Lacerte Tax review
Deep tax coverage for high-volume firms, with a high annual license and per-return costs.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Lacerte Tax is professional tax preparation software for accounting firms handling complex individual, business, fiduciary, estate, gift, nonprofit, and benefit-plan returns. It runs on Windows desktop software, with optional hosted remote access, and supports federal and state preparation and filing. Its workflow includes amended returns, client document collection through Intuit Link, automated K-1 delivery, tax planning through Intuit Tax Advisor, digital signatures, knowledge-based authentication, and imports from financial institutions, QuickBooks, spreadsheets, and documents. The breadth makes it a fit for firms managing varied, high-volume tax work rather than occasional or narrowly focused filing.
The published pricing structure combines an annual license with return-based charges. The Pay-per-return annual license is $813 per year and includes single-user access, unlimited client tax advisory reports, digital signatures, and knowledge-based authentication. Individual returns cost $102 per return and cover Forms 1040 and 1040-NR, with one state included and e-file included where supported. Business, partnership, estate/trust, and exempt business returns cost $140 per return and cover Forms 1120, 1120-S, 1065, 1041, and 990, with one state included. Gift or estate tax returns cost $94 per return; additional federal-state individual and business returns cost $92 each. Return bundles and unlimited-return plans are also available, with all states included.
Coverage is the main reason to consider Lacerte Tax. The software lists 25,000+ diagnostics and 7,200+ tax forms, alongside consolidated corporate returns, eligible amended-return e-filing, encrypted portal access, and optional hosting with nightly backups. Integrations include QuickBooks Desktop Accountant, SmartVault, Financial Institution Download, Tax Scan and Import, Document Management System, Hosting, and Pay-by-Refund. The tradeoff is cost and deployment scope: the annual license starts at $813, per-return pricing can add substantially to operating costs, and the core software is Windows-based. High-volume firms with complex filings should consider it; smaller practices with straightforward returns should choose a simpler tool instead.
Lacerte Tax pros and cons
- Where it wins
- 25,000+ diagnostics and 7,200+ tax forms
- Broad coverage for individual, business, fiduciary, and nonprofit returns
- Imports, client portal tools, e-filing, and optional hosted access
- Where it doesn't
- $813 annual starting license before applicable per-return charges
- Windows desktop software with single-user access on the annual license
- E-file availability varies by return and jurisdiction
Lacerte Tax fact sheet, pricing and score →
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