Drake Tax

1st year user

Comments: This is my first year with Drake and it is very functional for the cost. Drake is constantly improving and listens to their clients.

Pros:

Drake has myriad training avenues and has provided for solid tax planning opportunities.

Cons:

Some of the functionality is clunky. There are fields that could auto-populate from demographics that do not. This requires repeat entries.

Powerful Professional Tax Prep Software!

Comments: There is a reason DrakeTax is the #1 Professional tax software in the US. It does an amazing job.

Pros:

I really love the worksheets feature, it is integrated so nicely and really helps me keep track of my work. The integration with the TaxBook is also very helpful!

Cons:

DrakeTax has a learning curve as it is not set up interview style, you have to know what you are doing and where to go. It also is outdated visually, it reminds me of a windows program from the 90's or early 00's.I wish the pay-per-return feature was available for corporate returns.

Wouldn't Use Again

Comments: Started off working well but went downhill in the last few years. Too many updates as well.

Pros:

I had used for 14 years. If you have simple returns to prepare, it might be OK. Otherwise, look elsewhere. Paying more money will save you time in the long run. Too many boxes to check, details to check.

Cons:

Business returns had balance sheet errors, M1 errors, depreciation errors, errors on the sale of an asset.

Great value for smaller firms

Comments: Overall we have been happy with Drake for several years now. We looked at some alternatives this summer in response to the issues our clients had with the esignature process but ultimately determined Drake was still the right fit and we found another solution for the esignatures.

Pros:

Drake is a very affordable tax preparation software that doesn't nickel and dime you for every feature. Most other software charges you extra for additional states. Drake runs quickly and covers our needs for tax preparation.

Cons:

The biggest drawback for Drake is the esignature process through Drake Portals. The system is not user friendly and many of our clients had difficulty completing the process or didn't receive clear communication once they did complete it that they were done.

Drake is a best in class tax preparation software.

Comments: Overall, very good. I'll be very sad if I need to leave them to find a better cloud-based tax software.

Pros:

I've been using Drake for over 10 years for tax prep. The pay-per-return was a fabulous price for when my practice was very small. Now that I have nearly 200 tax returns, I use the unlimited version and it's priced much better than comparable tax prep software. And their customer service over the years has been amazing. I've used several other tax software programs over the years and so far, this is the best.

Cons:

The ONLY thing I find frustrating with Drake is the inability to work in the cloud without paying $100/mo per user for their hosting service (on top of the cost of the software). I have a remote accountant that would love to help enter tax data but I'd have to pay for all of the users in my office just to have the one remote accountant have access as well so it's not cost effective. They really need a cloud-based accounting option.

Drake is OK for the price but has flaws and the product support doesn't live up to prior reputation

Comments: I tried Drake tax because I received sales calls at least 4 days a week for over a year....so I figured I'd try the PPR version. I also tried it because Drake had a superior reputation for product/customer support (i.e., when something may not appear to report correctly, they respond and address it if so). That may have been true at some point, but I haven't found it so. As a new user, over the course of about 18 months, I contacted Drake maybe 5 times about an issue with either Drake Tax or Drake Portals. In most cases, the first point of contact didn't really understand the issue (which is OK). But, I hardly ever received any callback response from anyone who could respond to the issue (after being told I would). So, as far as I am concerned, Drake has no more support or concern about potential reporting issues than any other competitor (which is generally none). As long as that's the case, it seems better to go with a tax prep software that gets reporting right more often than not, such as Prosystem, Proconnect, or Ultratax if you can afford it.

Pros:

For the money, Drake Tax offers more value compared to competitors. It's certainly not the worst. If you can't afford a more robust solution like Ultratax, Prosystem, or Lacerte, and you don't do terribly complex returns, Drake is a reasonable choice, and the Drake portal integration is pretty serviceable. The asset manager in Drake Tax is one of the best I've used, and handles group/bulk sales quite nicely. The built in integration with a document manager which automatically creates client folder structures when a new client is added is also handy.

Cons:

Allocating things between states in Drake can be cumbersome, making you create a separate tab for each state rather than allocating in a grid, etc. Certain things do not flow correctly to the return without substantial preparer oversight or adjustment. State specific codes or items, vacation home loss carryovers, QBI reporting, PY basis losses reporting on Sch E among others. Product/Customer support has historically had a good reputation, but I've certainly found the opposite to be true. I've found no more concern for product support and customer inquiries than any other platform, which takes away a big reason for considering Drake in the first place.

Great Tax Software

Pros:

Drake Tax is easy to use and is generally very accurate. I like that it pulls information from one year to the next, which saves time on data entry. It is also very easy to speak with someone from Drake on the phone.

Cons:

Sometimes navigating to a different screen can be difficult. There can also be difficulty with determining how taxes are being calculated in the program.

GREAT VALUE.

Comments: It takes some time to dive it. It would be the best value product once you get used to it.

Pros:

Its price is unbeatable. At this pricing point, it's impossible to find a comparable product.

Cons:

UI is not particularly user-friendly. It appears to be a product from 1990.

Form 8825 is manual

Comments: Use to be very good. Had very good technical with quick answers in customer service. That has totally gone downhill in the last 2 years. People answering the phone have no experience doing returns nor experience with the software. The software has many missing holes and if you don't know what you are doing as a preparer you will be sending out incorrect tax returns and the reviews do not pick up errors and there is nothing that tells you that the allocation of days on Form 8825 is manual - MANUAL!? WHAT?

Pros:

The fact that data does not carry from federal to state, Form 8825 is manual for allocation of rental days to personal days and does not tell you that (how many returns have been efiled wrong?), Hard to trouble shoot, easy for a return to be wrong if you don't know what you are doing.

Cons:

Form 8825 - rental property should not be manual for allocation of personal to rental days!!!

Awful product

Comments: Awful experience and terrible software.

Pros:

Not much good to say about Drake. They are lower price, but that low price reflects their low quality and lack of care.

Cons:

Awful customer service. I've spoke to customer service about 5 times total and every single time, I am faced with an incompetent rep and they are never able to help me. You can't reach higher ups either because they don't want responsibility. I don't feel like they care about customers and will see this with the declining number of users over the next while. They are going downhill and fast from reviews I've read over the last couple years. Not many people happy with the product recently.

I switched to MyTaxPrep Office and can't wait to switch back to Drake

Comments: Love it! I made the terrible decision to switch to MyTaxPrepOffice and now really appreciate the accuracy of Drake. I will definitely be switching back!

Pros:

It is accurate! I don't have to check every number to make sure that the calculations are correct and that they flow to the right place.

Cons:

I wish it had a live form view. I switched to MyTaxPrepOffice and it is horribly inaccurate (I will be switching back) but it has a great live form view which allows me to watch the form fill out of my second monitor as I input the data.

The Worst Drake Ever

Comments: In general, Drake has been great. 2021 had a few issues, but 2022 is a nightmare to use. I'm literally afraid to transmit returns EVERY SINGLE DAY, because EVERY SINGLE DAY I catch something that the software has broken.

Pros:

Drake continues to have an easy to use interface and low system stress, allowing for computers that don't break budgets.

Cons:

This is the buggiest mess ever. Forms disappear, constant calculation loops, and entire missing tax returns. I have never considered switching away from Drake until now. If this is the future, I'm going somewhere else.

Drake Tax

Pros:

The software is inexpensive and a great value for the price.

Cons:

Limitation on some business type returns and complex features. Depreciation/Fixed Assets side could be better.

Simple to Compex

Pros:

The price and ease of learning the program

Cons:

Can't think of anything I don't like, lol

Once you're up to speed it's a great cost effective product!

Comments: I've got 15 returns in progress at the moment (990, 1120S/H, 1040, 1041), and now know where to find the entry points for the data I need. When you calculate and view the return the program spits out notes on what is wrong and tells you how and where to fix things. You can print right to the portal so client communication is great. There are multi prepared, billing, and client management functionality I don't need and can't comment on. Once you're up the learning curve you are in an excellent cost effective tax return package!

Pros:

I was a long time ATX user and do only a small number of returns yearly in my private practice. The yearly cost kept going up and up and my sales person was unresponsive to my cost concerns. Drake has an ATX conversion program which I tried on 2019 and it brought over some large asset lists correctly so I took the plunge. I also bought Drake's portal software and will end up spending less than half of what I spent on ATX without the ATX portal. There are lots of video tutorials and an nice set of help functionality. Usually I just played with entries until I got the tax form to be right and that was how I learned the program. The Support is GREAT. A real person answered the phone instantly(!), and they knew what they were doing.

Cons:

I've used TaxSlayer, TurboTax, and ATX. ATX's big advantage is you can click on a form and go directly to the input screens and it is in general more user friendly. I learned Tax Slayer last year as an AARP Tax Aide Volunteer. With Drake there was a tougher learning curve than Tax Slayer to figure out where and how to enter data and how the program thinks with the override entries, but once you get the hang of things it becomes straight forward. There is a search bar at the bottom of the main screen which is often helpful pulling up the correct data entry screen.

Great software for Tax Preparation

Comments: Our accounting office has used Drake for years and can't say enough good things about it for tax preparation. They have listened and added more features here and there. Their customer service is personal and professional.

Pros:

Drake has software that is accurate with the tax forms and tax changes. It leads you to ask more questions and be very detailed and accurate with your clients.

Cons:

I use another software program for my payables and receivables, so I have not used that feature on Drake. We also use a different one for payroll calculation for clients.

Drake is so easy to learn and use

Comments: I have had it for over 3 years now. I have shopped for software but everything else is so expensive. Between the price, easy of use, and the customer support, I am not sure you can find a better deal.

Pros:

Drake is easy to learn and use. The ramp-up time is so short. The customer support is so good and can walk you through just about anything.

Cons:

There is nothing to dislike about this software.

Look no further than Drake

Comments: I switched to Drake in 2006 and will
Never change again. Customer service is great and the software continues to offer everything I need to stay current and keep up to date.

Pros:

Software is easy to install, easy entry on all tabs and workflow integration is great.

Cons:

I have no cons with Drake software. Best choice I made.

Drake Software Review

Comments: Drake tax for its value was one of the easiest tax softwares to navigate. It heightened efficiency and is great all around.

Pros:

The software itself is very easy to follow along with a tax return. Like things are located on each tab which allows for high efficiency. If there are any questions the customer support is very very helpful.

Cons:

Needs to update items that carryforoward a little better

Drake is user friendly and we highly recommend it to all tax professionals.

Comments: We are able to prepare tax returns for all of our clients using Drake.

Pros:

We love the ease of use and they have great customer service. Love that we can always call if we have any questions.

Cons:

There's nothing I can think of that we don't like. I've easily trained other co-workers to use it without a problem.

Good product for the money

Pros:

Drake is very user-friendly & easy to learn

Cons:

Some of the advanced tax prep/planning needs are not available or do not work very well

Drake

Pros:

The low cost is amazing. it is also very user friendly.

Cons:

Foreign Related Returns greatly needs to be improved.

serious user

Comments: The Drake support and sales staff were very accomodating

Pros:

The Telephone Support. The depth of the tax product was super

Cons:

The Accounting program was not developed deep enough

Good but not great

Pros:

I like the fact that Drake is not too expensive and it is easy to learn most of the software.

Cons:

The company does not do a great job of fixing bugs and issues quickly and their customer support team is a mishmash of very talented people and some very new and inexperienced people. Wish we could give feedback after a support call or have a specific team to answer my questions.

great software

Pros:

Drake is very easy to use and informative. they go above and beyond to answer all of your questions..

Cons:

I have no problems with this software great product.