|
|
Release notes for version 12.04, November 1,
2010
This release has many changes and enhancements, especially to state
child support and affidavits.
In General:
Start-up dialog. We have introduced a new dialogue that comes up
at startup to let you jump quickly to what you want to do.
Navigation bar redesign. We reorganized the screens on the
navigation bar (those links along the left hand age of the screen) for
the Lawyer Tab. The reorganization makes it clear where to go to enter
child support and affidavit information.
New icons. We added icons to some common buttons
Specify "Estimated." We added an "estimated" checkbox to the
footnote dialog. If this is selected, the word "est" the appear next to
the item when it is printed on the Budget Report and state affidavits.
Pension plans screen. We added a new "Pension Plans" screen after
"Assets & Liabilities" on Lawyer tab.
KeyCode Screen. We worked on the KeyCode screen to make it
easier to manage KeyCodes. Now, we are displaying professional info, and
we have added a link to edit the configuration.
Large fonts. We have added a new option for "extra large" fonts.
This is helpful especially if you are projecting to a screen. To get
this option, Click Home tab > System Info.
Pop-up help. We have added a new "(?)" button that designates the
availability of pop-up help. We have started to add help at points
throughout the software where it typically has been most requested.
Observations. This button brings up observations about the file
that a financial expert might make after looking carefully at the data.
It is things that might be relevant or important.
Property Division Report title. You now have the ability to
change the title of the Marital Property Division report. This is an
option on the list of options available at the top of the screen for
this report.
Default ownership based on title. There is a new option on the
assumptions screen that allows you to specify that, for new assets, the
ownership will default to the party who has title. For example, if you
enter that the title is with husband, then the marital property division
will flip to have the husband owning 100% of that item. You may then
manually change it.
Payroll deductions. We have added a new option to specify that
Health Insurance is deductible for Federal income tax purposes but not
for FICA purposes. This applies to plans that are *not* set up under
section 125 of the Federal income tax code. That is, it applies to plans
that are not flexible spending accounts, cafeteria plans, Etc. To do
that, select the tax category of "Not flex, Etc"
Alimony Present Value. Now, for alimony that starts or ends
mid-year, we are more accurate. Before, we were annualizing, then
dividing by 12 to get the monthly payment. Now, for first and last year,
we are actually looking at payments monthly.
Health Care bill. Updates for tax aspects of the Health Care bill
passed at the end of March, 2010:
a. Higher Medicare tax. For individuals earning over $200,000 ($250,000
if married filing jointly), there will be an additional Medicare tax of
0.9% levied only on the wage income above that threshold. This takes
effect in 2013.
b. Higher self-employment tax. For individuals whose self-employment
income exceeds $200,000 ($250,000 if married filing jointly) there will
be an additional self employment tax of 0.9% levied only on the
self-employment income above that threshold. A reduction in income
subject to this tax, equal to the amount of wages above the threshold,
if the person has both wages and self-employment above the threshold.
This takes effect in 2013.
c. Higher medical expense deduction threshold. Medical expenses are
deductible only to the extent that they exceed a threshold. Currently,
that threshold is 7.5% of adjusted gross income. Starting in 2013, that
threshold increases to 10% of adjusted gross income. However, for the
years 2014 through 2016, the threshold remains 7.5% for parties who
reach age 65 by the end of the taxable year.
d. Unearned Income Medicare Contribution. 3.8% of the lesser of: 1) Net
unearned income; or 2) Modified AGI - $200,000 (or $250,000 for joint
filing; $125,000 for married filing separate). Effective in 2013. Income
from Real Estate > Rental is assumed to be "not unearned," but you may
specify otherwise. Ditto for Business income. Sole proprietorship and
Partnership incomes are not subject to this tax, having made Medicare
contributions with the Self Employment tax.
California Child Support and Spousal Support:
Spousal support. We improved the spousal support calculation in
California to more closely match DissoMaster. We are now within 10% of
the DissoMaster result, and often closer.
Connecticut Support and Affidavit:
New screen layouts for child support. We have changed the data
entry screens for child support dramatically, to make it easier to find
and enter elements of child support.
Smarter printing. On the Flexible Affidavit, if there is no
income from assets, we do not print that section of the Flexible
Affidavit. Similarly, on the Flexible Affidavit, we do not print
mandatory expenses if there is no data
Option to show assets and debt at 50%. If this option is
selected, we now show 50% of equity, not 50% of total value. Also, in
debt fields, the amount now has the current balance, and the balance
field now has the equity (typically 50% or 100% of debt) for the party.
New column. We added a new column on the Flexible Affidavit data
entry screens, to allow people to enter on which party’s affidavit the
item should appear.
Affidavit weekly verses monthly display. Now, if you change the
check box to display the affidavit "weekly" for the Flexible Affidavit,
that will also apply to the Official Affidavit, and vice versa.
Employer information. We now carry all employer information, not
just the employer name, to the affidavit if you so select. Also, the
default is to carry the information.
Income from assets. If you’ve specified a percent as opposed to a
dollar amount of income from assets, that was not carrying to the
Flexible Affidavit. That is now fixed.
Other assets. We have split Sections g & h for Asset Type (both
in edit mode and print mode, so now businesses are separate from "other"
assets, and pensions are separate from IRAs.
Florida Support and Affidavit:
2010 changes. We have updated the child support guidelines for
2010 changes.
Modifications worksheet. We have added a new "Modifications"
worksheet that projects what child support will be when the older
children turn 18. This is required under the new law.
Child’s share of Health Insurance. We have modified our
calculation of the child’s share of Health Insurance, and we have
integrated our worksheets for child support and the affidavit, so they
are both the same.
Default form. We have changed the default form always to be form
902c, regardless of income level. We did this because that form tracks
items in more detail.
No children. Previously, if there were no children, but there was
Health Insurance, we were calculating a child support number. That has
been fixed.
Recalculation. Typing directly on any child support screen will
now trigger a recalculation.
Illinois Support and Disclosure:
New screen layouts for child support. We have changed the data
entry screens for child support dramatically, to make it easier to find
and enter elements of child support.
Label change. We changed the label on the Navigation bar from "IL
Affidavit" to "Disclosure Statement."
Maryland
New table. We entered the new child support guidelines table and
an option to select which to use.
New Jersey Support and Case Information Statement:
New withholdings table. We entered the new withholdings table.
Tax exemptions. We added the ability to specify tax exemptions on
the "child" screen.
County probation division. On the statement for county probation
division, we now carry the employer phone number from the Background
Information screen.
Employer information. We modified the "Background Info" employer
fields to carry all information (address, city, state, zip) from the
first wage, if the option is set. By default, this information now
carries from the first W2.
New York Support and Net Worth Statement.
Net Worth Statement, Assets. We added a "note" for asset / source
of funds.
Net Worth Statement, Debts. We added a "note" for debt / purpose.
Net Worth Statement, Expenses. We made the label lines for
vehicles editable. Also, we added notes to vehicle lines.
Net Worth Statement, Family Data. We changed the name in the
title to be full names rather than just first names.
Net Worth Statement, date fields. We converted date fields on
assets & liabilities to text fields, so that you may enter words such as
"various," etc..
Net Worth Statement, printing. We added the option to include
totals for either assets or liabilities when printing
Net Worth Statement, Family Data. We now calculate the number of
children in the custody of each party on line g of the Family Data
section and the number of children not of this marriage in the custody
of each party on line h. The "joint" box on line g is now a text field
in which you may put a number or an "X."
Net worth Statement, attorney. certification. We added the option
to block the attorney certification section.
Net worth statement, real estate. We have added a check box to
indicate that a real estate property is "rental property." When this box
is checked, the asset will not appear on the Assets page
Maintenance. We updated this calculation to allow different
methods of calculating duration of maintenance (% of marriage, or direct
entry). We also updated it to calculate when there are no children. And
we updated it to set payer based on which is higher-income spouse,
regardless of custody.
Maintenance. We now allow the user to separately decide whether
alimony income should carry to the Child Support Standards Act
worksheet, and/or whether alimony expense should be a deduction on the
Child Support Standards Act Worksheet.
Child support, Health Insurance. The software will now update
more promptly when health or dental insurance is changed.
Child support of prior relationship. Child support received on
account of a prior relationship should not count as income for child
support purposes, and now no longer does.
Pennsylvania Child Support and Inventory:
High income worksheet. On the high-income worksheet (formerly the
Melzer worksheet), the mortgage was not carrying correctly. That has
been fixed. Also, the worksheet was not calculating correctly, and that
has been fixed.
Guidelines text. Small rule text change for 1910.16-2(c)(b).
Recalculation. Typing directly on Main Worksheet will now trigger
a recalculation.
Spousal support. We have added a new spousal support worksheet,
which clearly shows the spousal support calculation.
Child Support. Below line 13e, if there is an adjustment in
support share because there is 50/50 parenting but a higher-income
custodial parent, that is now noted.
PA Guideline. Multi-family adjustment. In some cases, this was
reducing child support too much. This has been fixed.
Alimony pendente lite. For key codes that are linked to a user in
the judicial system, we default to "no alimony pendente lite."
Joint filing. If the filing status in the current year is joint,
our PASCES emulation can now calculate a joint-filed return.
PA Guideline. Summary Worksheet. For mortgage deviation,
multi-family adjustment, and higher-income custodial spouse, the Summary
Worksheet now shows the relevant dollar amounts.
Washington Child Support
Text changes as a result of publication of new form.
Bugs fixed:
Fixed a bug that had been causing Medicare taxes to be too low when
there were payroll deductions. (The payroll deductions had been
double-counted.)
Federal tax. In the joint case in first year, we were calculating
Rent, Royalty and Partnership taxable income as zero. Fixed.
Best Filing Status. The joint tax on this screen on the Negotiate
tab was calculating to zero. That has been fixed.
Property Statement (Intact Family Property Report) had the
message about "$ unallocated" at the bottom but should not. Now fixed.
Defined Benefit Pension. In rare cases, it was possible for
coverture to go over 100%. Fixed.
Back to "About This Release"
Page
|
