ATX 2017 RELEASE NOTES

Tax Year 2017

Version 17.3

February 2018

Installation Instructions

The following installation types require the 17.3 update:

  • Stand-Alone
  • Workstation Only
  • Workstation/Server

Server Only installations do not require the 17.3 update.

As a best practice, it is recommended that you close the application on all workstations and update each one separately.

What's New

Regulatory Changes

Per the Tax Cuts and Job Act of 2017, qualified assets placed in service after 9/27/2017 will default to 100% bonus depreciation regardless of whether they are new or used.

Version 17.2

January 2018

Installation Instructions

The following installation types require the 17.2 update:

  • Stand-Alone
  • Workstation Only
  • Workstation/Server

Server Only installations do not require the 17.2 update.

As a best practice, it is recommended that you close the application on all workstations and update each one separately.

What's New

Accounting Import for QuickBooks Online

We are pleased to offer an exciting new feature with the availability of the Accounting Import feature for QuickBooks Online. The QuickBooks Online import supports the following forms:

  • Form 1040, U.S. Individual Income Tax Return
  • Schedule C (1040), Profit or Loss from Business
  • Form 1065, U.S. Return of Partnership Income
  • Form 1120, U.S. Corporation Income Tax Return
  • Form 1120S, U.S. Income Tax Return for an S Corporation

Before starting the import process add all required forms if they do not yet exist in the return.

For more information about QuickBooks Online see Importing QuickBooks Online Accounting Data into ATX.

Version 17.1

January 2018

Installation Instructions

The following installation types require the 17.1 update:

  • Stand-Alone
  • Workstation Only
  • Workstation/Server

Server Only installations do not require the 17.1 update.

As a best practice, it is recommended that you close the application on all workstations and update each one separately.

Notes about this release

Electronic Filing Activated for Federal Returns

This update activates electronic filing for Forms 1040, 1120, 1120S, 1065, and 7004 (Extension). The CCH SFS Electronic Filing Center will begin accepting e-files at a later date. Please refer to the ATX Blog and the Federal and State E-File Availability on the ATX Customer Support Site for information on the date. The Electronic Filing Center will hold these returns until IRS is ready to receive them, however once submitted, they cannot be stopped in the process.

Enhancements

Login and Password

We enhanced the login screen for ATX to give specific instructions/tips about passwords. These instructions/tips specify that ATX login passwords do not rollover from the prior year and are different than the login passwords used on the ATX support site. In addition to these instructions/tips, ATX enhanced the reset admin password feature. The reset admin password link now displays on the first login attempt instead of after entering the incorrect password five times.

Version 17.0

November 2017

Introduction

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.

Notes about this release

Windows® 10 is fully supported for ATX 2017. Before upgrading computers that currently have an earlier Windows version installed, please refer to the ATX Knowledge Library 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.

.NET Framework software is required by many desktop software applications and ATX needs a current version (4.6.1) in order to install and operate. If you don't already have .NET software, it will be installed automatically as part of the ATX installation. After a .NET installation, a message may prompt you to restart your system in order to complete configuration of ATX 2017. After the restart, ATX installation will pick up where it left off and will complete automatically.

Installation Instructions

For information on installation, see the Education Library.

What's New

Regulatory Changes

Standard Mileage Rate: For luxury autos, including trucks and vans placed in service in 2017, the business standard mileage rate is 53.5 cents per mile. The depreciation component when the standard mileage rate is elected is 25 cents per mile.

Yearly Luxury Auto limits:

  • Category V, sub-category 5- 5 yr Passenger Vehicle: If first year placed in service is 2017, depreciation limits are $3,160 with no bonus, $11,160 with Bonus.
  • Trucks/Vans Category V, sub-category 7 - 5 yr Truck, van, auto: If first year placed in service is 2017, depreciation limits are $3,560 with no bonus, $11,560 with Bonus.

The PATH Act (Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes) extends the following provisions for assets placed in service in 2017:

  • Section 179 deductions for qualifying assets have a $510,000 dollar limit and a $2,030,000 cost limit.
  • 50% Bonus depreciation continues for assets placed in service in 2018.
  • From the Asset Global Settings tab select the State Calcs Tab tab for updated state limits.

CCH iFirm Client Portal

CCH iFirm Client Portal replaces PortalSafe integration. CCH iFirm Client Portal allows you to securely share files with your clients. ATX and CCH iFirm work together to simplify your office workflow. As a Client Portal subscriber, you have the ability to upload tax return PDFs from ATX to Client Portal. Some features of Client Portal are:

  • Sharing documents with your clients
  • Automatic notifications when clients upload documents to you
  • Integration between ATX and Client Portal

Tax Research

ATX now includes both CCH® AnswerConnect and CCH® IntelliConnect® integration, giving you instant access to powerful tax research tools so you can quickly find reliable answers to your tax questions.

Backup and Restore

Previous to this release the Backup feature was not year specific, making it difficult to differentiate between years when restoring returns. ATX now includes the year in the backup file (Sample, John.atx17backup) making it easier to distinguish between different years when restoring returns.

1099-Q Worksheet

A new 1099-Q worksheet is now exclusively available to ATX Advantage customers. Reduce the time required to calculate qualified education expenses and minimize the potential for errors in reporting.