- Comprehensive tax coverage: Support federal, state, and local returns for individuals, businesses, and specialty filings.
- Real-time error checking: Identify potential issues as you work, which reduces mistakes and saves time.
- E-filing support: Provide secure and reliable electronic filing for federal and state returns.
- Integration with CS Suite: Connect seamlessly with other Thomson Reuters tools like Practice CS and Accounting CS.
- Multi-state capabilities: Handle complex tax scenarios across multiple states with built-in compliance features.
- Customizable reports: Generate detailed reports and tax documents tailored to firm and client needs.
- Client portal access: Allow clients to securely upload documents and view tax information online.
- Data import tools: Simplify preparation by importing information from accounting systems, spreadsheets, and prior-year returns.
- Scalability: Adapt to firms of different sizes, which makes it suitable for both small practices and large enterprises.
- Security features: Protect sensitive financial data with encryption and user access controls.
UltraTax CS
Prepare, fill, and manage complex business tax returns.
Updated February 27, 2026
UltraTax CS Overview
UltraTax CS is a professional tax preparation software designed for accounting firms and tax professionals who handle complex business and individual returns. It offers advanced automation, real-time error checking, and integration with other CS Professional Suite tools, which helps streamline workflows.
This tax software supports multi-state tax filings, detailed compliance features, and secure electronic filing, making it a reliable choice for firms that require accuracy, efficiency, and scalability in tax preparation.
Key Features
Pricing
| Pricing Item / Plan Structure | Approximate Price / Cost Info | Notes / Conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Base license (annual, limited plan) | ≈ CA $2,500/year (roughly US $2,000–2,500, depending on exchange rate) | Starting point — many firms opt for custom quote instead. |
| Custom / Unlimited license + modules | Custom-quoted (price depends on number of users, states, forms, modules) | Unlimited return filings & broad tax-form support possible with full license set. |
| Per-Return Pricing (PRP) option | Pay-per-return licensing available (fees per return for returns not covered by unlimited license) | Useful for small firms or low-volume years; each federal/state return uses a “PRP code.” |
| Hosting / Cloud-based usage (if using hosted/cloud environment) | Typical hosting providers charge around US $45–75 per user/month for shared plans; dedicated servers cost more depending on firm size. | Hosting cost is separate from software license; depends heavily on number of users, compliance, performance requirements. |
Pros
| Competitor | Pros of UltraTax CS |
|---|---|
| Drake Tax | UltraTax CS handles very complex returns across multiple entity types and forms with strong diagnostics and integration within the CS Suite. G2 reviewers note its capability for advanced tax scenarios, which can outshine Drake’s more budget‑friendly but simpler setup. |
| Intuit Lacerte Tax | UltraTax CS supports a wider range of entity and specialty returns (e.g., 706, 709, 5500, FinCEN 114) under one roof and integrates deeply with the broader CS Professional Suite. This makes it ideal for firms needing robust multi-state and complex return workflows. |
| CCH ProSystem fx Tax | UltraTax CS offers flexible deployment options—desktop, hosted, or SaaS—that can better suit hybrid firm environments. It also includes a solid help system and diagnostic tools built into the interface. |
Cons
| Competitor | Cons of UltraTax CS |
|---|---|
| Drake Tax | Drake users often cite much stronger customer support and reliability. G2 reviewers highlight Drake’s prompt and friendly assistance, especially during busy seasons. UltraTax CS has lower support ratings in comparison. |
| Intuit Lacerte Tax | Lacerte consistently receives higher marks for ease of use, administration, and meeting firm requirements. Reviews praise its cleaner interface and smoother workflows compared to UltraTax, which can feel more cumbersome for smaller firms. |
| CCH ProSystem fx Tax | Some users find UltraTax CS harder to administer, particularly in large multi-state environments. User reports note slower performance navigating between states in heavy-use cases, which can be frustrating compared to the interface stability of ProSystem fx. |
Reviews
- Capterra Review (Rating: 3.9/5): One enrolled agent called the software “pretty robust” and relies on ACS, UltraTax, and FileCabinet daily, yet described repeated full outages during tax season, including a weekend shutdown right before April 15th and vague notices about “degraded performance.” Another long-term user liked the ease of use and integration with other CS apps but criticized the required “MMA” login step and rising costs paired with “terrible support.”
- Software Advice Review (Rating: 3.9/5): UltraTax CS earns trust for producing accurate returns and offering helpful tools like data importing and “error submission,” which simplify quarterly and yearly tax planning. At the same time, accountants report a steep learning curve, difficult navigation, and recurring outages where the system goes down for hours or even days with only “degraded performance” messages during peak season.
- G2 Review (Rating: 3.5/5): UltraTax CS wins praise for its intuitive interface, strong accuracy, and a powerful Fixed Assets module with a “wonderful wizard for tracing asset classification.” Users also highlight the ability to proforma returns year over year and a helpful in-program Help Center, though some point to high pricing, occasional technical difficulties, and input screens that fail to jump to the correct data entry line.
- forrester.com Review: Interviewees reported that automation cut time spent identifying and correcting errors by 95% and sped up the tax return review process by 50% because needed information sat “right there at my fingertips.” One tax manager explained that UltraTax CS replaced legacy tools entirely, handling everything from partnership returns to Texas franchise tax filings in one system and freeing staff for higher-value advisory work.
- crowdreviews.com Review: The reviewer described the Professional Suite as user intuitive and easy to learn, with assistants available to help during setup and a dashboard that keeps workloads manageable. Stability and security received positive remarks with no downtime experienced, though the reviewer requested better documentation and a feature to eliminate repetitive data entry.
