Discussion:ProSeries: per form pricing
From TaxAlmanac
Discussion Forum Index --> Tax Questions --> ProSeries: per form pricing
| 11 September 2007 | |
| Hello, I have spent about 6 hours trying to setup per form pricing.
After adjusting form prices for 6 hours, the prices are pretty close to what I want, except for about 30% percent of my customers. 30% wrong is not good enough. If I cant get it to work better, I wont use it. Has anyone gotten per-form pricing to accurately calculate a good estimate of what a given tax return should be priced? Even if your pricing is more or less than mine, I would like to see what someone else has used so that I get an idea if I am doing something that doesnt make sense. | |
| 11 September 2007 | |
| Explain your statement of: except for about 30% percent of my customers".
I have used per form pricing for about 30 years. What is the problem? | |
| 12 September 2007 | |
| Hi, I enter a price for each form on what I think is reasonable.
Next, I review the price per form bill for 20 clients. For about 70% of the clients, the total bill matches what I expect and very close to what I currently charge the customer. For about 30% of the customers, the total bill is very very different from what I normally charge. I know proseries isnt perfect, but I would like to see the per form charge that is correct more than 70% of the time. thanks in advance, Randy | |
| 12 September 2007 | |
| <<but I would like to see the per form charge that is correct more than 70% of the time.>>
I don't see how ProSeries is not correct: It's what you set it to be! I think what is off is your previous charges for different clients, some being charged more than others for the same type of return. You will have some unhappy clients and some happy clients now when you use consistent pricing. Why not just discount the ones whose fees increase? And phase that out over a few years. | |
| 17 September 2007 | |
| Hi,
I have spent 6 hours adjusting prices of various forms up and down so that pricing better reflects what I would like to charge. Unfortunately, not every form allows for a price to be entered. I would like to see what someone else has used so that I get an idea if I am doing something that doesnt make sense. If there is someone out there using per-form pricing, could you fax it to me so that I have an example to try out? I know it may be way higher or lower priced than mine, but it will give me something to work with. I dont want to spend another 6 hours and make no progress. Thanks! | |
| September 17, 2007 | |
| You might want to review the return once done and which forms were done, then just bill a flat amount for the return that you want to bill. In my admittedly short experience, customers hate to see the form by form price.
Also, can you fill in your profile? | |
| 18 September 2007 | |
| Here's an idea: why not post YOUR prices for let's say 20-40 forms, and then others might offer their suggestions. | |
| 18 September 2007 | |
| Does anyone really believe that all Schedule C's take an equal amount of time to complete? Or Schedule D, E, etc? How does pricing by the form account for two clients, one coming in with a well-filled-out organizer and all required source documents and the other coming in with partial information, and/or data that makes no sense? | |
| 18 September 2007 | |
| Unfortunately, not every form allows for a price to be entered.
What forms don't you think are not listed? There are additional spaces at the bottom of the price per form page that you can use to add additional charges for forms such as, Schedule C, D, E, etc? I usually edit the ProSeries Invoice to suit my needs and only shoe the totals. I check "DO NOT LIST FORMS ON INVOICE" | |
| 18 September 2007 | |
| I totally agree with Jdugancpa and, in fact, just had this very conversation ion my office. I used to charge by form but it was not fair especially for the Sch C clients -- I mean I was not really adhering to my own standard form charge after a while because different C's took more time than others -- some clients organized and then others no. I have moved to an hourly rate for this tax season and I think I'm going to have a much smoother time trying to invoice clients. | |
Bottom Line (talk|edits) said: | 22 September 2007 |
| I only use the per form pricing as a guide. I also bill according to my time and the condition of the clients paperwork. | |
| 22 September 2007 | |
| I bill hourly or will write down if necessary. Per form may get more $$ in the door and it may be more meaningful, but most of my clients do not want to see what they are paying per form :) | |
| 22 September 2007 | |
| I use the per form method of pricing . However this is a only a starting point. If the return is simple and basic then the fee is the per form charge . If it is more complicated due to say
100 stock transactions or a lot of depreciation or I have some book work then I charge addional fees for these types of issues. | |
