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Website
of the Month: 1040.com
By
Susan B. Anders
APRIL 2008 - The
1040.com website, a public service of Drake Software (www.drakesoftware.com),
is free and requires no registration. 1040.com was re-launched in
the fall of 2007 with a new appearance, new navigation, and new
features. Many features are targeted at nonprofessionals, but tax
practitioners, educators, and students will appreciate much of the
non-expert materials, as well as the section dedicated to tax professionals.
The center
of the homepage has an advertisement for an online tax preparation
product, links to 1040.com’s federal tax estimator and free
online rebate paper return generator, an introduction to the website
as a “one-stop tax resource,” and current tax headlines.
The center sections of each main page contain a brief overview
with the sub-topics listed on the left-side index.
The home
and main pages are designed to make navigation quick and easy.
The menu at the top of each page links to “home,”
“tax tips,” “tax forms,” “calculators,”
“tax estimator,” and “online tax preparation.”
These resources can also be reached through the left-side index,
which contains buttons for the main categories of “home,”
“news & articles,” “federal taxes,”
“state taxes,” “tax tools,” “online
tax preparation,” and “tax professionals.”
At the bottom
of the home and main pages are small hyperlinks for the major
topic headings. The subsidiary pages offer links to the specialized
topics. The bottom of each page also links to a site map.
Tax
Professionals
The “tax
professionals” section of 1040.com provides numerous free
resources for tax practitioners under “e-file providers,”
“tax software,” “online tax preparation,”
“standards of practice,” “enrolled agents,”
“preparer tax ID number,” “earning CPE credits,”
“state tax websites,” “taxing subjects,”
“filing addresses,” “1040.com email access,”
and “free marketing materials.” The main page offers
a free 2007 desk reference from Drake Software, which includes
a preseason checklist; notes on the uniform definition of a child;
filing requirements; contribution, deduction, exemption, and credit
limits; and tax rate schedules.
“E-file
providers” contains information on becoming an e-file provider.
“Standards of practice” defines practicing before
the IRS and includes a link to Circular 230. “Enrolled agents”
and “preparer tax ID number” explain how to achieve
those designations. “State tax websites” provides
links to the tax departments of all 50 states and the District
of Columbia. “Filing addresses” offers tables of IRS
tax return mailing addresses. Taxing Subjects is a free
publication from Drake Software that users can subscribe to. “Free
marketing materials” connects to the IRS e-file marketing
brochure and the free tools that Drake provides its customers.
Other
Resources
The “news
& articles” main page uses the center of the page for
brief lead-ins to tax articles linked from a variety of newspapers.
The expanded left-side index reveals menu buttons for “articles,”
“tax tips,” and “web resources.” “Articles”
offers half a dozen short articles written by Drake personnel.
“Tax tips” presents two tips with links to related
information. The “articles” and “tax tips”
are aimed at non-experts and provide good examples of resources
that CPA firms could provide on their websites. “Web resources”
offers links to 16 external websites.
“Federal
taxes” is a very large section covering several topics.
“Tax filing basics” addresses practical issues such
as who must file, which form to file, and filing status. “Tax
rates” contains the 2007 federal tax rate schedules. “Income”
addresses common situations, including alimony, Social Security,
and tip income. “Dependents” covers the rules for
a qualifying child or relative.
“State
taxes” offers tax forms and links to states’ websites.
On “fillable forms,” users can select a state and
choose from a listing of downloadable individual tax forms. Tax
professionals may appreciate “contact your state,”
which offers links to 46 state tax departments plus the District
of Columbia.
“Tax
tools” offers a federal tax estimator, financial calculators,
and federal fillable forms. Financial calculators are grouped
under six headings: taxes, personal finance, retirement, lease,
home finance, and investing. Each topic includes several calculators.
Susan
B. Anders, PhD, CPA, is a professor of accounting at St.
Bonaventure University, St. Bonaventure, N.Y.
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