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Tax Technology Supplement 2002

13 November 2002 / Allison Plager
Issue: 3883 / Categories: IR35
Taming Technology by ALLISON PLAGER

TECHNOLOGY - LOVE IT, hate it, it is here to stay. Who can imagine running a serious tax practice without technology? Quite apart from word processing and spreadsheets, the time spent on preparing tax returns for submission to the client and Revenue is drastically reduced if tax return software is used. As well as calculating a client's income tax liability, capital gains tax can be completed in seconds, rather than hours or even days, lengthy dividend schedules can be produced without sight of the vouchers, and pension planning can be done. These jobs were very tiresome to complete manually, but automation has made them routine.

The range of software available is enormous. Looking simply at personal tax return packages, it is possible to buy a comprehensive package which copes with virtually all aspects of the tax return including any number of computations and planning. Suppliers in this bracket include: CCH Software, Iris, Sage and Solution 6.

At the other end of the scale, much more straightforward packages can be purchased which essentially produce the tax return and basic computations, but not much more. Producers in this area include Assured Solution Providers and Equa Via, who may not be household names, but provide reliable packages which are suitable for those want a simple tax return package. Then in the middle range, there are Digita, Forbes, LKA and PTP, all of whom are very well established and produce excellent software with varying ranges of functionality suitable for any sized firm.

Difficult decision

 

Undoubtedly, the decision over which package to buy must be taken with care. Whichever solution is chosen, it is not just cost, but the time that must be considered. It takes time to input data and learn the system, so no decision should be entered into lightly.

A starting point for choosing software is provided by the Taxation annual tax technology supplement. This contains a comprehensive listing of the many products on the market, together with a report of what each package purports to do. The reports are not intended to be 100 per cent comprehensive, but should give readers a good idea of the capability of a product. Further information should be obtained from the software providers, whose details are given at the end of each report.

It is also often helpful to talk to other users of a particular product to find out how reliable it is, if it does what it says will do, how good the support is, if updates issued on time, how quickly any problems are solved, etc. Software providers are usually happy to supply the names of existing users.

 

 

What is a ufo?

 

The answer is not in this instance, an unidentified flying object, but unwanted feature organiser. Anyone who uses, say Microsoft Word, will almost certainly use only a small proportion of its functions. Software packages of all types are often unbelievably powerful, capable of almost anything, except making a cup of tea, yet relatively few users will ever need all that functionality. With a word processing package, where in reality the choice is limited, the superfluous functions can be ignored.

However, with a tax package, where there is a real choice both of supplier and price, the user is in a much better position to pick a package which gives him what he wants and no more. So it is important for the purchaser to bear in mind how he expects his practice to develop and how he expects his use of tax software to develop.

 

 

Electronic filing

 

Only a hermit could not have heard that it is possible for agents as well as individual taxpayers to file self assessment tax returns on-line. Furthermore, when the Revenue's system is working at full pelt, on-line filing is very efficient. Who can quibble with the convenience of being able to file a return with a flick of button, and virtual automatic acknowledgement of receipt from the Revenue? As an example, David Forbes of Forbes Computer Systems Ltd, says that recently he went to print a tax return and then pressed the submit button. Before the return had finished printing for signature, he had the response back from the Revenue saying that the return was accepted. This compares with the 24 hour turnaround using the electronic lodgement service, which as David Forbes says 'a great improvement on paper returns, but still too slow to be interactive'.

The main drawback with filing by Internet is that it can only cope with standard tax returns, and until the Revenue adds to this, accountants are unlikely to embrace the system wholeheartedly. This coupled with the well-publicised problems that the Revenue has had with the system, relating to security and coping with demand, does not fill either taxpayers or accountants with confidence. However, the problems were fixed, and by 30 September the number of on-line filers had exceeded 120,000.

The big question for some accountants will be 'what about the electronic lodgement service?'. Once filing by Internet was instigated, it was inevitable that the Revenue would want to retire the electronic lodgement service, and this is what is happening. The Revenue announced in September that it would continue to support the electronic lodgement service for the 2003 return, i.e., until April 2004, but that it was consulting on how to proceed thereafter, clearly with a view to closing the service. However, as Solution 6's Nigel Powell says, 'the Revenue has seen the benefit of the electronic lodgement service and cannot afford to lose the thousands of returns currently being submitted by that method'. The Revenue is treading carefully, but ultimately the days of the electronic lodgement service must be numbered.

 

 

The future

 

It is tempting to think that tax software has gone as far it can go, and that future developments are becoming limited. This would be wrong. The larger providers in particular are moving into the world of e, in that they are slowly looking to the Internet for inspiration. For instance, some packages offer the possibility of sending 5 April letters electronically, and receiving back information in the same way. This is just the beginning, but soon may be as normal as using software for tax return completion.

 

 

 

 

Income tax return preparation packages

 

 

The many software packages which deal with income tax vary widely in functionality, as the following reviews show. It should be noted that with regard to the technical specifications, the recommended requirements are given. The minimum requirements may be less, but the software's performance in that environment is likely to be less efficient in terms of speed.

 

 

 

Assured Solution Providers Ltd

 

Taxchecker Professional is one of the newer self assessment packages, having been on the market for only one year. It is aimed mainly at small to medium sized firms, and also financial advisers and taxshops. The company's first tax product was a tax code checker for individuals, the individual version for SA100 (now renamed TaxcheckerSA). This was produced for the 1999-2000 tax return, and this year's software can be purchased for £19.99 on CD-ROM. It is also available online.

 

Taxchecker Professional prepares the self assessment tax return and tax computation. Payments on account are calculated automatically. The software includes all the supplementary pages, except those for MPs. The partnership return SA800 has also recently been introduced to the program, and this integrates fully with the SA100. A corporation tax module is planned for release in late 2002.

Data is entered direct on the Revenue return forms, although an interview format is available for those who prefer to use this method. The Revenue help notes are available by right-clicking on the relevant question. Accounts can be pulled in from other packages.

As Taxchecker Professional was launched when the Revenue was introducing filing by Internet, this is the electronic filing method used by the software. Electronic lodgement service is not supported.

There are a number of management facilities included, such as letter templates which the user can adapt for his own use, and other freeform letters. In addition, there is a password system, so that time can be allocated according to who has logged in to the client's file (no bill is generated).

The package integrates with TaxcheckerSA, but otherwise stands alone. However, as it is based on an Access (SQL) database, linking to other databases is, in theory, achievable.

Help comes in the guise of on-line help screens, no manual is considered necessary. A help desk is also available.

 

 

Contact: Sales Department

 

Address: Assured Solution Providers Ltd, 9 Manaton Court, Matford Park, Exeter EX2 8PF

 

Tel: 01392 824824 Fax: 01392 823523

 

E-mail: info@taxchecker.co.uk

 

Internet: www.taxchecker.co.uk

 

Cost: Taxchecker Professional £150 plus VAT; Taxchecker Professional (Partnership) £75 plusVAT

 

Recommended Windows 98 and above; Pentium II; 64mb

specification: RAM; 60mb hard disk space

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CCH Software

 

CCH Software, formerly known as FDS until it was acquired by Croner.CCH in 2001, is one of the foremost providers of tax software, having been in the business for over 25 years. It is based in Woking, where a dedicated team of people develop and support the various tax software packages produced.

 

CCH Taxpoint is the personal tax product. This is a comprehensive package, with a substantial user base ranging from top four firms of accountants to small and medium sized practices. It has huge functionality, so much so, that when it comes to upgrading the system, the developers are hard put to find something to 'improve' or extend it, and say that their aim is to improve 'usability and flexibility'.

As would be expected, Taxpoint produces the full range of personal tax self assessment related Revenue forms, together with backing schedules and computations, plus all working sheets. Free format spreadsheet schedules can be added, allowing for more flexible analysis with direct intelligent linking of data to the tax return. The user has the option of entering information either directly onto the on-screen return, via drill down or via the traditional menu system. This creates a database of client information that is carried forward each year. A 'Fast Path Window' enables the user to see what items were included in the previous year's tax return, or the same information is indicated by an asterisk against the appropriate forms of income on the drop down menus. The notes facility permits users to indicate outstanding or interesting issues to colleagues.

Lloyd's underwriters, ministers of religion, MPs, pension planner, and 'what if?' planning are all catered for by the software. The tax calculation is produced automatically, along with the relevant statements of account, and forms 303 to reduce payments on account are also available. A built in administration system monitors the client's progress. The system can be password protected at various levels. 5 April questionnaires can be produced, in bulk if required, for each client to request tax return information; e-Tax (of which more later) provides the on-line alternative to this. Letters can be written either using the library of standard letters which can be personalised, or created using the letter generator.

The business tax module automates the process of calculating the tax accounts of a sole trader. It deals with changes of accounting date and cessations, and has an asset register for capital allowances.

The partnership module produces partnership returns and supplementary pages. It has the facility to manage the production of the partnership statement and conveniently integrates with the personal tax system if partners are also personal tax clients, while also being able to cope with partners who are not held on the same system. The program handles partnerships of any size and complexity, and links in Excel spreadsheets where needed.

The software incorporates an electronic lodgement facility, and also has an e-filing module, e-Filer, for individuals and agents.

The capital gains and dividend scheduling service, CCH Gains, has been developed over many years, and originated as a main frame bureau service until it was transformed in 1999 into the interactive Windows version. It automates the preparation of investment income and capital gains schedules. It takes into account dividend payments, scrip issues, reorganisations, mergers, take-overs, de-mergers and produces dividend, capital gains tax and accrued interest schedules to support the tax return. All existing and previous capital gains tax legislation is included. The securities database is updated centrally by CCH, and users download up-to-date databases by visiting the Gains download area of the CCH website. The modular pricing and flexible usage options make Gains suitable for any sized practice. It will also be linked with relevant CCH content via the Internet.

 

CCH One Vision is a new module dealing with client and task management, effectively co-ordinating client information and tasks carried out. It provides a desktop view of each client, showing any work that needs to be done. CCH Practice Management handles the practice management, dealing with time and fees, etc.

 

CCH Trust has been enhanced and a new product, CCH Trust Plus, is also available. It deals with trust and estate work, catering for a range of trusts, including accumulation and maintenance, discretionary, interest in possession, bare trusts and estates. The relevant calculations are done automatically, and take into account the rules relating to personal representatives, trustees of unauthorised unit trusts and trustees liable at the rate applicable to trusts. Trust Plus allows for automatic allocation of beneficiaries income, produces the relevant form R185, as well as a traditional style tax computation and backing schedules to supplement the tax return.

 

CCH TaxManager provides a review of the tax return. It began life as Investigator, but was renamed in spring 2002. At the same time, the module was revamped, so that while retaining the investigation risk function, it also reviews the tax return. The idea is that the software compares the current return with that of the previous year, and any discrepancies are shown in a report which can be customised and sent to the client. The tax return is brought in electronically, which means that the module can be used in conjunction with other brands of tax return software so long as they support either the electronic lodgement service or filing by Internet. The software is linked to CCH Tax Investigations Reporter, CCH British Tax Library, and CCH Business Focus, so users who subscribe to these publications can access relevant information at the click of a button. Users who do not subscribe to them reach a static screen help. The risk assessor function is designed for accountants' use, to help them assess any areas which might give rise to an investigation. TaxManager has been developed in conjunction with IRPC Taxation Services and includes a free call to the IRPC helpline as well as limited access to Tax Investigations Reporter. In response to user requests, TaxManager has been enhanced to offer proactive tax planning and management based on a review of the return data.

 

CCH e-Tax is a web based data collection tool which can be used to obtain personal client details, tax return information, etc. electronically. It is a question and answer system based on the client's previous tax return, allowing the client to provide the information when he wants to and from any location, e.g., home or office. Help and validation are available throughout the questionnaire. Integration and data transfer between e-Tax and Taxpoint enable the client to access their standard information and review the sources of income received in the previous year. Once the form is completed, e-Tax can be used to send electronically the tax return to a client for him to authorise or supply any outstanding information; the return can be sent as a .pdf file so that he has a visual version of the electronic file. e-Tax's appearance can be customised to look as the accountant wishes, and can be hosted either from the user's website or from CCH.

CCH Software uses a true open database system, which means that data is imported and exported in real time to and from packages using a variety of common technologies as well as comprehensive API tools. This makes them particularly flexible, and able to integrate not only with each other, but many other software packages.

All modules come with downloadable manuals and on-line help. In addition, a telephone help-line is available together with user groups, newsletters, seminar programmes, and product review groups. Training is available if required at additional cost.

 

 

Contact: Sales Administration

 

Address: CCH Software, Cleary Court, Church Street East, Woking, Surrey GU21 6HJ

 

Tel: 0800 316 1191 Fax: 01483 775080

 

E-mail: info@cch.co.uk

 

Internet: www.cch.co.uk

 

Cost: Price on application. Products are priced according to modules included, number of users and in some circumstances number of cases

 

Recommended Windows 2000/XP Prof; Pentium III upwards; specification: 128mb RAM; 1gb hard disk space

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Deloitte & Touche

 

Personal Tax comprises three modules: personal tax, trust and partnership. The personal and trust modules deal with all aspects of income tax under self assessment. The user enters data either directly to the return form, or using standard schedules. The latter method allows more complex subsidiary calculations to be performed, e.g. section 128, Finance Act 1995 claims, and share pools for capital gains. The software handles expatriation issues, including tax protection, tax equalisation, hypothetical withholding tax and excess remittances, double taxation relief, foreign currency transactions, personal pensions, losses, life policies, form R40, and other Revenue forms. The trust module generates forms R185 for both trusts and estates from the return file.

Production of returns can be automated using Internet Organiser and other data collection interfaces, including links to pay and benefit systems. Tax returns can be printed in .pdf format, so that completed returns and supporting schedules can be e-mailed to the taxpayer for review and signature.

The partnership module interfaces directly with the personal tax product to prepare individual partner's personal tax computations. This is a dynamic link in that the personal tax files automatically check partnership files for changes where this feature has been used, which ensures that the personal tax file always reflects the most up to date partnership figures. Similar functionality is possible for corporate partners.

 

 

Contact: Penny Gardiner

 

Address: Deloitte & Touche, Stonecutter Court, 1 Stonecutter Street, London EC4A 4TR

 

Tel: 020 7303 3732 Fax: 020 7583 1198

 

E-mail: pmgardiner@deloitte.co.uk

 

Internet: www.abatec.deloitte.co.uk

 

Cost: Price on application

 

Recommended Windows 95 and above; Pentium II or higher; specification: 16mb RAM

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Digita Open Systems

 

Digita is an enterprising company which has been producing tax software for 16 years. It has grown over this time, so that there are now 53 people engaged in the development and supply of tax software. The company has a longstanding but unique working partnership, described as a 'consulting relationship', with Microsoft, and one advantage of this for Digita is that its well known software package, Taxability Pro, is accredited by Microsoft for Windows and Microsoft Office. In addition, Digita designs and builds the Microsoft United Kingdom personal finance portal MSN Money and the CD-ROM Microsoft Money.

However, not content with developing software per se, Digita has successfully moved into the provision of Internet services, and is responsible for the following online tax services: FT.com, MSN, RBS Group, BOS Group, Norwich Union, Yahoo, and Freeserve.

Digita's personal tax package is Taxability Pro. It is straightforward to navigate, and handles most aspects of the self assessment tax return, including partnerships, Lloyd's underwriters, and ministers of religion. Although not previously supported, the next release will support the pages for MPs. The Revenue help notes and help sheets are included. Tax is calculated automatically, giving the payments on account, and the form SA303 for reducing payments on account can be produced. On the capital gains tax front, the user has to calculate the total gains in some cases, as the system copes with disposals only from one pool. It does, however, handle taper relief and losses, both of the current year and brought forward, and it allows the gains to be entered as a net gain before taper relief. A separate fully comprehensive capital gains tax module is under development and due for release in the near future. However, as an interim enhancement this year, Digita has obtained a comprehensive dividend data feed from the Financial Times. This facility calculates the dividends on shares. The feed for the FTSE100 is free of charge, but there is an additional fee for the enhanced feed.

Pension and what if? planning are possible. Accounts details can be imported from various other software packages, such as, CaseWare, Viztopia, Sage, VT, ProAcc, Eureka, and Excel. The system also has practice management links with Caseware Time, Practice Engine, and ProAcc Procost, and Star.

The business tax module is an integral module in Taxability Pro, and deals with all areas of business tax. It calculates basis periods, assessable profits, capital allowances, overlap relief and copes with changes of accounting date. It produces the partnership forms and other required reports and summaries. All relevant data is posted automatically to the partner's personal tax return.

Recently, Digita and Butterworths Tolley have entered into a partnership to allow Digita users who subscribe to Butterworths Tolley's online tax reference service to access the information through Taxability Pro. Users who prefer not to go online will be pleased to learn that the next release of the software will include links to the CD version of the tax reference service.

With regard to electronic filing, Digita has gone down the filing by Internet route exclusively, and no longer supports the electronic lodgement service, on the not unreasonable grounds that this is where the future lies.

Digita is to release a comprehensive workflow management system which is intended to improve operational efficiency and assist the user with risk management. Tools include Tracker which is a workflow management tool through the practice, client enquiry which manages workflow within the return and client costing, which allows a points based system which also ties in with a fixed cost fee ability. Further tools in the area of review and risk management are under review and due for release shortly.

The packages come with a manual online, and a hard copy can be supplied at extra cost. Similarly, training can be arranged at extra cost if required. Other help is available in the form of online help-screens, telephone hotlines, newsletters, and seminars. New help technology has been added, and this will include interactive tutorials. An evaluation copy on CD is available.

 

CoTax Pro is the corporation tax module. This handy module creates and stores company details, and produces the CT600. It calculates the period for which a form CT600 is required, performs simple computations, and produces backing schedules to accompany the return. It also copes with a company's capital allowances.

Other products include CoSec Pro, a company administration package; Eforms Pro, which prints a range of approved Revenue and Companies House forms; and P11D which Digita distributes in conjunction with PKF. AccountsPro, a final accounts solution, is due for release in 2003.

 

 

Contact: Karen Green

 

Address: Digita Open Systems, Rolle Street, Exmouth EX8 1HE

 

Tel: 01395 270273 Fax: 01395 268893

 

E-mail: kareng@digita.com

 

Internet: www.digita.com

 

Cost: Taxability Pro: from £199; CoTax Pro: from £109; CoSec Pro: from £199; eForms Pro: from £149, renewal from £99; P11D: from £135. All prices exclude VAT and depend on client numbers

 

Recommended Windows 2000 and above; Pentium 2,

 

specification: Celeron 300+; 64mb RAM (Windows 95/98), 128mb RAM (Windows 2000); 100mb hard disk space

 

 

 

 

 

 

Drummohr Technology Ltd

 

Drummohr Technology is a well established concern which has produced Tax Assistant since 1994. The user base ranges from the sole practitioner to medium sized firms of accountants with sizeable networks, as well as lawyers, financial advisers, and tax shops.

The program comprises an integrated suite of linked modules. The Tax Return module covers all self assessment tax years, and carries forward the appropriate data each year. All areas of the tax return are catered for including Lloyd's underwriters and ministers of religion. The user has a choice of how to enter data: this can be done directly on to the on-screen tax return, by using pull-down menus, a tool bar, or page selection tabs. The user can put additional information on notepad pages using context sensitive notepad icons, and this information is printed in the form of supporting schedules. The various calculators available include ones for business tax, car benefits and capital gains tax. Pension planning, what if? planning and change of accounting year planning are all catered for. Data can be imported from accounts production software packages. The user can print an information request for each client for the next year's return, and the return can be printed in summary form.

The tax calculation is done automatically using the Revenue's calculation, with a summary version also available. The calculation deals with lump sum payments, chargeable event gains, top slicing relief and the non-resident's exemption. It calculates the payments due on account, as well as the form SA303 for reducing those payments. An estimated calculation of the current year's liability is also available.

The database, TaxBase is fully compatible with Microsoft Access, and holds the tax related information for all clients, such as names, business and employment details, and pension contributions. An internal tax administration record is created for each client, and a diary feature lists various events for up to four years. Other administration features include a register of tax office addresses, a dividend database of over 200 companies, mail merges, and the generation of standard letters.

 

DELTA is the electronic lodgement service/filing by Internet module available at an extra cost. Electronic lodgement is supported for individual, partnership and trust returns, and approval for the year ended 5 April 2002 was received in April. Drummohr estimates that approximately 30 per cent of its clients took the electronic lodgement service option in 2001-02. The software is also compatible for filing by Internet, although currently Drummohr sees little demand for this among its clients who use the electronic lodgement service.

Other modules include the Partnership Return and the Repayment Claim, which deals with the Revenue R40 form, both are similar to the Tax Return module. The Trust Return module is available at extra cost. There is a Pensions Planner for allocating tax relief arising from retirement annuity payments and personal stakeholder pension contributions, and this covers the tax years 1988-89 to date. Finally there is a Corporation Tax Return module which calculates the tax due, including starting rate and marginal small companies relief.

The package comes with a manual, and training is supplied at an agreed price. Other available support includes on-screen help, a telephone help-line, and fax and e-mail. It is available on CD-ROM and updates of the program can be downloaded from Drummohr's website. A free evaluation kit is available containing a limited version of TaxBase and the Tax Return programs.

 

 

Contact: Sales

 

Address: Drummohr Technology Ltd, Dunfermline Business Centre, Izatt Avenue, Dunfermline KY11 3BZ

 

Tel: 01383 738123 Fax: 01383 738137

 

E-mail: sales@drummohr.com

 

Internet: www.drummohr.com

 

Cost: Tax Assistant: £312 plus VAT for a one year licence for a single user, £72 plus VAT for each additional user

 

Recommended Windows 95 and above; Pentium 500 or specification: above; 64mb RAM; 150mb hard disk space; CD-ROM drive

 

 

 

Equa Via Software Publishing

 

Equa Via Software Publishing has produced self assessment software since 1996. Called Tax 2002, the software can be purchased on an individual or professional basis.

The software produces Revenue approved personal tax returns, including the pages for partnerships, trusts and capital gains. The pages for ministers of religion and Lloyd's underwriters are not available. The taxpayer's liability is computed automatically, along with the calculations for payments on account, although not the form for reducing payments on account. The Tax 2002 Professional version of the program has the facility to produce the full partnership return. Information is entered using an interview format, and optional wizards help simplify this process. Alternatively, a new feature in 2002 for professional users who want to enter information quickly is rapid data entry. Each set of pages has its own rapid data entry screen through which all the relevant information for that section can be entered.

 

Tax 2002 is compatible for filing by Internet, but not for electronic lodgement service.

The package comes with on-line help screens, Internet assistance, and a premium telephone help-line. Training can also be supplied. The Revenue help notes are included, as is context sensitive help.

 

Tax 2002 Professional is an effective program which is essentially a form filler with some useful administration facilities. For instance, a client tracker called the welcome menu keeps track of when a client's information is received, the dates the return is sent to the client for approval and then submitted to the Revenue, when an invoice was raised, etc. It does not carry out tax planning exercises, but for the practitioner who is looking for a software package which produces professional looking tax returns and automatically computes the tax calculation, this product is very good value.

 

 

Contact: Sales

 

Address: Equa Via Software Publishing, Borough

Business Centre, Neild Street, Oldham

OL8 1QG

 

Tel: 0800 195 0709

 

E-mail: info@equavia.co.uk

 

Internet: www.equavia.co.uk

 

Cost: Tax 2002 Personal (up to five tax returns): £21.27 plus VAT; Tax 2002 Professional (unlimited returns): £199 plus VAT

 

Recommended Windows 95 and above; Pentium; 16mb RAM; specification: 200mb hard disk space

 

 

 

Excelsior LawDesk Ltd

 

There are various niche companies in the software market and a successful one is Excelsior LawDesk Ltd, now in its seventh year of operation. Formed by David Williams, this is a small concern which produces software for trusts and estates work. A former partner and now consultant to a firm of solicitors in Brighton, he is also a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners.

Approved, calculating replicas of the 40 plus pages of the new IHT 200 with its supplementary pages and worksheets are included in ProbateDesk, an Excel based product which assists with estate accounting. It can be used to compile estate accounts and print interim statements as well as store information regarding the estate more widely and actions taken in the administration. ExecutryDesk is the Scottish version of ProbateDesk and includes the new forms C1 and 2.

The calculating replicas are also available as standalone products as FormDesk - IHT 200 and FormDesk - IHT 200 Scotland (which again includes the new forms C1 and C2). Work is in hand in creating calculating versions of the new C4 (corrective account/inventory) for inclusion in the above products and a version of the C4(S) for inclusion in the Scottish products.

Excelsior LawDesk has regretfully withdrawn work on the automated on-screen version of the SA900 trust and estate tax return. The extensive work involved coupled with the high marketing costs rendered the commercial return uneconomic.

However, production has continued of another product, FormDesk - Residuary Income Pack 2002, which was released at the beginning of the tax year. This is a calculating version of the form 922 (statement of residuary income) issued by Inland Revenue Trusts plus linked worksheets and R185 (estate income) forms for ten beneficiaries per template. It can be used for any size of estate, not just those where a 922 is issued.

All Excelsior LawDesk products are based in Excel, so their appearance and operation should be familiar to many and easy to use. Work sheets can be inserted and linked from Excel if required and if computer memory permits. There are various on-screen text notes on the forms, but the software assumes that any forms are being filled in by someone who has a working knowledge of trusts and estates. Being based on Excel spreadsheet template files they can be used on most personal computers. The packages are supplied on floppy disk, or on CD-ROM.

 

 

Contact: David Williams

 

Address: Excelsior LawDesk Ltd, Summerfields, Furners Lane, Henfield, West Sussex BN5 9HS

 

Tel: 01273 494978

 

E-mail: inform@lawdesk.co.uk

 

Cost: FormDesk - IHT 200 - £485 plus VAT for one user and £75 plus VAT for additional users. FormDesk - IHT 200 Scotland - £550 plus VAT for one user and £100 plus VAT for additional users. FormDesk Residuary Income Pack 2002 - £145 plus VAT for one user and £75 plus VAT for each additional user. ProbateDesk - £2,100 plus VAT for a two user licence and £375 plus VAT for each additional user. ExecutryDesk - £2,995 plus VAT for a two user licence, and £375 plus VAT for each additional user. No annual maintenance charges, but for ProbateDesk training costs and for ExecutryDesk training and travel costs are payable.

 

Recommended Windows 98 or above;

 

specification: Microsoft Excel 97 or above for FormDesk - IHT 200, FormDesk - IHT 200 Scotland and FormDesk Residuary Income Pack 2002; Microsoft Excel 2000 or above for ProbateDesk and ExecutryDesk (and FormDesk - Trust and Estate Tax when available); 64mb RAM; files take from approximately 0.9mb to 2.2mb hard disk space.

 

 

 

Financial Software Ltd

 

Financial Software Ltd is a specialised software house that has been operating in the United Kingdom for the past eight years. It has developed and markets a capital gains tax software solution called CGix which calculates chargeable gains and allowable losses on a portfolio.

 

CGix contains capital gains tax legislation from 1965 and holds corporate event data for all United Kingdom listed companies since early 1982. Financial Software receives data from four different data vendors and can provide a global corporate event service. CGix corporate event transaction types cover over 80 capital gains tax specific definitions of corporate events.

The product is able to integrate with standard investment management systems through a configurable interface, thus allowing the investment management system to use the database to calculate and format reports and what if? scenarios. Other key features include:

 

* intelligent, graphical what if? functionality;

* election for 1982 values;

* automatic calculation of costs and indexation allowance;

* detailed audit trails;

* short sales;

* loss allocation; and

* taper relief.

 

A client list is available on request.

The company is developing ties and solutions with other institutions and software vendors.

 

 

Contact: Christie Sarlemyn

 

Address: Financial Software Ltd, 6th Floor, Windsor House, 39 King Street London EC2V 8DQ

 

Tel: 020 7776 9850 Fax: 020 7600 9117

 

Internet: www.financialsoftware.co.uk

 

Cost: price on application

 

Recommended SQL Server 2000, Pentium II 266 or higher, specification: 256mb RAM

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Forbes Computer Systems Ltd

 

An independent producer of tax return software since 1992, Forbes Computer Systems Ltd's tax program, ProTax provides excellent value for money and is particularly suited to medium and small sized firms of accountants.

 

ProTax is available in modules which can be bought individually or as a complete suite. ProTax Starter (Personal Tax) prepares and produces the self assessment tax return. Other modules include: ProTax P11D which produces forms P11D, ProTax Partnership for producing the SA800 return, and ProTax Trust for the SA900 trust return. The corporation tax package (ProTax for Pay and File) is effectively a form filler which can link to a spreadsheet where the company accounts may be held, and from which information the form CT600 can be produced. There is also a capital allowances program, an adjusted profits package, a planner for Schedule D cases (ProTax Planner), time recording and Companies House forms software.

 

ProTax deals with the income tax return, producing the forms, schedules and a complete personal tax liability calculation. Data can be entered directly on to the tax return form which is shown on-screen, or via pick-lists. The system handles Lloyd's underwriters, ministers of religion, R40 repayment claims, pension planning, other what if? planning, form SA303 for reducing payments on account, and can be used to produce a range of standard letters. Accounts can be imported into the system from many external accounts providers such as VT, Auditman, Caseware, Sage and Viztopia.

The useful Notes-on-line feature gives the user a considerable range of information including:

 

* the entire Revenue guidance notes for completing the tax return and helpsheets;

* the user manual on-line;

* the complete version of the 'Tax Exchange users guide', and the 'Information pack for Efilers';

* notes from Forbes Computers' conference and training days;

* interactive on-line help;

* various other technical notes.

 

Registered users can update their software from Forbes' website, from which they also have on-line access to Notes-on-line.

Forbes also oversees www.tax.co.uk, a service which allows members of the public to complete their tax returns using the ProTax software, and then e-mail the forms to an accountant who checks the return, faxes the approved summary off for signature, and sends the form to the Revenue electronically.

Returns can be submitted using the electronic lodgement service module, ProTax ELS. The software is also compatible for Internet filing. The module also allows batch processing of large numbers of returns through the Revenue's filing by Internet system.

Modules can be purchased individually, or as the ProTax Combination which includes the personal tax, partnership, planner, capital allowances, tax return log, corporation tax and Revenue guidance notes, as well the client database.

The software comes with a manual, on-line help screens, telephone help-line, Internet assistance, and training can be supplied at an extra cost. Newsletters, user groups and seminar programmes are also available.

 

 

Contact: Sales

 

Address: Forbes Computer Systems Ltd, 38 Station Road, Woburn Sands, Milton Keynes MK17 8RU

 

Tel: 01908 584674 Fax: 01908 584676

 

E-mail: sales@forbes-computers.co.uk

 

Internet: www.forbes-computers.co.uk

 

Cost: ProTax: from £195 plus VAT

 

Recommended Windows 98; Pentium; 32mb RAM; 10mb hard specification: disk space

 

 

 

 

 

 

Instant Tax Refund

 

The number of employees who are obliged to work at home for even one day a week is rising, and yet a significant number of them are not aware that they can claim tax relief for part use of home for work. Even if they do, they would not know what to claim and how.

This where Instant Tax Refund comes in. This is designed to enable such employees to calculate any tax which can be reclaimed relating to the expenses incurred when working at home, such as the additional cost of heating, lighting, and other expenditure. The employee answers a series of questions posed by the program, and on completion, a letter to the tax office, together with supporting computations, based on the employee's responses is automatically produced. Refund claims going back up to six years can be dealt with, and the program also produces employees' claims for using their own cars for work and flat rate expenses under Extra-statutory Concession A1.

Corporate multi-user licences are also available.

 

 

Contact: David Kitley

 

Address: Instant Tax Refund, 7 Clarefield Drive, Pinkneys Green, Maidenhead, Berks SL6 5DW

 

Tel: 01628 626330 Fax: 01628 781306

 

E-mail: DIKitley@aol.com

 

Internet: www.instanttaxrefund.co.uk

 

Cost: £39.95

 

Recommended Windows 2000/NT; Pentium; 64mb RAM; specification: 1mb hard disk space

 

 

 

Intuit

 

Intuit Ltd acquired TaxCalc from Which?, part of the Consumers' Association, in May 2002. However, apart from the change in ownership, little about the software has changed. There are effectively three versions: a professional version (TaxCalc Plus), a version enabling taxpayers to complete their returns themselves, and TaxCalc Lite which is a free downloadable version of the program suitable for basic tax returns.

 

TaxCalc Plus allows the user to produce an unlimited number of personal tax returns, and handles the preparation of a form SA100, all the SA100 supplementary pages including Lloyd's underwriters and ministers of religion. Data can be entered either using the interview process, which guides the user through the program in a step-by-step format, or by using the navigator panel, which allows data entry via a series of pick-lists. The tax return form is shown on-screen, although data can not be entered directly on to the form. A tax summary is produced showing the taxpayer's total liability, with additional pages providing a complete breakdown of how the figures are reached. The system produces a straightforward tax summary, calculating the payments due on account, and also produces the form SA303 for reducing payments on account. Capital gains tax computations can also be done.

What if? planning is possible, although not pension planning or change of accounting date planning. Data is carried forward year on year.

The program is compatible for Internet filing, but not for the electronic lodgement service.

The software comes with a manual, and there is a free support line.

 

TaxCalc Plus is an excellent no frills tax return software program, which is effective at what it does. There are few planning features, but for the practitioner who wants to automate tax return compliance at a reasonable price, this program is one to consider. It is principally sold to tax professionals in small to medium sized firms, non-tax professionals, financial advisers and tax shops.

 

 

Contact: Call Centre

 

Address: Intuit, 36-38 Market Street, Maidenhead, SL6 8AD

 

Tel: 0800 920 140

 

E-mail: support@taxcalc.com

 

Internet: www.taxcalc.com

 

Cost: TaxCalc Plus - £114.87 (ex VAT), £106.36 to download; TaxCalc - £25.52

 

Recommended Windows 95 and above; 32mb RAM and 40mb specification: hard disk space

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

IRIS Software Ltd

 

IRIS Software Ltd is a specialist independent developer of software which has designed the entire IRIS range of financial software since 1978 and tax software since 1990. Sold under the IRIS name, the key tax products are Personal Tax, Business Tax, and the Central Database. The company's financial and independent status was secured when in October 2000 venture capitalists Lloyds TSB Development Capital made a substantial investment in the company. IRIS Software was the winner of the Best Tax Software category at the inaugural Butterworth Tolley tax awards in 2001.

One of the chief attractions of the IRIS products is that they are fully integrated, indeed some 95 per cent of clients buy the software because of this. Client data is entered into the Central Database module, and from there automatically flows into the rest of the system. The data can also be used to create automatic client letters, and for other marketing purposes.

The comprehensive IRIS Personal Tax module handles self-assessment returns for directors, partners, sole traders and individuals, and produces the relevant backing schedules and tax calculations. The software also handles Lloyd's underwriters and ministers of religion, these being new additions for 2002. Much of the required information is drawn from the Central Database, with reliefs and other income having to be entered separately. Capital gains tax is calculated automatically. The pensions planner deals with retirement annuities and personal pension contributions. The system calculates the car benefit due, and produces forms P11D for clients and employees of business clients.

The system can be password protected, and there is a context sensitive help facility. It calculates the payments on account, and can produce the form SA303 for reducing payments on account. At the start of the tax year, automatic checklist letters for each client can be organised, listing the relevant entries in the previous year's return and asking the client to enter in the current year's figures.

The IRIS Business Tax module deals with limited companies, partnerships and sole traders. It produces the CT600 for companies, and the self assessment partnership tax return for partnerships, taking the data from the client's accounts in the Central Database. Wholly and partially disallowed accounts are flagged within the database. Details from the Fixed Asset Register module are taken to provide the basis for the capital allowances schedule. The detailed corporation tax computation takes into account apportionment over fiscal years, marginal rate relief and losses carried forward or backward. Partners' shares of profit are calculated automatically, and details placed in the appropriate personal tax records. Sole traders' data is automatically stored in the personal tax record for transfer to the self employment schedule of the SA100.

In something of a new move for IRIS, IRIS Business Tax has been made available as a standalone module on the grounds that while practitioners may want to review their business tax software, they would be less likely to want to change their existing accounts production system. This move has opened up the market for Business Tax, in that it is possible to use it in conjunction with other brands of accounting software.

The module links with Global Practice Management, a benefit of which for larger client companies will be the automation of quarterly payments.

Another useful feature is the extract/import facility by means of the purchase of a 'screen', whereby users can extract a client's data from the main system and put it onto a laptop computer. Thus a client's tax can be worked on during say a visit to the client, and then downloaded later onto the main system.

The IRIS Dividend Service is a separate module which links to the London Stock Exchange, providing users with information on all United Kingdom listed companies. Clients' dividends are calculated automatically and entered into the relevant boxes on the tax return.

Electronic lodgement capability is included in the software, and some 31 per cent of the company's clients are estimated as taking up this option, although not all may finally use it. It also allows for filing by Internet for agents.

Practice management functions are provided by the Global Practice Management module. Its key element is job scheduling, so that, for instance, the user can keep track of returns, assign tasks, and compile 'to do' lists. It is available all the time, so that employees can work on other IRIS modules at the same time. However, it also has a data-mining capability, whereby the user sets a question to produce a report on personal tax data. The user can ask specific questions such as How many clients had personal pension with XYZ insurance company?, and using the resulting information, check whether further retirement planning, etc. should be considered. It is effectively a way of making better use of existing information in order to offer a more rounded tax service.

Other modules available include AutoMail which generates routine correspondence for clients. This has a wide range of templates which the user can amend and store as necessary. Time & Fees automates the timesheet process, collecting the information to raise invoices. It also allows supervisors to monitor employees' work. There are also Accounts Production and Fixed Asset Register modules.

Planned for November 2002 is a trust tax return module. This will deal with the principle trust tax forms and computations. It will link with the practice management module, so that for instance when a trust is created, it will be logged as an event.

Another new module to be launched in the near future is a company secretary module. This will include all the relevant forms.

Overall IRIS products are suitable for virtually any sized practice, with the smallest 'starter pack' system holding up to 25 clients. At the other end of the scale, the upper limit for large systems is 16 million clients.

The package comes with a manual, and training is available at extra cost. Additional help is available via online helpscreens, a help desk, Internet assistance, newsletters, customer user groups, and seminar programmes. The system comes on CD-ROM, and users may download updates, KnowledgeBase and fact sheets from the IRIS website.

 

 

Contact: Sales and Marketing Department

 

Address: IRIS Software Ltd, Riding Court House, Datchet, Berkshire SL3 9JT

 

Tel: 01753 212444 Fax: 01753 212297

 

E-mail: enquiries@IRIS.co.uk

 

Internet: www.IRIS.co.uk

 

Cost: Business Tax from £800; Personal Tax from £1,200; Dividend Service from £385, Trust Tax from £280. IRIS Starter Pack (i.e. Accounts Production, Personal Tax, Business Tax, Fixed Asset Register, Auditor, AutoMail) starts at £1,219 for 25 clients on a standalone basis

 

Recommended Windows 98 and above; 128mb RAM; 500mb specification: hard disk space

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LKA Consultants

 

LKA Consultants is an independent specialist tax software vendor. The company began producing Objective Tax, its personal tax software, in 1992 and is one of the few smaller providers to have survived the sometimes volatile tax software market. This is an indication of LKA's commitment to the market and also of the effectiveness of the software.

 

Objective Tax is a comprehensive and inclusive package, consisting of a tax return program, a P11D package which calculates car, beneficial loan and other benefits, a corporation tax module (which produces the form CT600 and does all the necessary calculations), a basic bookkeeping and accounts program, tax administration and pro formas module, an R40 package, a capital gains tax module, and a range of business tax calculations, such as start and cessation of trade and overlap relief.

The software supports the electronic lodgement service via an additional module which is available for a small charge. Filing by Internet is planned, but only once the Revenue ceases to operate electronic lodgement service.

The package provides good value for its price. The personal tax module produces the full SA100 return, the full partnership return (coping with up to 100 partners), and trust returns. The package does not deal with Lloyd's underwriters or ministers of religion, but this is largely because there is no demand from Objective Tax software users.

The capital gains tax module is quite powerful, coping with chattels, land, shares, indexation and taper relief. It will perform complex capital gains computations.

There is a change of year and pension planner, so what if? planning can be carried out. Double tax relief calculations are also possible. Accounts can be imported from a number of other accounting packages including Sage Apex, Viztopia, and VT, and data can be exported to other packages for further processing, such as a word processing application, if required. The tax computation uses Microsoft Explorer, although if the user does not have Explorer, the software produces its own version.

Data can be entered either directly onto the tax return using the on-screen return in conjunction with the clearly denoted work sheets (such as the one for car benefit details), or by means of drop-down menus showing key income sources. Each client can be exported separately, should the user wish to keep individual copies with the client's file.

The administration section includes password protection and the ability to update topical data such as retail price index figures, official interest rates and Revenue tax office addresses. Tax returns can be prepared back to 1993. The database can also be used to produce a range of reports, such as a checklist based on the previous year's data entered for a client, and can be used for labels, circular letters, marketing and mailshots. The time and billing module integrates fully with Objective Tax.

The software is simple to use and performs well. It is aimed at tax practitioners and accountants in any size firm, and the number of users is currently estimated at 1,200.

The package comes on CD-ROM with a manual, and customers receive a Budget update, maintenance/fix disks, etc. free. Support information is also available via the Internet. A full technical help desk is available for telephone callers for the first 30 days following the purchase of the product. However, thereafter telephone help is only available at the additional annual price of £160 plus VAT. This includes full telephone support and any required special upgrades to fix individual problems. E-mail, fax and mail support is free for the whole year.

 

 

Contact: Sales department

 

Address: LKA Consultants Ltd, 415 Limpsfield Road, Warlingham, Surrey CR6 9HA

 

Tel: 01883 382564 Fax: 01883 382564

 

E-mail: sales@lka.co.uk

 

Internet: www.lka.co.uk

 

Cost: Objective Tax £235 plus VAT; Objective Time: £195 plus VAT; ELS module £45 plus VAT

 

Recommended Windows 95 and above; Pentium 166+; 32mb specification: RAM; 100mb hard disk space

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PTP Software Ltd

 

PTP Software has been producing tax software since 1994, and is part of the ubiquitous PTP Group which also comprises the Professional Training Partnership and Professional Tax Practice. The tax packages are developed largely by third parties or in joint ventures, as well as by the firm's own programmers.

TaxReturn, PartnershipReturn and TrustReturn can be taken together as a Tax Platform. The benefit of the Tax Platform is that it makes use of data common to all three returns, and means that users can access all years from one program.

TaxReturn is the income tax return package, and is used by over 2,500 practices. It is particularly suited to small to medium-sized practices. The software has been designed to be easy to use. Information is entered on to the tax return, rather than a menu system, with a fan icon taking the user to the many backing schedules available. An eye icon indicates that information was included in the previous year. Tax calculations are performed automatically, and a validation system checks that the information all corresponds. Lloyd's underwriters and ministers of religion are covered, although the R40 repayment form is not, and data can be imported from various accounts preparation packages. The system can be password protected. It also has a dividend database, and an events section enabling the user to track the progress of the client's affairs. The Revenue help notes are available by using the F1 button.

It is possible to produce a range of reports and standard letters from the software, and there is a mailmerge capability. It handles both the electronic lodgement service and filing by Internet for an extra charge. The capital gains facility deals with computations, although there are restrictions on the number of events it can handle. The software does not have a pension planning facility, but other 'what if?' planning can be done using CGT Planner and TaxFast, the module dealing with change of accounting year.

An on-line manual and hard copy installation guide are supplied. Training is available at extra cost, currently £350 for a half day, although few users apparently take up this option. In addition, there are on-line help screens, a telephone hotline, and Internet assistance.

Partnerships are dealt with by the PartnershipReturn module. This has the same look as TaxReturn, and is similar to operate, using the same database. Once a partnership's details have been entered onto the PartnershipReturn, the partners can be added by clicking as appropriate from the list of clients contained in the TaxReturn database. When the partnership information has been dealt with, it will automatically make the appropriate entries on the partnership supplementary pages.

TrustReturn also uses the style of TaxReturn, and deals with any type of trust, performing the various required calculations. The program includes a dividend database and links to the TROIKA trust management program.

TaxFast is the year end planning, current year basis and change of accounting date module, which also includes adjustments for the abolition of the cash basis, the ability to calculate tax provisions for partnerships, and a separate input facility for partners' personal expenses.

CTReturn is essentially a form filler for corporation tax self assessment, which collects the data, performs the calculations and checks the necessary boxes have been completed. It has similar reporting and correspondence facilities to the TaxReturn program. The module includes an adjusted tax computation and capital allowances calculator. Small companies marginal relief is calculated automatically, and there are built in checks.

TaxData has been available since 1996, and contains a vast array of useful tax information including tax rates, allowances, and addresses. In addition, the principal claims and elections are included as pro forma documents, which can be cut and pasted for submission to the Revenue. Wizcalcs enable the user to carry out calculations on screen in respect of authorised mileage rates, small companies marginal relief, VAT, etc.

 

The Professional Office is the practice management package. This comprises time recording, billing and work in progress, client addresses, marketing functions, ledgers, reports and system administration. Thus the user automises much of the administration, for instance by creating customised marketing or reports. TPO Lite is a truncated version of this for users who do not require the full version.

 

Company Car Planner was launched in June 2001. The idea of this package is that the user inputs the basic data relating to the employee, including the make and model of vehicle, tax and National Insurance rate, and the program then calculates the benefit for the period over which the car will be provided. The user can then proceed to view the alternative methods of funding based on a combination of in-built and user-defined factors.

 

CGT Planner was originally launched in 2001 following the introduction of taper relief. It takes into account all the original and subsequent legislation relating to taper, enabling the user to calculate a client's capital gains tax liabilities. The user enters the details of the transaction, acquisition date and costs, disposal date and proceeds, any other related costs, etc., and the program automatically calculates the capital gains liability taking into account all the available reliefs, including retirement relief, hold-over and roll over relief. An 'optimiser' function will show the most beneficial time to complete the disposal.

 

VAT Transaction Analyst checks the VAT thought process and documents the result for the client, useful for VAT specialists and general practitioners alike. The program takes the user through the constituent aspects of a transaction in order to ascertain the correct VAT treatment.

Finally, IHT Planner was launched in July 2002. In two modules, the first deals with the calculation of lifetime transfers and the chargeable estate; the second one, which will be released later, will deal with the completion of form IHT200.

A demonstration CD of the various products is available.

 

 

Contact: Sheila Higgins, sales manager

 

Address: PTP Software Ltd, 10 Lakesmere Close, North Oxford Business Centre, Kidlington,

Oxford 0X5 1LG

 

Tel: 01865 370470

 

E-mail: sales@ptpgroup.co.uk

 

Internet: www.ptpgroup.co.uk

 

Cost: TaxReturn: from £99 plus VAT to £575 plus VAT. PartnershipReturn: from £99 plus VAT to £299 plus VAT. TrustReturn: from £99 plus VAT to £575 plus VAT. CTReturn: from £99 to £555. Company Car Planner: from £99 plus VAT to £199 plus VAT. CGTPlanner from £99 plus VAT to £199 plus VAT. TaxFast: from £99 plus VAT to £199 plus VAT. IHT Planner from £99 plus VAT to £199 plus VAT. VAT Transaction Analyst from £99 plus VAT to £199 plus VAT. Link to ELS or FBI: £99 plus VAT, optional on site installation for ELS (plus travel expenses): £250. Pricing is subject to number of returns (where appropriate), and whether on

network or stand alone basis

 

Recommended Windows 98; Pentium 3 350 Mhz+; 64mb specification: RAM and 100mb hard disk space

 

 

QMS Ltd

 

QMS is a small, but committed independent company which develops and supplies taxation software, having produced SA2000 for six years. This software is an Excel spreadsheet with a database, so if the user is familiar with Microsoft Office, then he will find it straightforward to use.

Personal tax returns are dealt with using the individual tax return module. This shows the tax return on screen, and the user enters information directly on to the form being led through the return using the tab button. The software calculates the tax automatically using its own version of the tax calculation, and there are in-built cross-checks to ensure that the responses on the return are consistent.

The useful 'Know your client' page provides a summary of the client's income and tax bill. Other features include a pension planner, and the Lloyd's and ministers of religion pages. The package does capital gains tax calculations, coping with taper relief if the user enters the percentages; however, there is no record of the retail prices index. Capital gains tax calculations are performed, and taper relief is accounted for if the user enters the percentages; however there is no record of the retail prices index. An additional capital gains tax module is available which calculates indexation, taper relief and follows the new rules for purchases and sales. Information can be imported from accounts preparation packages, such as PracticeNet, Sage, and VT Software.

There are modules for partnership returns, and trust tax returns with additional analysis for beneficiaries. An automatic link operates between the partnership and individual returns, and there are additional reports for non-residents.

 

SA2000 supports both the electronic lodgement service, and filing by Internet. These facilities are provided at no extra cost.

Another module, the CT600, produces the corporation tax CT600 form and calculates the tax automatically. It has extra sheets for accounts reconciliation, and details of the tax computation. While this module is essentially a form filler, and is not intended to do anything more complex, it has been enhanced, and includes facilities to calculate and record capital allowances.

The software is simple to use, particularly if the user is experienced with spreadsheets. It comes with a manual, and training can be supplied at extra cost. Other support comes in the form of a help desk, and newsletters.

The company has a working relationship with the Mercia Group Ltd to produce and keep up to date software for the corporation tax tax return.

A version of the individual tax software can be downloaded from the company website.

 

 

Contact: Andrew Bolton

 

Address: QMS Ltd, 4 Huxley Close, Godalming, Surrey GU7 2AS

 

Tel: 01483 429078 Fax: 01453 761951

 

E-mail: sales@sa2000.co.uk

 

Internet: www.sa2000.co.uk

 

Cost: SA2000: individual tax - £300; PA2000 - £200; CT600 - £250

 

Recommended Windows 95; Pentium II; 64mb RAM; and specification: 10mb hard disk space

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sage (UK) Ltd

 

Sage Taxation Suite is an integrated suite comprising Sage Personal Tax for personal tax compliance; Sage Business Tax for tax compliance for sole traders and partnerships; Sage Corporation Tax which is a form filler; Sage Partnership Tax; Sage Trust Tax; Sage Forms, which is a tax, regulatory and Companies House form filler package; and Control Centre which is a central database and administration package.

 

Sage Personal Tax is a comprehensive package producing the SA100 form, calculating income tax, and capital gains. It is straightforward to use, with a 'wizard' taking the user through the steps of setting up a client. The user uses the keyboard or the mouse to move around the program, and enters information direct onto the on-screen tax return. Where the user is responsible for husband and wife, the relevant information is linked.

The system deals with all the P11D information, coping with more than one company car held at the same time, and changes a year. Information can be password protected at various levels. Additional information can be added to the client's tax return, and there is also a notepad for information or reminders which are not to be included on the return. Non-residents, ministers of religion and Lloyd's underwriters are all catered for. In addition, there is a pension planner, and it is possible to carry out change of accounting year planning.

With regard to dividend information, there is on-screen access to securities database listing all relevant transactions of United Kingdom listed companies.

The main database is fully integrated, and data can also be imported and exported from most other accounts production systems. The Control Centre practice management database provides a central administration function, storing client data, and producing reports, letters and analyses all of which can be customised by the user. Client details can be exported into Microsoft Word if required. Client information is carried forward year on year, and batch production of client specific 'annual data questionnaires' based on the information provided for the previous year's return is also possible.

An on-line manual is included with the software, and extra training, if needed, is available. Other support includes telephone hotlines, Bulletin Board, newsletters, seminar programmes and product review groups. Updates can be downloaded from the Internet.

The add-on modules for Partnership and Trust returns all link with the same Control Centre administration system.

Sage supports both the electronic lodgement service and filing by Internet.

All software prices are based on numbers of users and clients, and discounts are available for multi-product purchases. It also possible to pay on a monthly basis.

 

 

Contact: Sales department

 

Address: Sage (UK) Ltd, Accountants Division, Building 3, Exchange Quay, Salford Quays, Manchester, M5 3ED

 

Tel: 0870 011 6000

Internet: www.sage.com

 

Cost: Sage Personal Tax - from £500; Sage Business Tax - from £333; Sage Corporation Tax (form filler) - from £250

 

Recommended Windows 98 and above; Pentium PII 233; specification: 64mb RAM; 3.2gb hard disk space

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Solution 6 (UK) Ltd

 

One of the most well-known names in tax software is Solution 6 which has produced the well-used PerTAX family of products since 1982. Solution 6 is a subsidiary of Solution 6 Holdings Ltd, a quoted company in Australia, which is the largest software supplier to time based professionals in the world providing applications in the Asia-Pacific region, North America and Europe. In the United Kingdom, Solution 6 products are used by some 1,200 firms.

Solution 6's integrated suite of comprehensive software covers personal tax, trusts, partnerships, securities, capital gains tax, business tax and corporation tax. Clients' names and addresses, for instance, once entered in one application, are available to all other PerTAX and non-Solution 6 applications in use. The software is being constantly refined and new products are being developed to ensure that users can make full use of current technology. For example, the PerTAX Family can now run under the database platform Microsoft SQL, the scalability and robustness of which is likely in particular to be of benefit to larger firms.

 

PerTAX produces the SA100 form, and handles all aspects of personal taxation, including Lloyd's underwriters, MPs (including the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Ireland Assemblies), ministers of religion, R40 forms and SA303 forms for claiming reduced payments on account. Information is entered on the tax return by drilling down to underlying data entry screens, or through a data entry menu system, with the information automatically being carried through to the tax return. Notes can be created using the yellow memo note feature, and they can then be attached to the relevant page of the tax return, highlighting, for instance, a problem or a matter that needs particular attention.

The tax liability is calculated automatically, as are pension or retirement annuity premium reliefs where applicable. Information can be transferred in from any accounting system which can provide a simple text file in the required format. This includes all major accounting software suppliers.

The database is user-definable, which allows, say particular groups of clients, e.g. barristers, to be grouped together. This is useful for both administration and marketing purposes. A further enhancement is PerTAX eSP, an optional module which integrates into existing versions of PerTAX. PerTAX eSP is a data warehousing tool which enable users to make queries and produce reports on personal tax data. It has a drag and drop facility which allows accountants to drill down into data to ask specific questions such as How many clients had earnings of over £50,000 and are aged over 55?. Using the resulting information, the user could in this instance offer retirement planning, etc. In essence, the idea of PerTAX eSP is to help the user provide other levels of service, and to control risk in practice.

The optional Aide Mémoire module is an intelligent mail merge facility which can be used to obtain the relevant tax return information from clients. It produces questionnaires or standard letters using Microsoft Word templates, which can be personalised as the user wishes. The letters can be posted or e-mailed to clients. Perhaps a natural progression from the Aide Mémoire facility is PerTAX eQuest launched in 2002 This is an electronic product which goes a step further, in that it uses the information already contained in a client's tax return to generate a questionnaire relating to the client's next tax return. The user can either e-mail the questionnaire to the client as an attachment, or post it on the user's website. The information is encrypted for security, and is password protected so that only the client and the adviser can access it. The client can complete the questionnaire electronically, and then return it. The beauty of the product is then that the user effectively presses a button, and the new information is automatically entered onto the relevant tax return, i.e., without the need to re-key anything.

The partnership tax module, ParTAX, produces a facsimile SA800 and supplementary pages. It uses the information from the PerTAX Family database and handles multiple accounting periods within the tax basis period. Data can be imported from external sources, such as a trial balance, and the information integrates fully with PerTAX so that the individual partner's allocation of income is included in the partnership pages of the personal return.

The BusinessTAX module handles all aspects of the business tax requirements for unincorporated businesses including updating personal and partnership tax returns, and integrates fully with the other PerTAX Family products. The software uses the information from PerTAX to set up a case, and examines all the data to determine the correct basis period for the taxpayer. This comprehensive module deals with various aspects of self employment including the change of accounting date rules, overlap relief, capital allowances, asset movements, and farmers' averaging. If required, a spreadsheet link provides a link between BusinessTAX and the user's own special partnership sharing arrangements, so that the user can use his own Excel based spreadsheet preferences.

 

SecTAX is the securities and capital gains tax system, linking to PerTAX. It tracks a client's share dealings, recording dividend and interest received. The software uses an interactive wizard to automate the otherwise time-consuming task of tracing a capital gains tax history.

 

TrusTAX deals with the administration of trusts and estates, calculating the tax liability of the trust or estate and printing a facsimile SA900 trust and estate tax return. A link exists between it and the Solution 6 Trust Accounts package for completion of the return.

Earnie P11D is linked to PerTAX, and produces forms P11D, calculating benefits, such as car benefit, accommodation, automatically. It can also be used independently of PerTAX.

Solution 6 has always supported electronic lodgement and received Revenue approval for the year ended 5 April 2002 in May 2002. Approximately 15 per cent of its clients took the electronic lodgement service option in 2001-02, and Solution 6 will continue to support electronic lodgement service for as long as the Revenue offers it. The software is also compatible for filing by Internet, and in 2001-02, Solution 6 estimates that three per cent of its clients used this facility.

With regard to help and support, the products come with in-built help. Training is provided for a fee. In addition, there are on-line help screens, a help desk, website with extensive support information and facilities, customer user groups, newsletters, seminar programmes, and product review groups.

Existing clients can download all updates from the Internet, and an evaluation copy of the software is available from the sales department.

 

 

Contact: Marketing Department

 

Address: Solution 6 (UK) Ltd, Meridien House, 100 Hanger Lane, Ealing, London W5 1EZ

 

Tel: 020 8997 5500 Fax: 020 8991 0535

 

E-mail: marketing@solution6.co.uk

 

Internet: www.solution6.co.uk

 

Cost: Prices on application

 

Recommended Windows 98 and above; Pentium 266; 128mb specification: RAM; 200mb hard disk space

 

 

 

Streets & Co

 

IHTPlanner is a comprehensive inheritance tax planning software program launched in early 2002, and which has been under development for three years. It comprises two main modules: an individual planning module and a discretionary trust planning module.

The individual module handles most aspects of inheritance tax. Its many features include the ability to calculate tax on lifetime gifts when made and recalculate on death, taking into account taper relief, allocation of annual exemptions, quick succession relief, business property relief and agricultural property relief, and single and double grossing up. In addition, it will produce a summary of transactions, the relevant transactions and the tax payable and when. It also shows how the tax is allocated between beneficiaries and between different items of property.

The discretionary trust planning module handles both pre and post March 1974 trusts. It calculates the exit charges and ten year anniversary charges, and also produces a report summarising transactions and the tax liabilities.

Both modules allow the user to compare different options by entering multiple scenarios.

Technical help modules also form part of the package. The business property module establishes the amount of relief due for different classes of property, taking account of excepted assets, changes in rates of relief, clawback on death, replacement of assets, and change of ownership. The quick succession relief module calculates the amount of that relief due.

The reports and calculations can be produced as Word documents, or other word processing documents. Alternatively, the program has its own word processor.

Aimed at both the specialist and general practitioner, IHTPlanner is straightforward to use, and offers considerable time savings, quite apart removing much of the hassle factor in doing inheritance tax calculations manually.

 

 

Contact: Streets & Co

 

Address: Tower House, Lucy Tower Street, Lincoln, Lincs, LN1 1XW

 

Tel: 01522 551200 Fax: 01522 533234

 

E-mail: colmmccoy@streetsandco.co.uk

 

Internet: www.streetsnet.org

 

Cost: £299 plus VAT for a single user licence for 12 months

 

Recommended Windows 95 and above; 32mb hard disk space

 

specification:

 

 

 

Tax Office Software Ltd

 

Tax Office Software Ltd has quietly been producing tax software for the Macintosh market for seven years, making it available as a Windows product more recently.

The tax return package is called Tax Manager and produces form SA100, the various supplementary pages and the tax calculation. Information is entered direct onto the on-screen tax return form, from which the relevant computations, for instance, capital gains tax and payments on account, are calculated. The form for reducing payments on account can also be produced. There is an administration system, and standard letters can be produced. Form CT600 is also included in the product.

This is not an all singing all dancing product, and does not, for instance, deal with Lloyd's underwriters, ministers of religion, repayment forms or interest calculations. However, a broad range of standard information is included, such as all the Revenue guides which are available in Adobe Acrobat format, and other databases including tax offices, National Insurance offices, and Collectors.

The package cannot be used for tax planning, and does not support the electronic service or filing by Internet. However, the point and value of Tax Manager is that it is extremely competitively priced, producing professional tax returns and computations, and this will suit many tax agents requirements.

In addition to Tax Manager, David Ross produces Wages Clerk, a payroll system suitable for small businesses and accountants who deal with clients' pay-as-you-earn responsibilities.

 

 

Contact: David Ross

 

Address: Tax Office Software Ltd, 3 Wood Row, Throop Road, Bournemouth BH8 0DN

 

Tel: 01202 513666 Fax: 01202 514888

 

E-mail: david@taxoffice.demon.co.uk

 

Internet: www.taxoffice.co.uk

 

Cost: Tax Manager - from £25; Wages Clerk - from £50

 

Recommended Windows 95 and above; 32mb RAM; 30mb specification: hard disk space; (or Macintosh System 7.6+; Macintosh Power PC)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Taxshield Ltd

 

Taxshield is a brand name of Price Pearson Ltd, a West Midlands firm of chartered accountants. Initially launched in 1995, the tax software products are designed and tested within the company to ensure compliance and ease of use. It is also personally endorsed by one the partners of the company, Arnold Homer, who is one of the authors of Tolley's Tax Guides. The software is used by any size firm from sole practitioners to the big four.

 

Personal Tax Manager Professional 2001/2002 is the self assessment software which produces Revenue approved personal tax return forms SA100, R40 and SA800 together with the supplementary pages.

A control tracking system allows the user to track each individual return from start to completion. A guidance panel is shown on-screen at all times. The tax calculation is produced, showing payments on account. Data from other accounts packages cannot be imported, although information can be brought in from Taxshield P11D Manager, and data can be carried forward year on year. 'What-if?' planning is possible by amendment of existing data, but there are no pension planning, change of accounting year facilities. The adjusted figure for capital gains tax needs to be entered manually, but the system then deals with it in the calculation.

Electronic lodgement is not available, but the software is compatible for filing by Internet.

 

Personal Tax Reporter Solo is also available and this permits the completion of three personal tax returns. It includes filing by Internet capability.

The corporation tax module Corporation Tax Manager 2001/2002 was launched in April 2001. This produces forms CT600, all the supplementary pages, and potentially unlimited computations. It allows Schedule A computations, and calculates capital allowances. Two versions are available: one for simple returns, and one for more complex returns.

Taxshield is planning to launch a new business tax module by the end of 2002 to handle sole traders and partnerships. Business Tax Manager will calculate adjusted Schedule D Case I and Schedule A profits and capital allowances. It will integrate with the personal tax product, or can be used on its own.

All the products come with an on-line manual and telephone support. There are also on-line help screens, newsletters, and the Revenue notes and help sheets are included. In addition, there is a premium rate telephone helpline available on 0906 3022200 offering taxation support and product back-up. Full back-up is available for assistance on installation, training, and completion on 01384 456780. Evaluation copies of the software can be downloaded from the company's website.

 

 

Contact: Sally Price, Jenny Long or Deborah Symonds

 

Address: Taxshield Limited, Finch House, 28-30

Wolverhampton Street, Dudley, West Midlands DY1 1DB

 

Tel: 01384 456780 Fax: 01384 455991

 

E-mail: sales@taxshield.co.uk

 

Internet: www.taxshield.co.uk

 

Cost: Personal Tax Manager Professional - from £175 plus VAT to £1,005 plus VAT; portable version available for £40 plus VAT; Personal Tax Manager Solo (3 returns) - £19.99 plus VAT; Corporation Tax Manager - from £120 plus VAT to £700 plus VAT

 

Recommended Windows 95 or above; 64mb RAM; 60mb hard specification: disk space

 

Corporation tax

The corporation tax software market has experienced something of a shake-up in 2002. One of the oldest and most familiar products in the corporation tax software market, Taxsoft, has been discontinued by Sage, and former users are adapting to Abacus, the software developed originally by Andersen. ADAPS Consultants which has featured in previous years has withdrawn its corporation tax software to concentrate on its treasury products. The packages covered in this category are chiefly comprehensive corporation tax products, and priced accordingly. However, many of the leading income tax software suppliers include or offer a corporation tax module which may be little more than a form filler, and these are not described below.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CCH Software

 

CCH Corporate was developed specifically for corporation tax self assessment, and covers accounting periods ended on or after 1 April 1998.

The product looks similar to the other CCH Software products, and produces the various Revenue corporation tax forms including the CT600 and CT600 supplementary pages. It produces a comprehensive computation and supporting schedules which are dynamically schedule referenced.

Data is entered using drop-down menus, or by use of the 'data navigator' which is based on an 'explorer-tree type structure'. The data navigator can be useful for review purposes, and enables the user to see what items were included in the previous year's computation.

The package deals with most aspects of corporation tax, including advance corporation tax, shadow advance corporation tax, chargeable gains, capital allowances, and it calculates tax payment automatically, showing instalments where applicable. Other features include income and expense analysis, tax planning screens, and claims and election tracking.

A 'briefcase' facility allows the user to work on a case away from the office, and then bring back the updated version to the database.

A built in administration system monitors deadlines, and will report on outstanding liabilities and those due for action or payment. As with other CCH Software products, the open database allows the user to produce his own reports, and caters for direct links from other accounts packages. Using Excel 97 links, spreadsheets which have been prepared during the audit can be copied into the system, and relevant figures assigned back to the appropriate data entry fields, as well as new spreadsheets being created within the system.

 

 

Contact: Sales Administration

 

Address: CCH Software, Cleary Court, Church Street East, Woking, Surrey GU21 6HJ

 

Tel: 0800 316 1191 Fax: 01483 775080

 

Internet: www.cch.co.uk

 

Cost: Price on application. Products are priced according to modules included, number of

users and number of cases.

 

Recommended Windows 2000/XP Prof; Pentium III upwards; specification: 128mb RAM; 1gb hard disk space

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Deloitte & Touche

 

Abacus Corporation Tax includes modules for general United Kingdom corporate tax, authorised investment funds, life company taxation, petroleum revenue tax and royalty. The software is licensed to the tax departments of some 250 major companies in the United Kingdom, including 60 of the FTSE100. It is also used throughout the tax practice.

The software is spreadsheet based, providing a transparent tax calculation, so users can insert additional schedules which will automatically link to existing schedules and user defined schedules into the pro formas as required.

The general corporation tax version has an extensive suite of standard schedules covering investment and multiple trade companies, and more specialist companies, e.g. oil ring-fence companies. It copes with long and short periods of account, foreign currency and foreign exchange. It also has a set of schedules for estimating the payments on account required under corporation tax self assessment; and interest calculations are dealt with.

The group module provides an up-to-date tax position for the group, and controls group relief and group payment allocations, advance corporation tax, shadow advance corporation tax, and EUFT surrenders between group members. The module also assists with notional inter-group transfers under section 171A. The underlying computations are updated automatically. A set of deferred tax schedules summarise the information contained in the underlying computations and calculate the aggregate group tax position.

Other features include a full audit trail, full automatic recalculation, both within and between years, automatic error trapping and automated cross-referencing of all schedules.

In the areas of data collection and automation solutions, Deloitte & Touche is working with many organisations to help them improve their tax compliance process using technology. Thus a range of systems built around the Abacus system can be tailored to fit in with and improve the processes in various environments.

A range of administration tools enhance the Abacus software. But in addition to the in-built functions within the software itself, there are two other systems, which can be tailored to meet the needs of individual users.

Initial training, assistance with installation and support services are included in the first year's licence fee. On-screen help, manuals, newsletters, as well as telephone hotlines are also available.

 

 

Contact: Penny Gardiner

 

Address: Deloitte & Touche, Stonecutter Court, 1 Stonecutter Court, London EC4A 4TR

 

Tel: 020 7303 3732 Fax: 020 7583 1198

 

E-mail: pmgardiner@deloitte.co.uk

 

Internet: www.abatec.deloitte.co.uk

 

Cost: Price on application

 

Recommended Windows 95 and above; Pentium II or higher; specification: 16mb RAM

 

 

 

Finansol Ltd

 

Finansol CT600 is an automated corporation tax return package, which has been on the market since March 2000. It calculates corporation tax, marginal small companies' relief and marginal starting rate relief. Finansol CT Computation produces a tax computation from the company accounts, and has an automatic feed into Finansol CT600 for completion.

Other products in the Finansol range include Finansol Incorporation Calculator which was launched in April 2002, and can be used free from the website. All the user has to do is type his projected annual earnings into the relevant box, press 'submit', and a comparison of the tax due under the self employed rules and under incorporation follows. Finansol Salary v Dividends Calculator, launched in August 2002, helps the user choose the most tax effective combination of salary and dividends to extract from a company. It calculates all the tax and National Insurance payable by the employee and the company, the post tax earnings of the employee and the profits remaining in the company. It may be used to compare unlimited variations in company earnings, salary and dividend.

Finansol also offers Company Registration Service.

A hard copy and on-line manual are supplied with the software, and there are also on-line help screens and a help desk.

 

 

Contact: Finansol Ltd

 

E-mail: tax@finansol.co.uk

 

Internet: www.finansol.co.uk

 

Cost: Finansol CT600 and Finansol CT Computation - price on application; Finansol Salary v Dividends Calculator - £15 plus VAT

 

Recommended Any; programs take minimal disk space

 

specification:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sage (UK) Ltd

 

In 2002, Sage launched Sage Corporation Tax Advanced (powered by Abacus) v.9. This version replaces Sage Corporation Tax Professional v.8 and is a packaged product powered by Deloitte & Touche's Abacus technology. The new version for general United Kingdom corporate tax includes risk management, group and advanced plus modules. It provides a transparent tax calculation, enabling users to insert additional pre-customised schedules which automatically link to existing schedules and user defined schedules into the pro formas as required.

The general corporation tax version has an extensive suite of standard schedules covering trading, investment and multiple trade companies, and more specialist companies, e.g. ring-fence companies. It copes with long and short periods of account. Other features include full automatic recalculation, automatic error trapping and automated cross-referencing of all standard schedules. The risk module enables a full audit trail and also has a set of schedules for estimating the payments on account required under corporation tax self assessment; and interest calculations are dealt with.

The group module provides an up-to-date tax position for the group, and allows the control of group relief, group payment allocations and advance corporation tax, shadow advance corporation tax, and EUFT surrenders between group members. The module also assists with notional intra-group transfers. The underlying computations are updated automatically. A set of deferred tax schedules summarises the information contained in the underlying computations and calculates the aggregate group tax position.

Some group functionality requires the risk and/or advanced plus modules.

Initial training, assistance with installation and support services are included in the first year's licence fee. On-screen help, manuals, newsletters, seminar programmes and product review groups as well as telephone hotlines are also available.

 

 

Contact: Sales department

 

Address: Sage (UK) Ltd, Accountants Division,

Building 3, Exchange Quay, Salford Quays, Manchester, M5 3ED

 

Tel: 0870 011 6000

 

Internet: www.sage.com

 

Cost: From £700

 

Recommended Windows 98/2000/NT; Pentium PII 266; 64mb specification: RAM; 3.2gb hard disk space

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Solution 6 (UK) Ltd

As well as its personal tax products, Solution 6 also offers a corporation tax self assessment package, CorTAX SA. This produces facsimile CT600 and supplementary forms CT600A, B and C, and automatically calculates the corporation tax liability. The computations can be printed in draft form if required, and hyperlinks, shown as blue text, refer back to how the computation was carried out. The software includes a comprehensive range of cross-referenced backing schedules.

Information can be entered using drop-down menus, or by drilling down from the relevant entry in the tax return. Alternatively, the user can use shortcut keys to carry out all operations via the keyboard.

 

CorTAX SA handles capital allowances, shadow advance corporation tax, close companies, groups, investment companies, and trading companies.

On-line help is available based on an Explorer tree structure, with hyper links to specific topics.

 

 

Contact: Marketing Department

 

Address: Solution 6 (UK) Ltd, Meridien House, 100 Hanger Lane, Ealing, London W5 1EZ

 

Tel: 020 8997 5500 Fax: 020 8991 0535

 

E-mail: marketing@solution6.co.uk

 

Internet: www.solution6.co.uk

 

Cost: Prices on application

 

Recommended Windows 98 and above; Pentium 266; 128mb specification: RAM; 200mb hard disk space

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tax Computer Systems Ltd

The only company in the United Kingdom specialising in corporation tax software is Tax Computer Systems Ltd. This independent company was established in 1991, and launched its software, Alphatax in 1997. While the company operates independently, each customer is seen as a joint venture partner, and equity investors include KPMG.

 

Alphatax is a fully comprehensive package specifically designed for corporation tax self assessment. Operating in a Windows explorer tree environment, the software deals with all aspects of a company's corporation tax needs. Tax rules programmed in the system relate back to 1 April 1987. The package covers compliance, planning and tax accounting, production of the CT600 form and backing schedules, and copes with trading, investment and property companies, as well as multi-trade companies, investment companies with trades, and divisions and foreign branches. It produces full capital gains tax computations, including wasting assets and leaseholds. It handles capital allowances, including industrial buildings allowances, expensive cars and capital allowances given by discharge or repayment. The package copes with long periods of account, making reasoned splits of expenditure (such as time apportionment) which can be over-ridden for any peculiarities. Management reports can be customised to the precise requirements of clients so that risk factors, client service exposures, and planning opportunities can be monitored. Group relief is possible and a group planning feature allows flexible management of a large corporate structure. In addition, the package deals with tax accounting, deferred tax and shadow advance corporation tax. The tax and retail prices index tables from Tax Computer Systems' website can be downloaded.

The system interfaces with all reputable accounts and ledger systems, including SAP, Oracle, Peoplesoft, CODA, Tetra, Hyperion and Viztopia.

 

Alphatax is available as a standard, full working package with no client number restrictions, and is sold across the board from the largest firm of accountants to small firms, as well tax professionals in corporate tax departments. While there is one version of the software regardless of the size of the user, some aspects can be 'turned off' if the user does not require them. The facility for dealing with quarterly payments is an example of this.

The software comes with a hard copy manual and a quick reference guide. Training is supplied at additional cost. The maintenance and support services include on-line helpscreens, telephone hotlines, e-mail support, customer user groups, newsletters, product review groups and an annual user conference.

 

 

Contact: Catherine Pinkney, Sales Department

 

Address: Tax Computer Systems Ltd, Centurion House, London Road, Staines, TW18 4AX

 

Tel: 01784 410369 Fax: 01784 410335

 

Internet: www.taxcomputersystems.com

 

Cost: All packages - price on application

 

Recommended Windows 95 and above; Intel Pentium; 32mb specification: RAM; 20mb hard disk space

 

Employment packages

Suppliers of employment tax packages are numerous. They range from one-man bands and niche software companies up to the big four firms of accountants and mainstream software companies. The products accordingly range in capability. Some deal with every aspect of dealing with benefits and expenses removing all the hard work from dealing with forms P11D and related matters, to straightforward pay-as-you-earn calculators which tell the employer how much tax and National Insurance should be paid on an employee's salary. Full-scale human resource and payroll software products are not covered.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Deloitte & Touche

Deloitte & Touche benefit software, P11D and Choice! is licensed by more than 200 large companies across all industry sections.

The P11D software is a comprehensive, flexible benefits compliance system which produces information for the Revenue and employees in a variety of printed and electronic formats, including e-mail and intranet publications.

The software produces forms P11D and P46(car), configurable employee letters, and files for magnetic media submission to the Revenue. It also calculates the cash equivalents for all benefits. It copes with multi-employee benefits and multi-web access, and produces a full range of management reports, e.g., Class 1A National Insurance contributions by cost-code, and user-defined reports can be printed and exported.

Information can be carried forward year on year, and new data can be added through intuitive benefits screens, or using the flexible importer from spreadsheets and most payroll packages.

The software comes with initial training, full hotline support, regular updates, and client days.

 

Choice! is a flexible benefit employee modelling and administration package, which provides web-enabled benefit selection and automated scheme management.

 

 

Contact: Penny Gardiner

 

Address: Deloitte & Touche, Stonecutter Court, 1 Stonecutter Street, London EC4A 4TR

 

Tel: 020 7303 3732 Fax: 020 7583 1198

 

E-mail: pmgardiner@deloitte.co.uk

 

Internet: www.abatec.deloitte.co.uk

 

Cost: Price on application

 

Recommended Windows 95 and above; Pentium II or higher; specification: 16mb RAM

 

 

 

FleetPro Technical Services Ltd

 

DriveSmart was developed in 2000 to help advisers, employers and company car drivers decide whether it was more cost effective to drive a company car or opt out. It takes the user through a four step process that applies the tax legislation to the relevant data, and explains the results both in narrative and mathematically. The software is simple to use, and likely to prove extremely useful to both employers and employees who are unsure about the desirability and cost effectiveness of having a company car. The software won the Best Tax Software category in the 2002 Butterworth Tolley tax awards.

Step 1 calculates how much tax the company car driver will pay under the carbon dioxide emissions system. Step 2 estimates the driver's budget for opting out, including the savings in Step 1 and any after-tax allowance, mileage payment or fuel reimbursement from the employer. If the cash allowance is not yet known, DriveSmart will calculate the grossed up allowance required. Step 3 estimates the running costs of the driver's own car, and Step 4 compares the cost to the driver of running his own car to that of using a company car. It then possible to perform what if? planning. If the driver decides to opt out, DriveSmart can be used as an electronic log book to record daily business mileage for tax relief purposes. It also automatically produces letters to the Revenue to claim adjustments to a driver's pay-as-you-earn tax code, and final tax relief at the end of each tax year.

 

DriveSmart is linked to the CAP Motor Research database of cars, including prices, options, equipment lists, residual values, running costs and carbon dioxide emissions.

In addition, DriveSmart has a direct link to www.drivesmart.co.uk which has a detailed on-line library covering the tax rules on company cars and opting out.

Another package, FleetPro is aimed at car manufacturers, leasing companies and accounting and tax professionals who advise businesses on fleet funding. In brief, it compares the pre and post tax operating cost of outright purchase, leasing, contract hire, contract purchase and cash allowances.

 

 

Contact: Russell Thoms

 

Address: FleetPro Technical Services Ltd, PO Box 103, Twickenham TW2 5RT

 

Tel: 020 8893 8053 Fax: 020 8893 8054

 

E-mail: info@fleetpro.co.uk

 

Internet: www.fleetpro.co.uk

 

Cost: DriveSmart - £39.99 (add £19.99 for the CAP database); FleetPro and DriveSmart can be rented for £199/month

 

Recommended Windows 3.1 and above; Pentium II 233; 64mb specification: RAM

 

 

 

Homestore Mobility Technologies

Formerly known as The Hessel Group, Homestore Mobility Technologies was founded in the United States, and formed a limited company in the United Kingdom in 1994 when the United Kingdom relocation tax rules changed.

Homestore Mobility Technologies' software is designed to track and report relocation expenses and other human resource data, and prepare the P11D/PSA/W2 reports. The software is called RMS4 (Relocation Management System) and was released in January 2000, effectively replacing the original United Kingdom product, DRTS (Domestic Relocation Tracking System). RMS4 has an open architecture database, which allows information from or to other packages to be imported or exported.

The software shows eligible expenses under the statutory £8,000 limit and amounts chargeable to tax. Data is extrapolated to show total expenses paid to individual employees, amounts paid in excess of the statutory limit and the amount of grossed up tax due. Gross-ups can be calculated at marginal rates or by using tax tables.

A P11D tax report worksheet is included, which can show either no gross-up, a fixed rate gross-up or tax table calculation for dealing with those employees whose relocation expenses and benefits move them from the standard to the higher rate of tax. In addition, the software will produce pay-as-you-earn settlement agreement reports. Calculations and reports are produced at the touch of button.

The package is free at source, and is charged on a 'per move' basis. Moves can be purchased in blocks. It comes with a manual on disk, and training is available at a cost of £1,000 a day. In addition, there is a help desk, newsletters, and seminar groups. A demonstration version of RMS4 is found at www.reloviews.com.

 

ReloViews is a business to business, Internet based global relocation information and operating platform, aimed chiefly at corporations and other organisations involved in relocating employees. The platform allows complete employee expense and supplier management and provides a log-in for administrators, consultants and employees who are being relocated.

 

 

Contact: Geoff Davidson

 

Address: Homestore Mobility Technologies, PO Box 139, Crowborough, East Sussex TN6 1WW

 

Tel: 01892 669901 Fax: 01892 669902

 

E-mail: geoff.davidson@669901.com

 

Internet: www.hessel.com

 

Cost: RMS4 £50 for each case entered, discounts available by volume, ReloViews price on application

 

Recommended Windows 95 and above; Pentium 3; 128mb specification: RAM, 50mb hard disk space

 

 

 

KPMG

KPMG has been producing P11D software since 1995. KPMG P11D Solutions, is easy to use, and produces P11D, P46 (Car), P9D, P11D(b) and Schedule 1 forms, which are Revenue-approved where appropriate. P11D information can be submitted on magnetic media and from 2002-03, the ability to submit P11D information over the Internet is planned.

The system calculates the taxable benefit in respect of all commonly provided benefits, including cars and car fuel, beneficial loans and accommodation. A wide range of reports is provided, covering the provision of full information to management as well as reports designed from the perspective of the individual employee. For example, the report advising each employee of his benefits can be extensively customised to suit the organisation's requirements and can be e-mailed to the employee as an alternative to the traditional paper format. Comprehensive reports analyse the Class 1A liability and in particular, reconcile all cases where the default Class 1A treatment has been overridden.

The application deals with employees who are only liable to United Kingdom National Insurance for part of the year. Data can be easily imported into the system in bulk, using the output from spreadsheets or other applications, thereby saving the need to re-key data already held elsewhere. Full validation is performed on all input data, whether it has been keyed in manually or imported from other software.

All the data held on the system can be exported for review or analysis by other software packages. The system has flexible security, allowing different users to have access to restricted areas of the data. A full audit trail is also provided. Subject to the number licensed, the system produces an unlimited number of forms P11D, and it is particularly suitable for use across a network.

Support includes a comprehensive printed manual, on-line help, a dedicated telephone helpline staffed by specialists, and webpages accessible only to licensed users of the system.

 

 

Contact: Penny Nicol or Nick Dolphin

 

Address: KPMG, Altius house, 1 North Fourth Street, Milton Keynes, Bucks MK9 1NE

 

Tel: 020 7311 1000

 

E-mail: p11dsolutions@kpmg.co.uk

 

Internet: www.kpmg.co.uk/kpmg/uk/services/tax/ ts_p1101.cfm

 

Cost: Depends on number of forms P11D required. Fees start from £495 followed by an annual renewal of £250

 

Recommended Windows 95 and above; Pentium 233 or specification: higher; 64mb RAM; 200mb hard disk space

 

 

 

Personal Audit Systems Ltd

Personal Audit Systems Ltd specialises in benefits and expenses legislation, and produces the P11D Organiser, a comprehensive multi-company, multi-user software package. It also provides a full consultancy service on related issues.

The software does everything necessary to complete forms P11D, and is designed to be simple to use. As well as producing the Revenue forms P11D, P9D, and P46(car), the system provides full details of benefits and expenses calculations to employees in user-friendly employee benefit statements, calculates Class 1A National Insurance contributions, and produces recoverable VAT reports for expenses and output VAT reports for car fuel benefits.

In addition it deals with section 198 claims, alerts the employee to potential tax relief on mileage allowances (compared with the fixed profit car scheme), generates management reports of expenses for individuals, and processes any dispensations, etc.

Although it is a standalone system, it can import data from any accounts, payroll or personnel package. Audit trails are provided, and there are also security features. Forms can be submitted to the Revenue electronically.

The system comes with a manual and training is available at £500 a day. There are also on-line help screens, telephone hotlines, Internet assistance, customer user groups, and newsletters. Other on-line help comes in the guise of tax tips, P11D guide and booklet 480. A self running demo version can be downloaded from the website. It also possible to download an evaluation copy, the complete product, updates, and the user manual.

The pricing structure makes P11D Organiser suitable for any size company, and it is also used by many large corporations, including Accenture, PA Consulting and the Royal Bank of Scotland.

 

 

Contact: Matthew Beech, Paul Kemp

 

Address: Personal Audit Systems Ltd, Greenheys Centre, Manchester Science Park, Manchester M15 6JJ

 

Tel: 0161 288 2188 Fax: 0161 288 3388

 

E-mail: office@p11dorganiser.com

 

Internet: www.p11dorganiser.com

 

Cost: from £249 plus VAT

 

Recommended Windows 95 and above; 128mb RAM; 50mb specification: hard disk space

 

 

 

Pergola Software

Pergola Software's Company Car package determines whether a company car and its associated benefits are worthwhile to employers and employees alike. It is easy to be use and requires minimal tax knowledge to operate.

The program automatically calculates values for car and fuel benefits (if applicable), VAT on fuel, Class 1A National Insurance contributions and motor running costs according to the information entered into the system. Where key information is required but not entered, the system defaults to the most common scenario which can be overridden when full details are available.

A summary showing the overall costs to the employer and employee can be printed or shown on-screen. The program also calculates salary alternatives showing both parties in a 'no worse-off' situation.

The package is regularly updated for rule changes. If required, Pergola will supply a personal illustration of a Company Car print-out for £25 plus VAT. A basic information sheet has to be completed by the user, which Pergola then processes to provide the printed illustration and notes.

There is no maintenance fee attached to the software price. Technical help is offered free of charge, and training is available if required.

 

 

Contact: Trevor Howard

 

Address: Pergola Software, 1 Holm Close, Burnham on Sea, Somerset TA8 1NJ

 

Tel or fax: 01278 788475

 

Cost: Company Car: £99 per annum plus VAT

 

Recommended Windows 3.1 and above; 386 processor

 

specification:

 

 

 

 

 

 

PKF

PKF's P11D software, originally developed in 1995-96, is targeted particularly at small to medium sized enterprises or divisions producing up to 2,500 forms P11D. The package is competitively priced, and is used by over 1,500 companies, from small firms to large plcs and including many accountancy practices. It is designed as an expenses and benefits management system where entries are made when most convenient to the user, for instance during the year as benefits are provided and invoices are paid, or at the year end. Flexible company and departmental structures allow employees to be grouped visually on the screen allowing easy identification and access.

Expenses and benefits can be entered individually or on an employee by employee basis, or allocated to a selection of employees in one operation. Both employee and expense/benefit information can also be imported from spreadsheets and various other systems. All data is validated for common input errors and inconsistencies before the final reports can be produced. The system produces P11D, P11D(b) and P46(car) reports.

All changes in Class 1A National Insurance contributions are supported, and the software has undergone extensive changes to include the new company car regulations. It includes look-ups for carbon dioxide emission details for new cars, avoiding the need to look them up elsewhere. User selected data can be exported to packages such a Word and Excel to produce customised reports or mail merges.

Special Employee Advice reports give a complete breakdown of calculations performed by the system, enabling employees to see how benefit values are calculated, and reducing their enquiries. These reports can also show individual expense payments such as monthly subsistence claims, which allow employees to reconcile their expense claims back to the P11D totals.

A company car/van register comes as part of the program. This records fleet details and can be used to produce reminders for MOTs, tax, etc., as well as enabling cars to be reallocated between different employees without the need to re-enter details of the car.

Information on up to 9,999 companies can be stored on PKF Employers Pack. It can produce up to 2,500 forms P11D, and supports electronic submission to the Revenue.

Help is provided in the guise of a full manual containing a tax guide for the current year, full on-line, context sensitive help and tool tips for most input fields. There is also free telephone support. Free demonstration software can be downloaded from the Internet address or requested on CD.

 

 

Contact: Jim Greenfield

 

Address: PKF, New Garden House, 78 Hatton Garden, London EC1N 8JA

 

Tel: 0808 100 7113 Fax: 020 7405 6736

 

E-mail: p11d@uk.pkf.com

 

Internet: www.pkf.co.uk/p11d

 

Cost: From £135 for up to 25 forms P11D to £1,000 for over 500 forms excluding VAT. Prices are reduced by one third for subsequent years

 

Recommended Windows 95 and above; Pentium 166 or specification: higher; 32mb RAM and 50mb hard disk space

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PricewaterhouseCoopers

 

P11D Producer, a complete P11D package, has been produced since 1996, and has been developed in line with legislative changes each year. It calculates all P11D and P9D benefits, as well as the Class 1A National Insurance contributions on benefits. Forms P11D, P11D(b) and P46(Car), and benefit statements can all be produced in a format accepted by the Revenue.

The software allows data to be imported from existing databases (payroll systems, car fleet spreadsheets, etc.), and furthermore, as a result of a working agreement with Glass's Guide, car data can be accepted direct from Glass's Guide Company Car Tax Calculator. The software captures and maintains input information on a continuing basis.

Returns can be submitted to the Revenue using electronic data submission, and the relevant forms can also be e-mailed to employees for verification or for record-keeping. P11D Producer is aimed at any size firm of accountants, and human resource departments. It offers multi-user access and security screening can be used to ensure that sensitive information is accessible only to authorised members of staff.

In addition to tool tips and context sensitive on-screen help, there is a comprehensive P11D training program built into the software as well as the full text of both Revenue publications 480 and 490. Users also have access to dedicated PwC telephone and e-mail help facilities. An interactive time limited evaluation version in CD-ROM format is available.

 

 

Contact: Michael Leimanis

 

Address: PricewaterhouseCoopers, Plumtree Court, London, EC4A 4HT

 

Tel: 020 7583 5000

 

E-mail: michael.leimanis@uk.pwcglobal.com

 

Internet: www.pwcglobal.com

 

Cost: From £450

 

Recommended Windows 98 and above; Pentium P233+; specification: 128mb RAM and 120mb

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PTP Software Ltd

 

TaxExpense, is PTP Software's expense and benefits package. It collects and reports benefits and expenses throughout the year for inclusion on forms P11D, producing the various related forms, i.e., P11D, P11D(b) and P46(Car). The system distinguishes between taxable and non-taxable expenses, and those covered by dispensations and pay-as-you-earn settlements. Class 1A National Insurance calculations are also performed.

Two versions of the software are available: one for advisers, which produces the forms only, and one for employers, which can track expenses through the year.

 

 

Contact: Sheila Higgins, sales manager

 

Address: PTP Software Ltd, 10 Lakesmere Close, North Oxford Business Centre, Kidlington, Oxford 0X5 1LG

 

Tel: 01865 370470 Fax: 01865 370270

 

E-mail: sales@ptpgroup.co.uk

 

Internet: www.ptpgroup.co.uk

 

Cost: TaxExpense: employers' version - £150 plus VAT to £499 plus VAT; advisers' version - £99 plus VAT to £325 plus VAT.

 

Recommended Windows 98; Pentium3 350mhz+; 64mb RAM specification: and 100mb hard disk space

 

 

 

QTAC Solutions Ltd

 

QTAXPro is a nifty calculator which calculates the pay-as-you-earn tax and National Insurance due on an employee's salary. It does this using a net or gross salary figure. The user has to enter the information where indicated, and the software will do all the hard work. It handles multiple weeks of pay, contracted in or out National Insurance codes, K tax codes, directors' National Insurance, and has tax and National Insurance contribution tables going back to 1997-98. The user can print a report of the details, or a payslip, and help screens are available at every stage. The software can be customised to take account of up to a hundred deductions and additions.

The product can be downloaded from the website. All that is needed to get the program working is a user pin number, and this is available by calling QTAC. The program is also available on floppy disk.

The beauty of this software is that is extremely simple to use, and it is also excellent value for money.

In addition, the company produces QPAY and QGOLD which are full payroll packages.

 

 

Contact: Mark Smith

 

Address: QTAC Solutions Ltd, Apex House, Kingsfield Lane, Longwell Green, Bristol BS30 6DL

 

Tel: 0117 935 3500 Fax: 0117 935 3545

 

E-mail: support@qtac.co.uk

 

Internet: www.qtac.co.uk

 

Cost: From £75 plus VAT per single user copy

 

Recommended Windows 95 or higher; IBM compatible PC; specification: 4mb RAM; 1mb hard disk space

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sage (UK) Ltd

Sage P11D Professional covers all aspects of benefits and expenses management, including the production of substitute forms and management reports. Developed in conjunction with Ernst & Young, it is capable of handling complex benefits packages, and expatriate employees.

As well as producing the required forms and list reports for Revenue submission the P11D data can be submitted electronically by Internet. Information can be carried forward year on year, and details can be added throughout the year.

 

Sage P11D Professional is a fast, sophisticated, multi-user program suitable for organisations with a need for volume processing, version 8, due for release in December, includes batch entry processing, benefit templates and job profiles. It includes many practical productivity features and management information analyses. It is aimed at companies, accountancy firms and payroll bureaux which have to produce between 250 and 6,000 forms P11D.

In addition, Sage produces a package for organisations with less complex benefits management requirements. Sage P11D, which is designed for employers who have to produce between one and 250 forms P11D, is also backed by Ernst & Young. It calculates all mainstream benefits, and produces P46(Car), employee's P11D copy, and all year end forms and reports.

Both products carry data over to the next year, and are fully supported by Sage's 350-strong technical helpline.

 

 

Contact: Sales department

 

Address: Sage (UK) Ltd, Sage House, Benton Park Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE7 7LZ

 

Tel: 0845 3000 900 Fax: 0191 255 0308

 

E-mail: sales@sage.com

 

Internet: www.sage.com

 

Cost: Price on application

 

Recommended Windows 98 and above; Pentium 400 or specification: higher; 64mb RAM; 3.2gb hard disk space

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Taxshield Ltd

Launched in 1995, P11D Manager 2001/2002 prepares Revenue approved forms P11D, P11D(b), P9D, P46(car) and Class 1A National Insurance report. It integrates fully with Personal Tax Manager Professional.

The software calculates Class 1A National Insurance, and contains references to the legislation, including the new carbon dioxide emissions legislation. A range of benefit calculations are included, such as cars, vans and fuel, relocation expenses, medical insurance, beneficial loans and living accommodation. Data entry is done using a navigation panel which helps the user find his way around the package. The relevant data can be transferred from year to year, and information can be entered whenever it is convenient to the individual user.

Taxshield is moving to a .net platform to allow users to access its products direct through the Internet. Expense Manager is the first Internet product written by Taxshield as a joint venture with eXml Ltd. This enables expenses to be entered anywhere at any time, and links with P11D Manager.

 

 

Contact: Sally Price, Jenny Long or Deborah Symonds

 

Address: Taxshield Limited, Finch House, 28-30

Wolverhampton Street, Dudley, West Midlands DY1 1DB

 

Tel: 01384 456780 Fax: 01384 455991

 

E-mail: sales@taxshield.co.uk

 

Internet: www.taxshield.co.uk

 

Cost: From £60 (ex VAT) plus £1 for each form P11D up to 500 forms, then 50p per P11D for the next 500 forms, and 20p thereafter

 

Recommended Windows 95 and above; 64mb RAM and 60mb specification: hard disk space

 

 

Electronic information

Electronic publishers aim to produce solutions which enhance the traditional reference books or even render them of secondary importance. The advantages of the electronic products include speedy access to databanks of information, with rapid searching facilities and the ability to copy and add to the stored details.

 

 

 

CCH

CCH forms part of the Wolters Kluwer group, and produces a wide range of tax and accountancy publications in a variety of formats, including CD-ROM and on-line. CCH acquired ABG Professional Information in January 2002.

The electronic range (although the products are also available in loose-leaf) includes among others, the CCH British Tax Library, CCH British VAT Library, CCH British Tax Guide, CCH British VAT Guide, CCH Tax Investigations Reporter, CCH British International Tax Agreements, CCH British NIC Guide, and the CCH Corporation Tax Manual.

Focussing on the CCH British Tax Library, this is available as loose-leaf, CD-ROM and on-line. The comprehensive range of information includes commentary on all United Kingdom direct tax legislation, statutes, statutory instruments, European Community legislation, and a range of extra statutory information; the Inland Revenue manuals; tax cases from 1875 to date; Special Commissioners' decisions for 2002 and previous years; and the British tax legislation. The commentary is fully cross-referenced, with hypertext links to all the legislation and cases.

The products come with user notes, and details of how to get started. In addition, on-line help screens, telephone hotlines, and newsletters are available.

 

 

Contact: Customer services; electronic helpdesk

 

Address: CCH Group Ltd, 145 London Road, Kingston upon Thames, Surrey KT2 6BR

 

Tel: 0870 241 5719 (customer services); 0870 606 8500 (electronic helpdesk)

 

E-mail: info@cch.co.uk

 

Internet: www.cch.co.uk

 

Cost: Prices vary according to each product, and are the annual subscription price, inclusive of updates, components and new developments.

 

Recommended Windows 3.1 or above; 386 or higher specification: MS-DOS 5.0 or later; 8mb RAM; 5-8 hard disk space

 

 

 

CompuCraft Ltd

 

Articles is a well established journal indexing package, and is invaluable to readers of tax and accountancy publications. It contains over 100,000 informative summaries of articles from the 50 main tax and accountancy publications including Taxation, TAXline, Tax Adviser and The Tax Journal, dated from 1991.

The latest version is on the Internet, providing immediate on-line access. Enquiries are made by simply entering one or more keywords; in addition, legislation and case references can readily be found using a phrase search. Queries may be refined by specifying particular journals and a date range. Hypertext links are included from the summaries to the corresponding full text of all material which is in the public domain and also to Taxation magazine. Three particular features of the product are:

 

* comprehensive indexing to the Inland Revenue guidance manuals, incorporating standardisation of all legislation references;

* Articles Online now includes WiseOwl Online, a knowledge management system allowing users to add their own material together with links to relevant documents held in-house or on the Internet;

* an extension to WiseOwl Online offers document imaging and indexing facilities, providing secure firm-wide access to original documents.

 

 

Contact: James MacKenzie

 

Address: CompuCraft Ltd, 38 Fir Tree Road, Wolverhampton, West Midlands, WV3 8AN

 

Tel: 01902 342154 Fax: 01902 566833

 

E-mail: articles@compucraft.co.uk

 

Internet: www.compucraft.co.uk

 

Cost: From £100 + VAT

 

Recommended Internet access

 

specification:

 

 

 

FT Interactive Data

 

Securities Taxation CD Services

Due to the huge quantity of information contained, this service now takes the form of two monthly updated CD-ROMs: Securities Taxation UK and Irish Service and Securities Taxation International Dividend Service. It is the leading and definitive range of securities taxation information with complete coverage of all United Kingdom and Irish listed securities and comprehensive international dividends.

It is still possible to subscribe to just those sections of the CDs the user requires, and the complete service is split into ten modules, which are also available in print.

Unique features available on the Securities Taxation CD Services include:

 

* all databases searchable by company name, security type, SEDOL codes, date, or free text;

* capital gains tax indexation allowance calculator which automatically calculates correct indexation allowance factors for relevant dates;

* historical dividend database going back to 1993-94 for United Kingdom and Irish dividends and six years rolling history for international dividends.

 

 

Securities Taxation UK and Irish Service

The Capital Gains Tax module contains complete details of all securities quoted on the London and Irish stock exchanges that have existed since 1982 or 1974 for United Kingdom and Irish users. T

he search engine allows the user to search by old company names, SEDOL codes or any other criteria that may appear in the record. The information supplied includes issuer name, security title, SEDOL code and the 31 March 1982 or 6 April 1974 base date for United Kingdom or Irish securities respectively.

The Capital Gains Tax Exemptions module covers the thousands of fixed interest and floating rate securities quoted on the London and Irish stock exchanges, separating those which are exempt from capital gains tax in the United Kingdom from those which are not.

Details of unlisted corporate bonds offered as a cash alternative in the event of a take-over are also included. Each entry shows issuer name and security description, SEDOL code, interest date and final redemption and price.

The United Kingdom and Irish Dividend and Interest Record includes all dividends issued on the London Stock Exchange since 6 April 1993, as well as relevant capital events, net and gross payments and tax credits or tax payable.

The Registrars Service includes name, addresses, telephone and fax numbers, as well as e-mail and internet addresses where available, for all registrars of London and Irish listed equities, and a listing of all equities issued by the company.

 

 

Securities Taxation International Dividend Service

The International Dividend and Interest Record is split into five sections: Europe, emerging markets, Japan, other countries and United States and Canada. It contains six years' history for over 150,000 securities world-wide. These modules include issuer name and security description, net and gross dividend or interest amount, tax rate, coupon number; and payable, holders and ex-dividend date.

These services are aimed at accountants, solicitors, tax practitioners and stockbrokers. Any number of modules can be installed on a standalone personal computer or networked across local or wide area networks, and is structured in such a way as to be suitable for all sizes of practices and companies. A quick reference guide and user manual are available, and on-line help screens are incorporated. There is also a dedicated support team to help with installation, technical or taxation information queries.

A two week trial CD-ROM is available free of charge and obligation.

 

 

Stubbs

Stubbs Securities Taxation Services are a complete United Kingdom and Irish taxation service available on CD-ROM covering the two main areas of dividend information and capital gains tax data back as far as 1982. The Stubbs Capital Gains Tax Service provides all the information needed to calculate capital gains and losses. It is updated monthly, including 5 April, and shows all changes from March 1982 to the end of the tax year. It is in three sections: equities, fixed interest securities and unit trusts and contains:

 

* information on all United Kingdom and Irish quoted securities with adjusted 31 March 1982 values and inflation shown separately;

* all capital events, e.g. scrip issues, rights issues, acquisitions, mergers, de-mergers, stock splits, consolidations, name changes;

* cost price apportionment/adjustment factors;

* Stubbs Negligible Value Service, which details every United Kingdom and Irish quoted security of declared negligible value since 1965.

 

 

Stubbs United Kingdom Income Tax Service is updated monthly and contains dividend and interest payments since 1994-95 and details of all capital events.

The packages come with a manual, and is considered so straightforward to use that no training is needed. Help screens and a telephone helpline are available, if required.

 

 

Contact: Jerome Hoffman

 

Address: FT Interactive Data - (UK address): Fitzroy House, Epworth Street, London EC2A 4DL, tel: 020 7825 8458, fax: 020 7608 2032

(Ireland address): Park House, 195 North Circular Road, Dublin 7, tel: 01 8059 165, fax: 01 8059 158

 

E-mail: jerome.hoffman@ftid.com

 

Internet: www.FTInteractiveData.com/tax

 

Cost: Depends on service & number of modules and licences required

 

 

 

 

IBFD Publications BV

The International Bureau of Fiscal Documentation (IBFD) is an independent, not-for-profit research foundation studying and documenting international taxation systems and investigation legislation.

It publishes a wide range of journals, loose-leaf services, books, databases and on-line services.

CD-ROMs currently available are European Taxation Database, Tax Treaties Database, Transfer Pricing Database, Latin American Taxation Database, Asia-Pacific Taxation Database, Taxation of Investment Database, and The European Tax Handbook. The organisation also offers an on-line tax news service: Tax News Service on-line and IBFD Tax Treaties on-line. In 2003, other publications will also be available on-line.

 

 

Contact: Customer Services Department

 

Address: IBFD Publications BV, PO Box 20237, 1000 HE Amsterdam, The Netherlands

 

Tel: +31 20 554 0100 Fax: +31 20 620 8626

 

E-mail: info@ibfd.com

 

Website: www.ibfd.org

 

Cost: European Taxation Database - 3,195 Eur, Tax Treaties Database - 1,410 Eur, Transfer Pricing Database - 1,035 Eur, Latin American Taxation Database - 910 Eur, Asia-Pacific Taxation Database - 1,210 Eur, The European Tax Handbook - 135 Eur, Tax News Service Online - 450 Eur, IBFD Tax Treaties Online - 1,400 Eur

 

Recommended Windows 95 and above

 

specification:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LexisNexis Butterworths Tolley

LexisNexis ButterworthsTolley produces a wealth of electronic taxation services, these having grown from the two original key products Butterworths Taxation Service (known formerly as books on screen) and Tolley's Taxlink. These products continue to flourish, available on-line or on CD-ROM, with regular update CDs. Both products can swiftly search for key names and references, and have hypertext links for instant cross-referencing, which allows the user to 'jump' from one related field to another.

Perhaps the flagship on-line product is Tax Direct, which provides the user with a complete taxation resource on-line. By means of this product the user has on-line access to the whole of Simon's Direct Tax Service, De Voil's Indirect Service, Tax Investigations Service, the Yellow and Orange and Tolley tax reference annuals, Simon's Tax Cases, Tolley's Tax Cases, Tolley's VAT Cases, the full Inland Revenue and Customs and Excise manuals, Special Commissioners decisions, tax transcripts and VAT tribunal decisions. This is further augmented by an archive of technical articles from Taxation, Tax Journal, Tolley's Practical Tax, Tolley's Practical VAT and Tolley's Practical NIC. The Tax Direct News site is a news updating service which is updated throughout the day to keep subscribers up to date with the full text of all the latest tax developments. Users can elect to be alerted by e-mail of any new developments in income, corporation and capital gains taxes, VAT, National Insurance contributions, inheritance tax, stamp duty, landfill tax, oil tax, business news, Customs news or all of these, either immediately or at decreasing intervals ranging from once an hour to once a day. Hypertext link from all new developments to relevant reference materials ensure full integration of the whole service. Furthermore, subscribers to the service can personalise the home page to reflect their own particular information requirements. Other information on the service includes regularly updated tax office addresses, a dynamically compiled tax and self-assessment calendar, Finance Bill tracking service, Budget night service, rates and allowances, and exchange rate information factors.

The many other current Tolley on-line services include: International Tax Direct, Tolley's Tax Planning Online, Sergeant & Sims on Stamp Duties, Tolley's Property Taxation Service, Accountancy Direct, Indirect Tax Online, Customs Duties Service, Hansard Finance Bill Service, Tax and Trusts Online, Tax and Company Forms and Tax Analysts Worldwide Treaties. A number of these are also available on CD-ROM. New for 2002 are Finance Directors Online and Day Ticket Tax Services, a new concept which enables those wanting short-term online access to log-on to the full Tolley range of cases and legislation for a 24 hour period for a set fee.

There are numerous data sources available in both on-line and CD products, and these come in the form of modules so that the user can choose how many or how few are needed. The Taxation Service on CD, for instance, includes Simon's Direct Tax Service, the full text of the Inland Revenue manuals, De Voil's Indirect Tax Service, the full text of Customs and Excise guidance manuals, Simon's Tax Cases and Special Commissioners' Decisions, Simon's Weekly Tax Intelligence, Butterworths Investigation Service, Simon's NIC Service, the Orange and Yellow Tax Handbooks, Tolley's Tax and VAT cases, Tolley's tax annuals, full case reports, VAT tribunal decisions and the Employment Tax Planning Set.

 

Taxlink contains similar material, but includes other Tolley annual publications such as Tax Planning and Capital Allowances, and also has the text of Revenue extra-statutory concessions, statements of practice, Tax Bulletins, and press releases.

 

Tolley's Practical Tax Service contains on CD-ROM four key Tolley annuals and the Tolley Yellow and Orange Tax Handbooks, but also includes the following hard copy products Tolley's Practical Tax Service Newsletter and Tolley's Tax Data. Also for the first time, Tolley's Practical VAT and Tolley's Practical NIC are available on the Taxation Service CD.

The products differ mainly in the working environment each uses. Taxation Service replicates the look and feel of a book in the way that it presents its data. Users select 'books' from a 'library' and the screen shows the data as if it were a page from a book with an audit trail available to the left-hand side. This facility can be switched off and replaced with a more standard Windows interface if preferred. Users can also add private and public notes to the data.

 

Taxlink has a folio working environment, a system developed for computer technology. It enables searching by word, legislation, definitions, dates, notes, book, Act or chapter. Tailor-made searches can also be added for use as and when needed. Title icons show all the relevant data sources available and a reference window keeps the user aware of where he is in a publication. Personal notes can be added and placed anywhere in the text. There is also a worked examples facility.

All products come with manuals, on-screen assistance, telephone helplines, newsletters and seminar programmes.

 

 

Contact: Sales Administration Department

 

Address: Halsbury House, 35 Chancery Lane, London WC2A 1EL

 

Tel: 020 8662 2037 Fax: 020 7400 2842

 

Internet: www.lexisnexis.co.uk

 

Cost: Prices vary considerably depending on the modules bought, and are available on request

 

Recommended CD products: Windows 95 and above: Pentium specification: P166, 32mb RAM, 8+ speed CD ROM; Window NT: Pentium P200, 64+mb RAM, 8+ speed CD ROM. Online products: PC with Internet access via modem or local area network, Internet browser should support frames,

accept cookies and be Java enabled, e.g., Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.01 or higher or Netscape 4.5 or higher

 

International tax packages

Various packages can be purchased or subscribed to which provide guidance and tax planning assistance in international tax.

 

 

beprofessional

 

beprofessional is an interactive web-based service designed to help small businesses identify and meet their tax and legal obligations. It provides quick, easy and inexpensive access to United Kingdom tax information and is written in a way that a non-tax expert will understand. Answering a series of interactive questions, the user can find out for instance whether or not he needs to be registered for VAT, or whether or not an individual worker should be classified as self employed or as an employee. The areas covered include registering for tax and National Insurance contributions, registering for VAT, VAT administration, completing VAT returns, and taxable benefits.

 

 

Contact: Howard Rosenberg

 

Address: beprofessional, Surrey House, 34 Eden Street, Kingston-upon-Thames, Surrey, KT1 1ER

 

Tel: 020 8481 3750 Fax: 020 8481 3751

 

E-mail: howard.rosenberg@beprofessional.com

 

Internet: www.beprofessional.com

 

Cost: £249 (including VAT) for a yearly subscription including updates and telephone support

 

Recommended Internet access; Adobe Acrobat Reader IE4+

 

specification:

 

 

 

Comtax

The Swedish company Comtax has, since 1985, been producing cross-border transaction software aimed primarily at multi-national companies, tax consultants, lawyers and banks. The Comtax System is a simulation tool containing a detailed database of tax rates, withholding rates and similar tax information for 120 countries, and can be customised to include countries of the user's choosing. All data is updated monthly, and can be downloaded from the Internet if wished.

The program simulates cross-border repatriation of dividends, interest and royalties with the aim of minimising tax. A company may, for example, consider an acquisition involving several companies. The user enters the necessary information to create a model representing the structure of the transaction. It may consist of an existing group structure and other relevant settings, such as different tax positions.

Once the relevant details of each company have been entered, the model can be used to provide the optimum or possible tax implications of the transaction. The calculations are performed in seconds, and provide a starting point for the planner to determine the optimum route for a company to take.

The calculations from the program are in an easy-to-read format and graphics are available. The output can be exported to other applications to be used in reports or presentations.

The Gaintax System is the capital gains tax module which simulates capital gains tax on cross-border sales of shares covering 120 countries.

Together, these two tax planning tools form a platform for overall international tax planning.

Manuals are provided, and there are also on-line help, a help desk, Internet assistance, newsletters, and seminar programmes.

 

 

Contact: Bernt Persson

 

Address: Comtax AB, Drottninggatan 7, S-25221 Helsingborg, Sweden

 

Telephone: +46 42 380420 Fax: +46 42 210184

 

Internet: www.comtaxit.com

 

Cost: Comtax System - Eur 5,200 to 25,000/year; Gaintax System - Eur 4,500 to 5,900/year

 

Recommended Windows 98 and above; Pentium III, 128mb specification: RAM; 50mb hard disk space

 

 

 

 

 

 

Deloitte& Touche

 

RateFind

Deloitte and Touche's RateFind software draws together a comprehensive listing of over 15,000 corporate income tax rates, and both treaty and non-treaty withholding tax rates on dividends, interest and royalties for 50 of the world's major trading nations. The program provides flexible options, enabling users to configure the data screens to their individual requirements, for instance according to country, income type or direction of income flow, and print out customised country reports.

The package comes on CD-ROM, with updates every January and July. Diskettes are available on request. The product comes with a manual, and a help desk is available. In addition to weblinks, there are also on-line help screens and product review groups.

 

 

Contact: Blossom Rodrigues

 

Address: Deloitte and Touche, Stonecutter Court, 1 Stonecutter Street, London EC4A 4TR

 

Tel: 020 7303 3836 Fax: 020 7583 1198

 

E-mail: brodrigues@deloitte.co.uk

 

Internet: www.corptax.com/www/TaxRates.nsf/ Documents/ratefind

 

Cost: US$100 per user per annum. Discounts are available for network versions

 

Recommended Windows 95 or above, NT; 486 processor specification: or above; 24mb RAM; 10mb hard disk space, CD-ROM

 

 

Transfer Pricing Architect

Transfer Pricing Architect is a specialist tool for transfer pricing practitioners originally launched in 1998 in the United States. It deals with transfer pricing documentation and analysis. Other features include:

 

* it helps determine what transactions should be reviewed;

* it helps determine the appropriate basis for pricing for those transactions;

* it provides a framework for the economic analysis of transactions;

* it includes 14 country specific report templates designed to comply with documentation requirements.

 

The program is supplied on CD-ROM or can be downloaded from the Internet.

A quick tour demonstration of the product is available on-line. It is accompanied by a manual, quick start guide and one day of installation and training. There are also on-line help-screens, a hotline during certain hours, customer user groups, newsletters, and an annual user conference.

 

 

Contact: Graham Eunson

 

Address: Deloitte & Touche, Hill House, 1 Little New Street, London, EC4A 3TR

 

Tel: 020 7303 4107

 

Internet: www.deloitte.co.uk

 

Cost: price on application

 

Recommended Windows 95 and above; Pentium; 64mb RAM; specification: 30mb hard disk space

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ernst & Young

 

electronic VAT Assurance is a web-based Internet site that aims to provide tax professionals who have responsibility for VAT with all the information they need to complete a company's compliance obligations in a particular country or in several tax jurisdictions. It was launched in January 2001, and is available through Ernst & Young Online, a password protected Internet site. The site was recently redeveloped and now covers more countries, contains more information, and is easier to use, navigate and personalise.

It has comprehensive up-to-date information for over 35 major trading countries world-wide, including all 15 European Union member states.

Compliance information on each country includes VAT rates and examples of items to which they apply; information necessary to complete VAT returns; European sales listings; Intrastat reports; an explanation of adjustments for bad debts; details of deductible and non-deductible expenditure; instructions on claiming foreign VAT; and a glossary of terms. There are also at-a-glance summaries of the countries, with links to each country's page in the compliance section.

A daily news feature shows the latest changes to VAT legislation, and other major developments in indirect tax. Searches are possible using a fully linked search facility, and support is provided by the Ernst & Young Online help desk.

 

 

Contact: Andrew Bradford

 

Address: Ernst & Young LLP, Rolls House, 7 Rolls Building, Fetter Lane, London, EC4A 1NH

 

Tel: 020 7951 3829 Fax: 020 7951 2490

 

E-mail: electronic.vat.assurance@uk.ey.com

 

Internet: www.ey.com

 

Cost: Varies according to amount of information subscribed to and number of users

 

Recommended Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 or Netscape specification: 6.1

 

 

 

KPMG

 

KPMG/Link and KPMG Link/Enterprise are software programs designed to provide comprehensive and efficient management of the entire international assignment process. They help human resource and tax professionals evaluate tax and compensation options for international assignments, maintain up-to-date assignee data, track assignees throughout the life cycle of an assignment, prepare compensation reports and process and report non-payroll compensation items.

 

KPMG/Link runs in a Windows environment providing familiarity to most users. It can fit various organisational cultures, but can be configured for individual client policies and licensed directly by companies.

It consists of four modules: Cost projection manager, Assignment data manager, Compensation processing manager and Transactions manager. The first of these, Cost Projection manager, performs sophisticated 'what if?' calculations for costing international assignments and contains tax data on 60 countries. The other three modules control every aspect of global assignment programmes, storing data about assignees, their whereabouts, calculating compensation packages and balance sheets with tax calculations, and tracking expenses. KPMG/Link comes with a manual, and training is included in the price.

 

KPMG Link/Enterprise is a web-based, multi-tiered program accessible via a company's intranet. It is licensed by companies that have a large and diverse group of users who need access to the system on a global scale. It revolves around the life cycle of an assignment, allowing certain activities and performing certain automatic distribution of forms and reports.

 

KPMG/webLINK is a web based version of the KPMG/LINK Cost Projection Manager. Offered on a pay-per-use basis with an initial set up fee, KPMG/webLINK provides instant cost projections and hypothetical tax calculations, on demand, over the internet.

 

KPMG/EPIC is a web based expatriate payroll information collection tool. It enables organisations to capture every element of expatriate compensation wherever it has been paid and collect this data in a single database. Once captured, the data can be used to provide accurate, timely management reports on total assignment costs.

The application also sends the data to tax service providers to enable fast, accurate processing of tax returns in the applicable jurisdictions.

The products have on-line help screens, telephone hotlines, customer user groups, newsletters and seminar programmes.

 

 

Contact: David Skinner and Geoff Perkins

 

Address: KPMG, 1 Puddle Dock, London EC4V 3PD

 

Tel: 020 7311 3315/3316 Fax: 020 7694 4066

 

E-mail: david.skinner@kpmg.co.uk geoff.perkins@kpmg.co.uk

 

Cost: Cost projection manager from £11,000, Assignment data manager, Compensation processing manager and Transactions manager from £50,000; KPMG/Link Enterprise, KPMG/ webLINK, KPMG/EPIC: price on application

 

Recommended Windows 95 and above; Pentium; 64mb RAM; specification: 200mb hard disk space

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PricewaterhouseCoopers

 

eMAXIMIN®

eMAXIMIN®, the web version of MAXIMIN®, is a software tool developed by PricewaterhouseCoopers' transfer pricing experts and written by specialist programmers.

 

eMAXIMIN® leads the user through the process of collecting and evaluating data, performing simple functional analyses, understanding what he finds and documenting the transfer pricing position globally.

The key characteristics of eMAXIMIN® include:

 

* an Internet platform allowing global multi-user access;

* cost sharing, centralised services and profit split modules;

* flexibility in handling different functional entities and in formatting functional analyses, profit and loss statements and balance sheets;

* security and administration features including the option of granting users different levels of access;

* transaction mapping and consistency checking;

* financial analysis including segmentation analysis;

* a help line, online help functions and user guide; and

* various detailed report formats.

 

Additional information can be found on the eMAXIMIN® website www.emaximin.com, which also contains a virtual tour of the program.

 

 

Contact: William Britain, Business Transformation Group

 

Address: PricewaterhouseCoopers, 1 Embankment Place, London, WC2N 6NR

 

Tel: 020 7 804 4799 Fax: 020 7804 4449

 

E-mail: maximin@uk.pwcglobal.com

 

Cost: Web edition: $15,000 for the software plus $10,000 a year; CD ROM edition with restricted functionality: £3,500

 

Recommended Web edition: Microsoft Office 97 and specification: Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0; CD ROM edition: Pentium 166; 32mb RAM; 50mb hard disk space; CD-ROM; and Microsoft Office 97

 

 

GlobalVATOnLine

The GlobalVATOnLine service provides up-to-date world-wide VAT information, supported by PricewaterhouseCoopers' network of VAT specialists. The site has both free areas, and areas that are accessible only by subscribers.

The service offers a number of features. These include a news service providing details of the latest VAT developments around the world, together with VAT articles and financial commentary. Subscribers also receive a weekly summary of the news highlights by e-mail.

Another feature is the globesearch which allows the user to access information on VAT rates, rules and information for over 70 countries around the world.

In addition, the site has information on selected VAT conferences and events, publications, and contact details of PricewaterhouseCoopers VAT experts.

Planned for the future is a VAT chat facility allowing subscribers to reach and take part in discussion forums on topical VAT issues.

 

 

Contact: Patrick Walker

 

Address: PricewaterhouseCoopers, 1 Embankment Place, London WC2N 6NN

 

Tel: 020 7583 5000

 

E-mail: patrick.d.walker@uk.pwcglobal.com

 

Internet: www.GlobalVATOnLine.com

 

Cost: Single user subscription: US$ 500, multi user subscription (maximum 10 users): US$ 2,500, prices for over ten users will be negotiated

 

Recommended Internet access

 

specification:

 

 

 

Taxware

Taxware, a division of govONE Solutions LP, a subsidiary of First Data Corporation, a United States company, produces WorldTax. This is a sophisticated tax compliance software solution that calculates and reports VAT and goods and services tax for e-commerce and traditional applications in over 100 countries across the globe.

The system has a number of features, including dealing with cross-border and triangular trades, and generating detailed reports for Intrastat, the VAT Information Exchange and VAT returns. Data can be accessed for management review at any level of detail, and users can review and finalise transaction before the reporting stage, by placing partially-completed transactions in a temporary audit file.

The package is aimed particularly at large to medium firms which deal in overseas trading, and essentially sits within the firm's existing accounting system. It is available on CD-ROM, and updates for tables can be downloaded from the Internet.

Help and support comes in the guise of a manual (available on-line or in hard copy), customer support website, telephone helplines, customer user groups and newsletters.

 

 

Contact: Roger Wilkins

 

Address: Taxware, The Lansdowne Building, 2 Lansdowne Road, Croydon, Surrey CR9 2ER

 

Tel: 020 8263 6050 Fax: 020 8263 6100

 

E-mail: rogerw@taxware.com

 

Internet: www.taxware.com

 

Cost: Price on application

 

Recommended Window 95 - 2000 or most UNIX flavours; specification: nominal mb RAM; 750 MG for all

 

Other packages

 

2020 Consulting Group Ltd

Kevin Salter FCA, ATII has worked closely with accounting software houses, notably Hartley and Digita, in recent years assisting in development and consultancy. He has been information technology director of 2020 Consulting Group Ltd for five years and has developed various business tools for the company.

2020 moved into the tax arena about a year ago with the launch of Tax Tips and Tools, a practical CD containing a variety of spreadsheet tools, tax marketing tools, letters, and computations highlighting some of the vagaries of the United Kingdom tax system that would be commonly met by the practitioner.

In 2002, three other products have been launched. These are Should I Incorporate? which is a spreadsheet model showing the tax effects of trading as a limited company, Incorporation Issues which is a checklist of all factors to be considered before actually incorporating, and New Tax Credits, a tool to calculate entitlement under the new system coming in from April 2003. They are aimed particularly at small and medium sized firms.

The products have on-line help-screens, and a help desk also provides support. The incorporation and tax credits products can be downloaded from the Internet.

 

 

Contact: Kevin Salter

 

Address: 2020 Consulting Group Ltd, Colman House, Station Road, Knowle, Birmingham, B93 0HL

 

Tel: 01564 206820 Fax: 01564 206363

 

E-mail: kevin@the2020group.com

 

Internet: www.the2020group.com

 

Cost: Tax Tips and Tools - £199 plus VAT; Incorporation Issues/Should I Incorporate - £99 plus VAT; New Tax Credits - £75 plus VAT

 

Recommended Windows, Excel 2000/XP

 

specification:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Deloitte & Touche

 

D&Tect is a customised forensic analysis package based on the ACL audit software platform which Deloitte offers as a service to clients. It takes an extract of the accounting records and runs tests which highlight transactions for further analysis or review. It also reviews supplier details for consistency.

While principally a forensic package designed for the detection of fraudulent or irregular transactions, D&Tect is also used to review transactions for VAT compliance, thus making it useful for in-house VAT practitioners.

 

 

Contact: Min Bhogaita

 

Address: Deloitte and Touche, Cedric House, 8-9 East Harding Street, London EC4A 3AS

 

Tel: 020 7303 2158 Fax: 020 7583 1198

 

E-mail: kbhogaita@deloitte.co.uk

 

Internet: www.deloitte.co.uk

 

Cost: Pricing on application

 

 

 

EQL International Ltd

Established in 1993, and from 1999 part of BPP Holdings plc, EQL International publishes e-learning titles in finance, accountancy, business and management related subjects. EQL is also actively involved in computer based examination and assessment systems.

EQL's interactive software is designed to be used without manuals or workbooks, each module being self-explanatory, and providing worked examples.

 

Interactive Taxation Tutor comprises 16 modules, each of which covers a different aspect of the United Kingdom tax system, e.g., corporation tax, losses, self assessment, VAT, etc.

Each module takes between one and two hours to complete, giving a total of 40 interactive learning hours. Learning objectives are provided for each module, and a reporting module shows if the student is achieving the objectives. The user can work at his own pace in completing the module, which allows the user to stop and start at any time.

Currently available on CD-ROM, Interactive Taxation Tutor can be installed on most networks, intranets with the option of single, network and site licences.

 

 

Contact: Karen King

 

Address: EQL International Ltd, 3 Michaelson Square, Kirkton Campus, Livingston, West Lothian, EH54 7DP

 

Tel: 01506 472255 Fax: 01506 472266

 

Internet: www.eql.co.uk

 

Cost: £99 plus VAT

 

Recommended Windows 95 and above; Pentium 133; 16mb specifications: RAM; 25mb hard disk space per course

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LexisNexis Butterworths Tolley

 

SpACE, the spreadsheet auditing software developed by Customs and Excise is now distributed exclusively by LexisNexis Butterworths Tolley.

 

SpACE has been designed to help advisers, auditors and taxpayers identify errors on computer spreadsheets, so that the correct tax is paid. It is already used by VAT inspectors and the Inland Revenue. The software uses Microsoft Excel, and is an Excel add-in. It reports information about the set-up of a workbook, discovers all hidden cells, rows, columns and worksheets, cracks passwords on protected work, and creates colour coded maps to help identify where any risks are.

 

 

Contact: Lorna Meakin

 

Address: LexisNexis Butterworths Tolley, Halsbury House, 35 Chancery Lane, London, WC2A 1EL

 

Tel: 020 7400 2705

 

E-mail: lorna.meakin@lexisnexis.co.uk

 

Internet: www.lexisnexis.co.uk

 

Cost: £99 plus VAT

 

 

 

 

 

 

PricewaterhouseCoopers

 

SecaTM

 

SecaTM (Search for Enhanced Capital Allowances) uses the data-mining technology IDEATM to interrogate clients' electronic ledgers and identify assets that qualify for 100 per cent first year capital allowances. It has been developed in response to the Finance Act 2001 and the enhanced capital allowances scheme. The client gives PricewaterhouseCoopers an electronic copy of its ledgers, say on CD, floppy disk or as an e-mail attachment, and the firm searches the data to identify and quantify qualifying expenditure.

The service is particularly suited to companies which spend at least £200,000 a year on plant, machinery, equipment or fixtures and fittings, which are likely to qualify as enhanced capital allowances. The search equations and regular updates can be made available to existing users of IDEATM.

The IDEATM software itself is available from AuditWare Systems Ltd, The Old Sawmills, Eridge Road, Eridge Green, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN3 9JR, tel: 01892 512342.

 

 

Contact: Teresa Pearce tel: 020 7804 5621; Tony Connelly tel: 0117 928 1365

 

Address: PricewaterhouseCoopers, 1 Embankment Place, London WC2N 6RH

 

E-mail: seca@uk.pwcglobal.com

 

Internet: www.tax-investigations.com

 

Cost: from £3,000/database up to 3mb in size, or basic fee of £1,500 plus VAT plus 3 per cent of gross cost of qualifying assets discovered

 

TaxScannerTM

TaxScannerTM uses the software product IDEATM to interrogate and review data for tax sensitive issues. It has been developed in response to the Revenue's and Customs' use of IDEATM as their primary tool for interrogating electronic data in support of audit and enquiries. The TaxScannerTM team consists of experienced investigation specialists who have wide experience in Revenue interrogation techniques etc., together with accounting and information technology specialists. The product:

 

* carries out risk reviews;

* solves data management problems achieved by matching information from separate systems;

* quantifies expenditure in categories such as entertainment, hospitality, capital/revenue, provisions and reserves;

* extracts and summarises specific data;

* creates client specific data searches;

* provides client training in the use of IDEATM;

* responds to Revenue and Customs IDEATM based enquiries.

 

Help is available via telephone and e-mail, chargeable on a time basis.

 

 

Contacts: Richard Wynne tel: 0121 265 6526; Tony Connelly tel: 0117 928 1365

 

Address: PricewaterhouseCoopers, 1 Embankment Place, London WC2N 6RH

 

E-mail: taxscanner@uk.pwcglobal.com

 

Internet: www.tax-investigations.com

 

Cost: Dependent upon client requirements

 

 

 

TaxUK

TaxUK has been formed from the tax department of Robert James Partnership, to create on-line products dealing with various tax matters. The products are written by tax professionals and regularly updated to take account of legislative changes, and ideas suggested by subscribers. They are aimed particularly at small to medium sized tax and accountancy practices, and are produced on-line on a subscription basis. Having subscribed to a product, the user logs in using a password, and can then make full and unlimited use of the package.

The current product range includes a comprehensive enterprise management incentives software package which leads the user through the maze of setting up such a scheme for clients, from the initial marketing, through all the necessary correspondence with the client and Inland Revenue, information requirements and legal documentation needed.

Other products include IR35 Calculator, Incorporation of a Business, Director Loan Account Spreadsheet, Use of Home as Office Calculator, Employee Benefit Trusts, Dividend v Salary Calculator, Enterprise Investment Scheme System, Taper Relief Calculator, P11D Advisor and IHT Planning.

 

 

Contact: Paul Webb

 

Address: TaxUK, 2 AC Court, High Street, Thames Ditton, Surrey, KT7 0SR

 

E-mail: post@TaxUK.co.uk

 

Internet: www.taxuk.co.uk

 

Cost: Prices on application

Issue: 3883 / Categories: IR35
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