UltraTax CS
Enterprise tax preparation software from Thomson Reuters.
About UltraTax CS
UltraTax CS handles the full federal and state return library — 1040s, 1120s, 1065s, 1041s, 990s, exotic forms that competitors skip — making it the go-to for large CPA firms that regularly touch multi-entity, multistate, and complex partnership work. Day to day, preparers move between federal and state returns in a single file, allocate income across dozens of states, and pull prior-year data forward without re-keying. The real productivity gain comes from living inside the CS Professional Suite: client data entered in Accounting CS flows into UltraTax, and output drops straight into GoFileRoom. That tight loop matters when a firm runs 3,000-plus returns per season. The platform falls short in two visible ways. The interface is dated compared to cloud-native competitors like Lacerte or CCH Axcess — navigating deep into an S-corp return with multistate K-1s still feels like 2008. Training new staff takes longer than it should, and the per-return or seat pricing isn't published anywhere. You will spend time in a sales conversation before you know what you owe. Firms outside the Thomson Reuters ecosystem also lose most of the integration value; if you run practice management in Karbon and file storage in SharePoint, UltraTax is a capable but isolated tool rather than a connected one.
Best for
Large CPA firms needing the most comprehensive tax preparation platform with full form coverage
Key Features
- Comprehensive tax form library covering federal and state returns
- Multistate tax filing and allocation capabilities
- Complex business and partnership return preparation
- Real-time data sharing across CS Professional Suite
- Automated tax calculations and compliance checks
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Covers every major federal and state form, including obscure filings that Lacerte and Drake skip or handle poorly
- Multistate allocation on partnership and S-corp returns handles 30-plus states in a single return without manual workarounds
- Two-way data sharing with Accounting CS, Practice CS, and GoFileRoom eliminates duplicate entry across the CS Professional Suite
- Complex multi-entity consolidations — tiered partnerships, holding companies — work within one client file rather than requiring manual linking
- Diagnostic engine flags return-level errors before e-file, reducing rejected transmissions on high-volume return seasons
- QuickBooks and Sage trial balance imports pull directly into the return, cutting setup time on business returns
- Decades of form history means prior-year comparison and carryforward data are reliably accurate, even on unusual credits and elections
Cons
- Pricing is quote-only with no published tiers; small and mid-size firms often find the cost unjustifiable compared to Drake or ProSeries
- The desktop-first interface is visibly behind cloud-native platforms; remote access requires Citrix or a VPN setup, not a browser
- Deep CS Suite integration is a lock-in mechanism — switching away from UltraTax later means rebuilding workflows across Accounting CS and GoFileRoom simultaneously
- Onboarding new staff takes several weeks of structured training; the form-navigation model is not intuitive for preparers coming from Lacerte or CCH Axcess
- Phone and chat support quality is inconsistent during peak filing season, with documented hold times exceeding one hour in March and April
- Firms not already in the Thomson Reuters ecosystem get none of the data-sharing value and pay enterprise pricing for a standalone tax prep tool
Ledger Brief Take
The gold standard for complex tax work, handling everything from multi-entity returns to exotic forms that niche software can't touch. While newer cloud-native competitors offer sleeker interfaces, UltraTax's depth in handling complicated scenarios and seamless CS Suite workflow makes it hard to replace once you're invested in the Thomson Reuters ecosystem.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions accountants ask about UltraTax CS.
How much does UltraTax CS cost?
Thomson Reuters does not publish UltraTax CS pricing. Cost is negotiated through a sales rep and varies by return volume, number of users, and which CS Suite products you bundle. Most large CPA firms report annual contracts well into five figures. Budget time for a discovery call before you can evaluate total cost.
How does UltraTax CS compare to Lacerte and CCH Axcess?
All three handle complex returns at scale. UltraTax wins if your firm already runs Accounting CS or GoFileRoom — the integrated workflow is its main advantage. Lacerte has a more modern interface and stronger support reputation. CCH Axcess is cloud-native, which removes the VPN requirement. None of the three is cheap, and switching costs are high once you're committed.
Does UltraTax CS integrate with QuickBooks?
Yes. UltraTax imports QuickBooks trial balances directly into business returns, mapping accounts to the correct tax lines. It also connects to Sage. The integration reduces re-keying on 1120, 1120S, and 1065 returns but does not sync in real time — it is a point-in-time import at return preparation.
Is UltraTax CS cloud-based?
No. UltraTax CS is desktop software. Thomson Reuters offers hosted access through its own cloud infrastructure, but firms running their own IT typically access it via Citrix or VPN. It is not browser-based like CCH Axcess. Remote work setups require deliberate infrastructure planning, which adds IT overhead for distributed teams.
What size firm is UltraTax CS built for?
It fits regional and large CPA firms processing high volumes of complex returns — multi-entity, multistate, partnership, and trust work. Firms under 10 preparers handling primarily 1040s will find the cost and training burden hard to justify. Drake or ProSeries Professional covers that market at a fraction of the price.
How secure is client data in UltraTax CS?
Data stored in the Thomson Reuters hosted environment is covered by SOC 2 Type II controls and encrypted in transit and at rest. Firms running UltraTax on local servers are responsible for their own security posture. Thomson Reuters publishes a trust and security overview on its website, and enterprise contracts include data processing agreements for firms with specific compliance requirements.