already installed a Partnership Edition CD-ROM for 2009, you can update to release 2009.01c NOW by going to the Partnership Downloads Page. The downloads add Form 8611 to the Premium Level and revise the manual for all levels.

2/26/2009: Release 2009.01l now available. If you have already installed a Tax Preparer CD-ROM for 2009, you can update to release 2009.01l NOW by going to the Downloads Page. The downloads add Form 8379 to the Premium Level, alter some on-screen labels for better clarity, correct a calculation on Schedule J, and revise the manual.

2/24/2009 3:00PM: California Supplement Release 2009.01d now available. If you have already installed California Supplement 2009.01, you can update to release 2009.01d NOW by going to the California Downloads Page. The downloads correct a problem with a spurious TEACHER credit described in Technical Change Notice TCTP0905. This is a a mandatory change for ALL levels of the software.

2/24/2009 1:00PM: Release 2009.01k now available. If you have already installed a Tax Preparer CD-ROM for 2009, you can update to release 2009.01k NOW by going to the Downloads Page. The downloads add Schedule J to ALL software levels, add Form 4970 to the Premium Level, and update the manual for ALL software levels,

2/23/2009 12:30PM: Partnership Edition Release 2009.01b now available. If you have already installed Partnership Edition 2009.01, you can update to release 2009.01b NOW by going to the Partnership Downloads Page. The downloads correct for the Economy Level the omission of graphic printing of Form 1065 pages 2 and 3 (Schedules A and B) and update the Partnership manual with minor corrections to the details for Schedule K.

2/23/2009 2:00AM: Release 2009.01j now available. If you have already installed a Tax Preparer CD-ROM for 2009, you can update to release 2009.01j NOW by going to the Downloads Page. The downloads add Form 1040X for all software levels, add Form 5405 to the Standard and Premium Levels, and update the manual for ALL software levels,

2/22/2009: California Supplement release 2009.01c now available. If you have already installed California Supplement 2009.01, you can update to release 2009.01c NOW by going to the California Downloads Page. The downloads add Forms 540X, 5805, and 5805-F to ALL levels, add a Form 540-V Payment Voucher, and update the California manual.

2/19/2009: Release 2009.01i now available. If you have already installed a Tax Preparer CD-ROM for 2009, you can update to release 2009.01i NOW by going to the Downloads Page. The downloads update the manual for ALL software levels. The Premium Level download adds Forms 8586, 8834, and 8846, and revises Forms 8862, 8885, and 8889.

2/19/2009: Partnership Edition Release 2009.01a now available. If you have already installed Partnership Edition 2009.01, you can update to release 2009.01a NOW by going to the Partnership Downloads Page. The downloads correct a problem with missing transfers from Schedule A (1065) described in Technical Change Notice TCTP0904, which is a mandatory change for ALL levels of the software. They also revise the Partnership manual for ALL software levels, add Form 7004 to the Standard and Premium Levels, add Form 8586 to the Premium Level, and remove Form 8834 from the Premium Level.

2/12/2009: Release 2009.01h now available. If you have already installed a Tax Preparer CD-ROM for 2009, you can update to release 2009.01h NOW by going to the Downloads Page. The downloads add Forms 1116, 8885, and 8889 to the Premium Level and Forms 2210 (including Form 2210-F) and 2210 Schedule AI to ALL levels. They also correct a problem with Schedule H described in Technical Change Notice TCTP0903, and make minor aesthetic revisions to Form 1040, Form 6765, and prompting for printing.

2/9/2009: Release 2009.01g now available. If you have already installed a Tax Preparer CD-ROM for 2009, you can update to release 2009.01g NOW by going to the Downloads Page. The downloads add Forms 4972, 6765, and 8859 to the Premium Level and Forms 8615 and 8814 to ALL levels, and update the manual accordingly.

2/9/2009: California Supplement release 2009.01b now available. If you have already installed California Supplement 2009.01, you can update to release 2009.01b NOW by going to the California Downloads Page. The downloads add Forms 3800, 3803, and 540-ES to ALL levels, update the California manual, and make minor changes to other forms.

2/7/2009: Release 2009.01f now available. If you have already installed a Tax Preparer CD-ROM for 2009, you can update to release 2009.01f NOW by going to the Downloads Page. The downloads add Forms 2555 and 2555-EZ to the Premium Level and Form 1040-ES to ALL levels, and update the manual accordingly.

2/4/2009: California Supplement release 2009.01a now available. If you have already installed California Supplement 2009.01, you can update to release 2009.01a NOW by going to the California Downloads Page. The downloads add e-file to the Standard and Premium Levels and update the California manual.

1/30/2009: Release 2009.01e now available. If you have already installed a Tax Preparer CD-ROM for 2009, you can update to release 2009.01e NOW by going to the Downloads Page. The downloads add Forms 5329 and 8606 to all levels, and update the manual accordingly.

1/28/2009: Release 2009.01d now available. If you have already installed a Tax Preparer CD-ROM for 2009, you can update to release 2009.01d NOW by going to the Downloads Page. The downloads add Forms 4684, 8815, and 8824, updates the manual accordingly, and averts the problem described in TCTP0902 (per the 1/26/2009 entry that follows).

1/26/2009: Potential Schedule A printing problem with releases prior to 2009.01d. For returns translated using release 2009.01c or ealier, if Schedule A, line 6, of the prior-year return had a supporting statement, then the official printout of the current-year Schedule A may have a spurious supporting statement for that line. While this is only a printing problem and affects no calculations, you should see Technical Change Notice TCTP0902 for information on repairing affected returns.

1/24/2009: Release 2009.01c now available. If you have already installed a Tax Preparer CD-ROM for 2009, you can update to release 2009.01c NOW by going to the Downloads Page. The downloads add five more forms to the Premium Level, revise Form W-2 for e-file, and avert potential e-file errors associated with Forms 4797, 5695, and 8283. The download also includes a revised manual that not only updates details for the five added forms, but also revises and expands details for the W-2 Worksheet and the e-file form.

1/22/2009: Release 2009.01b now available. If you have already installed the Tax Preparer CD-ROM for 2009, you can update to release 2009.01b NOW by going to the Downloads Page. The downloads include all forms associated with e-file, including Forms 8453 and 8879, so you can now transmit e-file returns to the IRS.

1/21/2009: Release 2009.01a now available. If you have already installed the Tax Preparer CD-ROM for 2009, you can update to release 2009.01a NOW by going to the Downloads Page. The downloads include an updated manual (Tax Forms Guide) in addition to updated software, with three forms added (Forms 2106, 4562, and 8829).

1/18/2009: Release 2009.01 now available. Release 2009.01 is now being shipped to all who ordered Tax Preparer for the 2009 filing season. Once you install the CD-ROM you receive, you will be able to keep your software up-to-date with our changes throughout the tax season. If you have already installed the Pre-Release CD-ROM for 2009, you can update to release 2009.01 NOW by going to the Downloads Page. The downloads include updated manuals (Tax Forms Guide and User's Guide) in addition to updated software, with ten forms added (2441, 3800, 5884, 6198, 6251, 6252, 8582, 8812, 8880, and 8917).

1/16/2009: Form 1040 printing problem with Pre-Release. For returns started using the Pre-Release (2009.pre), the list at line 6c of the official printout of Form 1040 may not include all dependents claimed. While this is only a printing problem and affects no calculations, you should see Technical Change Notice TCTP0901 for information on repairing all returns started using release 2009.pre, whether exhibiting the problem or not, and whether started by translation or anew. (You can make the repair only after updating to a release after release 2009.pre.)

1/11/2009: IRS announces major delays for business credit forms! Contrary to prior indications, the IRS is quite late with many forms this year, especially business credit forms. In fact, they recently announced that returns containing certain business credit forms (including Form 3468 - Investment Credit, Form 6478 - Fuels Credit, and five others) will be rejected for e-file until late February.

But business credit forms aren't the only late ones! As of January 5, nearly half of the 80 forms we support were not yet released! While some have been released since, the delays have impacted our Pre-Release, causing us to omit numerous forms we would normally include in this advance release. While we still plan to issue the regular release at the start of the tax season, it will be impacted by omitted forms as well. However, we plan to post frequent on-line updates so that your software will contain forms within days of their release by the IRS. So... once you install the CD-ROM you receive from us, be sure to Check for Updates frequently through your Tax Preparer Control Panel.

10/23/2008: Information on 64-bit Vista. We have added a new customer service memo to our Bulletins page to address the inherent incompatibility of 64-bit Vista with Tax Preparer. The memo offers two viable solutions, both of which allow Tax Preparer to operate fully on a 64-bit machine.

Prior releases. For details on prior changes throughout the tax season, see Changes in Recent Releases for the respective software:

• Changes for 1040 (individuals) software
• Changes for 1065 (partnerships) software
• Changes for 540 (California) software

What are the changes?

Because of the convenience of the web, we issue new releases frequently, even when most of the changes are relatively insignificant. Changes are highlighted in the bottom half of the respective download pages. However, if you want more detail about the most significant changes, there are two other places to look:

• E-FILE ALERTS. Changes that are of consequence ONLY to e-file returns are documented here. The changes typically avert specific Reject Codes for the e-file return, so if your return is rejected, check this list first to see if you need to update your software and take particular steps to repair your data.
• BULLETINS. Changes that are significant for both paper and e-file returns are documented here. Technical Change Notices are issued for each significant change, including the steps you may have to take to repair a return prepared with an earlier release.

Changes that are not documented on either of these pages are less serious in nature, including rewording on some on-screen lines to make entries more understandable, correction of spelling errors, correction of line number references on printouts, and technical changes that have no affect on calculations.

IMPORTANT TIP: After you translate a prior-year return to the current-year format, be sure to VIEW ALL TRANSLATED WORKSHEETS to ensure that the worksheets are recalculated under their new format, and to verify that all entries are proper for the current return. This step is especially necessary this year because of major changes in several worksheets.