ATX 2015 Release Notes
Version 15.1
Date Version: November 2015
Installing the 15.1 Update
The following installation types require the 15.1 update:
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Stand-Alone
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Workstation Only
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Workstation/Server
Server Only installations do not require the 15.1 update if on version 15.0.
As a best practice, it is recommended that you close the application on all workstations and update each one separately.
Features
Search Online
This update expands the capability of Search Online by introducing a dedicated search bar that can be enabled/disabled by clicking the
Search Online button from the Open Return toolbar. When using the search bar, criteria entered will be passed to your default
internet browser where a Google search will be performed. Using the search bar is more powerful when combined with the CCH®
IntelliConnect® Browser plug-in.
If you do not know your CCH IntelliConnect log in information go to https://www.cchsfs.com/research-register-email/ to retrieve the
information.
Expanded Notification
ATX now alerts you when you have not set up your Tax Research login credentials in Preferences. The alert notification turns the Tax
Research button on the Open Return toolbar red, indicating credentials are not entered. The Tax Research button turns green when
credentials are entered in Preferences.
2015 ATX Release Notes
Practice Aids
The Practice Aids 1040 toolbar button now displays as the Practice Aids button. The button was revised to work more seamlessly
with the open return, by now opening corresponding Practice Aids for the open federal signature form.
New Resources Available
The Tax Research menu expanded to include the following links:
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Election and Compliance: Access hundreds of sample elections and compliance statements, background information, due
dates, and citations to relevant authority information.
Penalties & Interest Calculator: Calculate penalties and/or interest due for both federal and all 50 states plus the District of
Columbia.
Depreciation Calculator: Create a depreciation schedule, calculate any recovery year’s depreciation amount, or simply
determine the depreciation rate for any recovery year.
New York Tax Preparer Registration Identification Number (NYTPRIN)
If you file or prepare New York State tax returns and are exempt from the NYTPRIN, ATX now allows entry of the appropriate
exemption code in the Preparer/ERO Manager. Set the exemption code by selecting the code using the drop down list from the
NYTPRIN Excl column on the Preparers tab in the Preparer/ERO Manager.
Improvements
Sale of Principle Residence: The Sale of Principle Residence feature was revised for Sale Abandonment and Installment Sale disposition
types to match recent updates to publication 523.
Accumulated depreciation reporting on Form 4562: Accumulated depreciation amounts from the Asset Entry tab are now
transferred to the 4562 Detail report.
Prior year rolled asset: Sold assets from a prior year are not be visible if the “Delete Sold Assets” preference is selected on the Rollover
Manager tab of the Preferences dialog box.
Multiple Asset Report now displays future depreciation information and hides assets that do not apply.
Version 15.0
Date Version: November 2015
Thank you for choosing ATX as your tax preparation software! The entire team that designs, builds, tests and supports ATX has only one
goal in mind: to provide you with a powerful solution that helps your business achieve improved workflow efficiency and tax
compliance.
To ensure that your system is ready for the newest version of ATX, please review the System Requirements. You can also test your
system against those requirements with our System Analysis tool.
Windows® 10 is fully supported for ATX 2015. Before upgrading computers that currently have an earlier Windows version
installed, please refer to Knowledge Library Answer ID 15351 for important information.
The new Edge browser included with Windows 10 currently has limitations with respect to required functionality. Microsoft offers
the option to use Internet Explorer 11 rather than the Edge browser and the ATX team recommends that customers choose that
option until Edge is more fully developed.
©2015 Universal Tax Systems, Inc. and/or its affiliates and licensors. All rights reserved.
2015 ATX Release Notes
How ATX Is Responding To IRS Approach To Pending Extenders
Legislation
With Congress still considering legislation that impacts 2015 tax returns, the IRS has communicated its decision to leave forms in 2014
format and replace line descriptions with lapsed tax provisions of “Reserved.” Given the IRS approach, ATX will follow these guidelines
to ensure additional flexibility in handling late legislative changes:
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Preliminary form versions with Reserved fields will be released with a Draft watermark.
All calculations regarding expired provisions will be based off 2014 tax law in anticipation that some or all will be extended
retroactively by Congress. Reserved fields will be completed, if applicable.
Current 2015 tax rates, limitations, and thresholds are being used within these calculations.
As always, we will continue our close monitoring of both Congressional and IRS activity so we can provide you with best response time
possible when these regulatory decisions are finalized.
Comprehensive Calculations
Our commitment to excellence in automated forms continues with the following 2015 items:
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Income Taxes Paid to Other States: No longer requires the nonresident state form to be present in the return. Individual
states can be added manually to calculate the credit.
ACA additional support: Added additional IRS worksheets for the 8962, 8965 and self-employed health insurance deduction.
Due dates adjusted for Holidays: Federal and state return due dates, estimated payments and extension dates are now
automatically adjusted for recognized holidays, such as Martin Luther King Day and Emancipation Day.
New Electronic Filing packages planned for TY 2016:
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CO – 1041
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CT – 1041
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GA – 1041
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IN – 1120S, 1065
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LA – 1120
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ME – 1120, 1120S, 1065
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MI Detroit – 1040
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NC – 1120 , 1120S, 1065
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OH – 1041
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OR – 1065
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UT – 1041
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VT – 1120, 1120S, 1065, 1041
ATX Advantage customers also benefit from these exclusive calculation enhancements:
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Income Taxes Paid to Other States: Saves time and eliminates errors by automating the flow of income and state 1040
credit calculation for income taxes paid to other states.
Education Expense Optimization: Quickly handles the thousands of calculations required to correctly optimize education
expenses for the American Opportunity credit, Lifetime Learning credit or tuition and fees deduction in order to calculate the
lowest tax liability. Included in the optimization are considerations for regular tax, AMT, capital gains and ACA tax calculations
for up to 5 students in a single return.
©2015 Universal Tax Systems, Inc. and/or its affiliates and licensors. All rights reserved.
2015 ATX Release Notes
What’s New in ATX 2015?
Import Print Packets Settings
Save setup time -- create your print packets in one user and then have all other users import the print packet settings.
Discard Multiple Forms
Use the Discard Multiple Forms command feature when you want to remove more than one form from a return. This command menu
item also deletes any data you have entered on that form.
Client Letter- New “Will Be Printed” Option
When you want to attach a Client Letter to a paper filed return, use the Letter Options tab and select the "will be printed" check
box. The included letter text will indicate that the return will be paper filed.
ATX Launches Fully Maximized
ATX now launches fully maximized to take advantage of larger screens. It also remembers any application size settings you apply.
Enhanced Asset Management
To assist preparers who need greater asset management functionality, we incorporated several asset management features from our
Fixed Asset Manager (FAM) product into ATX. Enhanced Asset Management is included with our new ATX Advantage package or can be
purchased as an add-on to any other ATX package.
Enhanced Asset Management functionality gives users the ability to:
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Duplicate assets
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Split an asset into several separate assets based on the original asset’s basis
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Create a multiple asset account (pool) where components of the group can be added or removed
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Calculate the maximum Section 179 deduction for multiple assets
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Create and assign custom groupings for assets (Asset Classifications)
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Enhanced Reporting capabilities:
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View, print and modify up to 13 robust standard Federal, AMT, and State reports
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Create your own reports with the Custom Reports Wizard
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View and print projected yearly depreciation for the entire life of assets with Asset History
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Rollover custom reports and asset classifications into ATX 2015 (from FAM 2014)
30 Day Free Trial Of Enhanced Asset Management
To activate a free trial of Enhanced Asset Management, click the 30-Day Enhanced Asset Trial link on the Fixed Assets toolbar and
follow the on-screen instructions.
Fixed Asset 2015 Regulatory Changes
Bonus Depreciation And Section 179
50% Bonus depreciation and Section 179 limits ($500,000) remain at 2014 levels based on the assumption that legislation will, once
again, extend these tax advantages for assets placed in service in 2015. Updates will be issued as needed in future releases.
©2015 Universal Tax Systems, Inc. and/or its affiliates and licensors. All rights reserved.
2015 ATX Release Notes
Vehicle Auto Limit Changes For Autos Placed In Service In 2015
The following changes are in effect:
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Standard Mileage/Depreciation: For luxury autos placed in service in 2015, the standard mileage rate has been increased to
57.5 cents per mile and the standard mileage depreciation component to 24 cents per mile.
Luxury Autos (Category V, sub-category 5 and Category A, sub-category 19): For the first three tax years, depreciation
limits are $3,160, $5,100, and $3,050, respectively, and $1,875 for each succeeding year.
Trucks/Vans (Category V, sub-category 7 and Category A, sub-category 21): For the first three tax years, depreciation
limits are $3,460, $5,600, and $3,350, respectively, and $1,975 for each succeeding year.
Tax Research
Our new Tax Research menu gives instant access to some of the most powerful tools in CCH® IntelliConnect® so you can quickly find
reliable answers to your tax questions.
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CCH IntelliConnect Practice Aids boost your productivity while maintaining a high level of accuracy with interactive charts
and tables, worksheets, checklists and more. CCH Tax Prep Partner Series is loaded with Microsoft® Word and Excel®-based
practice aids to help you work more efficiently and reduce costs. Practice aids are available for 1040, 1041, 1065, 1120, and
1120S returns.
The Search Online button opens your browser from inside ATX to quickly start your online tax research. You can use Google to
search and display results from the internet and your CCH IntelliConnect library at the same time with the CCH IntelliConnect
Browser plugin. No more alternating between research tools! This is a FREE browser plug-in which you can use with any active
CCH IntelliConnect subscription.
The Client Letter Toolkit contains over 400 professional letters already prepared on a variety of tax topics. Why spend time
writing your own?
CCH iFirm
This release contains our initial integration of CCH iFirm Practice Manager, a set of online tools designed to help you benefit from
efficiency and visibility into your accounting practice like never before.
Export Contacts To CCH iFirm
To help populate your CCH iFirm Contacts database, this new feature accesses your prior year installation of ATX, extracts Filer contact
information and seamlessly rolls that information forward, loading it to your CCH iFirm site. After adding your CCH iFirm account
information to Preferences in ATX, simply open Rollover Manager and look for the CCH iFirm menu.
To learn more about managing your tax and accounting business with CCH iFirm, request a custom demonstration or attend one of our
tri-weekly webinars.
Request A Custom Demonstration
See Webinar Schedule
©2015 Universal Tax Systems, Inc. and/or its affiliates and licensors. All rights reserved.