ClientRelate Productivity Tool Expands Functionality, Now Covers State Tax Law Changes

Additionally, CCH ClientRelate provides fast access to more in-depth research and aids, such as revised tax forms, and even produces sample plain-English letters for practitioners to send to clients.

"CCH ClientRelate combines two things CCH has long been known for – authoritative content and industry-leading tax preparation software – into a single tool that allows practitioners to enhance their productivity, improve relationships with their clients and grow their business," said James de Gaspé Bonar, vice president, CCH Federal and State Tax group. "Expanding CCH ClientRelate’s functionality to the state level makes it an even more valuable tool."

Trying to keep current with every state’s tax code and applying this to a client’s particular circumstances is a considerable challenge that CCH ClientRelate can help practitioners address.

For example, states historically have used the Internal Revenue Code as the base for their state income taxes. However, with most states already looking at significant revenue shortfalls, many state legislatures may postpone or reject tax breaks that were part of the Job Creation and Worker Assistance Act of 2002.

Tax Bulletins created as part of CCH ClientRelate by in-house CCH tax attorneys and CPAs summarize particular new developments or time-sensitive issues as they happen and deliver them via e-mail to the practitioner. A simple click on any Tax Bulletin will start a search of the professional’s ProSystem fx Tax files, allowing the practitioner to easily identify and select those types of clients most likely to be affected by the new development.

State ClientRelate Bulletins pay special attention to those developments that provide planning or refund opportunities. Initial bulletins focus on changes particular states’ tax laws concerning topics ranging from alternative minimum assessments to operating loss deductions, guidelines for assigning non-operational income and sourcing guidelines for financial organizations. CCH regularly issues new Bulletins as important changes occur to state tax law and regulations.

In addition to searching by Tax Bulletin, searches also can be conducted by Service. State ClientRelate Services will initially cover state tax issues, such as manufacturing incentives, job creation and training incentives and sales tax issues in key states. CCH ClientRelate can be used to identify which customers could benefit from a particular service, such as support with sales and use issues based on analysis of the clients’ ProSystem fx Tax data.

Accountants also can conduct searches by Client, helping the practitioner make sure he or she is offering the best range of services. For example, CCH ClientRelate can be used to analyze a specific client’s ProSystem fx Tax data and generate a list of services that would be of benefit to that client, such as retirement planning.

CCH ClientRelate now offers firms that have large databases of tax returns the ability to filter searches by additional criteria, reducing the time it takes to conduct a search and narrowing the search to applicable clients. Search categories added to the latest edition of CCH ClientRelate include searching by return state, office group or individual tax preparer.

The new release also includes additional search option capabilities. For example, customers can search by Service, Bulletin and Configuration tabs. Customers also can select searches by Federal or State or combine the two for a broader search.

CCH ClientRelate searches take place entirely on the tax professional’s PC or network where ProSystem fx Tax return data resides.

No data must reside on, or is sent to, outside servers, and security within the firm is determined by the firm’s ProSystem fx Tax security settings.

CCH ClientRelate is designed for use with CCH ProSystem fx Tax and CCH Internet Tax Research NetWork. Price for a one-year, single user subscription to CCH ClientRelate, which includes the ability to search across CCH tax law changes for federal as well as all 50 states and the District of Columbia, is $999. The price for a federal-only subscription is $599. For a Flash demonstration or to order, visit tax.cchgroup.com or contact your CCH sales representative at 1 888 CCH REPS.

CCH INCORPORATED, headquartered in Riverwoods, Ill., was founded in 1913 and has served four generations of business professionals and their clients. The company produces more than 700 electronic and print products for the tax, legal, securities, insurance, human resources, health care and small business markets. CCH is a wholly owned subsidiary of Wolters Kluwer North America. The CCH web site can be accessed at cch.com. The CCH tax and accounting destination site can be accessed at tax.cchgroup.com.

nb-02-97