Testimonials
UltraTax CS
Evans & Associates, Inc.
Matthew Evans
Partner & Co-Owner
Salt Lake City, UT
It's All in the Family
Evans & Associates, Inc. is a family-owned firm that operates with just four team members. But being small hasn't slowed them down, thanks in part to the CS Professional Suite products.
The Salt Lake City-based firm, a Thomson Reuters customer since 2005, recently began processing multi-state returns for its clients with the help of UltraTax CS.
"We've been able to prepare everything from the simplest returns to very complicated ones," says Matthew Evans, partner and co-owner of the firm. "This past year we had an individual return that included 22 states. You get a K-1 with that many states attached to it, you've got to apportion everything—including pass-through taxes and tax credits. And to be able to do that is invaluable."
Family First
Evans spent his high school summers processing financial statements and learning the family business alongside his father, Scott. So it was no surprise when he decided to follow in his father's footsteps and join the firm after college.
That decision has served him well. Today, Evans & Associates is a profitable firm that prepares over a thousand returns a year for its small business and individual clients.
When asked to describe the firm's culture, Evans doesn't hesitate: "Family-friendly." That's why he considers UltraTax CS a great fit for them: not only does the software help them tackle the most complicated tax returns, it also allows them to run more efficiently, giving everyone more time to spend with their families and achieve what many firms can only dream of: true work‑life balance.
"[We] consider [UltraTax CS] another employee...because the software is so capable of preparing the complicated tax returns that all practitioners end up doing over time. I haven't run across a form yet that it can't do the calculations for."
Matthew Evans
Partner & Co-Owner
Evans & Associates, Inc.
"My son was born during tax season last year. In most firms, good luck trying to get time off then, even for a baby birth. But I had four days off—in the middle of tax season to spend with my wife and my newborn son. A lot of the credit for that goes to UltraTax CS."
Choosing a Partner
Evans & Associates turned to Thomson Reuters because their previous software vendor's products didn't offer the ability to handle multi-state taxation and other complex tax returns.
Before implementation, they tested UltraTax CS to see how it handled some of their most complicated tax returns. "We were impressed when we saw how fast and easy it was to do the multi-state stuff, the apportionment schedules, and the revenues, wages, and assets that need to be there. The system just did it."
Another reason Evans considers UltraTax CS a great fit is the integration with products like FileCabinet CS, Fixed Assets CS, and other CS Professional Suite products the firm owns.
When the firm prepares a business return, the first step is to use the write-up function to complete a general ledger and financial statement. Then, the information is easily transferred over to UltraTax CS.
"What's really great about UltraTax CS is you can literally transfer the information with a click of the button, and you're done in 15 or 20 minutes, versus 45 minutes. Twenty minutes saved during tax season is a huge deal, and that's why we love UltraTax CS."
The firm also uses Web Builder CS, which Evans credits for not only giving the firm a web presence, but for also giving Evans & Associates' clients 24/7 access to important information via private, secure online portals.
"You can point them to their portal and within a couple of minutes they have access to all their documents. They don't have to call you if they need documentation for a car or home loan, since anything you've prepared for the client—W-2 stubs, tax returns, financial statements—will be available via their NetClient CS portal."
Not Just Tax Software, But a Valuable Investment
Evans says UltraTax CS empowers the firm to be better at what they do by giving them the confidence to tackle more challenging scenarios and tax situations. For instance, they've been able to delve into tax planning for some of their higher-end clients.
To Evans, UltraTax CS isn't just another piece of software. It's an integral part of the firm, because it has allowed them to process more returns without having to hire additional staff.
"UltraTax CS is tantamount to an employee, but without the need for benefits. Well, we consider it another employee, anyway, because the software is so capable of preparing the complicated tax returns that all practitioners end up doing over time. I haven't run across a form yet that UltraTax CS can't handle."
About Evans & Associates, Inc.
Based in Salt Lake City, Utah, Evans & Associates, Inc. operates with a four member team, including the father-son partners. Their niche is multi-state taxation with specific emphasis on small business owners, such as real estate agents, medical practices, and other professionals. Additional services include accounting, payroll, business consulting, tax planning and preparation for individuals, and more.
At www.scecpa.com, the firm offers a wide range of online services, including tax tips and forms, payroll forms, financial calculators, and secure client portals.
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