UltraTax CS review

UltraTax CS is the tax engine of Thomson Reuters' CS Professional Suite, and it is aimed at firms that run more than tax prep on one vendor. It covers 1040, 1041, 1120, 1120S, 706, 709, 990 and 5500 returns, with more than 371 state and local e-file returns, and data entered once in a client's return flows to every related return. Its real advantage is the suite: UltraTax CS shares data with Accounting CS, Accounting Payroll CS and Practice CS, and Thomson Reuters says users report over 50% time savings from that integration. Add-on products extend it, such as 1040SCAN for scan-and-populate and SPbinder for digital workpapers. Thomson Reuters prices UltraTax CS by the number of users, returns and jurisdictions, so firms need a quote. That flexibility suits midsize firms, but the cost is harder to compare and the value drops if you do not use the rest of the suite.

Who it is for

Midsize and larger firms that use or plan to use Accounting CS, Practice CS and other CS Professional Suite products.

Price

See vendor pricing (USD check pending): priced by users, returns and states.

US price check pending. See the vendor pricing page.

Key features

• Federal, state and local programs for 1040, 1041, 1120, 1120S, 706, 709, 990 and 5500
• More than 371 individual and business state and local e-file returns
• Data entered once flows to all related returns
• Integration with Accounting CS, Accounting Payroll CS and Practice CS
• Works with 1040SCAN scan-and-populate and SPbinder workpapers

Strengths and weaknesses

• Strength: Wide return coverage with data sharing across a client's returns
• Strength: Deep integration with the rest of the CS Professional Suite
• Strength: Support by phone, email and chat with a 24-hour help center
• Weakness: No published price; priced by users, returns and jurisdictions
• Weakness: Most valuable when the firm also runs other CS products
• Weakness: Scanning and workpapers are separate products

Key facts

• Pricing basis: Users, tax returns, states and jurisdictions
• State e-file: More than 371 state and local returns
• Suite: CS Professional Suite
• Integrations: 1040SCAN, SPbinder, Accounting CS, Practice CS

Where it ranks

UltraTax CS is No. 7 in our Best Tax Software for Accountants verdict.