HowardSoft
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phone: (858) 454-0121
e-mail: support@howardsoft.com
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Contents Downloads e-file Alerts Bulletins Manuals 2025 Editions Public Website

Bulletins for 2026 Editions of Tax Preparer

The following information relates to the 2026 Edition of Tax Preparer and a select archive of prior information.
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What's included in your edition. All releases of Tax Preparer are fully functioning programs, but various releases and versions may not have all forms and features. You can file returns with all programs as long as those returns do not require any of the omitted forms. You can quickly determine what forms are omitted in the release you have by looking at the Forms Menu. Omitted forms are indicated by parentheses around the form name (or schedule letter). In addition, if you use a Standard or Economy Level update, forms preceded by a dash (--) instead of a number indicate forms included only at the Premium Level and not available to you in any release.

BULLETINS. To read a document, double-click on the document number below:

Technical Change Notices

(notices of issues solved by new releases)


There are as yet no Technical Change Notices for the 2026 Editions.

Customer Service Memos

(expanded instructions for special problems)


Current memos:

CSTP2601: How to email a copy of tax data to HowardSoft. This document gives step-by-step instructions for creating a file that you can email to HowardSoft in order for us to diagnose specific problems, using Windows and your mouse (rather than using Command Prompt to access DOS and type lengthy commands, as we may have instructed in the past).


Archived memos:

CAUTION: None of the following memos apply to 2015 or later Editions installed under 64-bit Windows. See the latest revision of our User's Guide (included in all editions since 2015) for help with these installations. These memos from our archives contain useful information that still applies for some installations.

CSTP1501: How to ensure proper installation and updating of Tax Preparer. Common causes of problems with installation, start-up, or e-file output for 2015 (and later) Editions.

CSTP1502: How to avert inability to run Tax Preparer's start-up .vbs file. What to do when no Tax Preparer window appears and a .vbs file opens in Notepad (or other editor).

CSTP1503: How to avert Tax Preparer start-up problems after upgrading to 32-bit Windows 10. What to do when Tax Preparer will not start (32-bit Windows 10 only).

CSTP0801: For editions PRIOR to 2015 ONLY! Running older editions of Tax Preparer under 64-bit Windows. In this document you'll learn how to run editions of Tax Preparer prior to 2015 on a 64-bit computer.

CSTP0401: For 32-bit installations ONLY! A Solution for Slow Printing. In this document you'll learn how to speed up Windows graphic printing and avert problems with certain HP printer drivers.

CSTP0402: For 32-bit installations ONLY! Solutions for Laser Printers. In this document you'll learn how to change your Windows driver settings or front panel printer settings to ensure the proper graphics for high-quality tax form printouts.

CSTP0403: For editions PRIOR to 2015 ONLY! Accessing Data in Folders Other Than C:\TAX. In this document you'll learn how to find and access your tax data when it resides in a folder other than the default folder for Tax Preparer.

CSTP0404: For editions PRIOR to 2015 ONLY! Copying program and data to a new computer. In this document you'll learn how best to move Tax Preparer and your tax data to a new computer.

(Last updated February 20, 2026.)