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Release Notes for Version 9.08 Build 380.01, released November
28,
2007
In this release, we added the Colorado child support guidelines,
introduced a number of Quick Child Support Calculators, introduced Quick
View entry of income and expenses on the Lawyer tab, make it easier to
enter property division, added itemization of business income and
expenses, improved the presentation of income and expenses in
Connecticut, and made many other enhancements.
In General
Property Division Percents. On the Property Division worksheet,
it is now possible to enter amounts or percents for either party.
Previously, you are able to enter a percent or amount only for one
party.
Labels on Expenses. It is now possible to change the labels for
the Living Expense lines. To do so, click the "more info" link, and you
may change the label on the "more info" screen. Please note that
changing the label will not change the internal meaning of the line, so
that for purposes of calculating the Child Support Guidelines, or for
the Affidavit, the software will continue to use the meaning of the
original label.
Quick View. On the Lawyer tab, it is now possible to enter
assets, liabilities, income, and expenses even more quickly. Click the
link at the top of the Assets & Liabilities, or Income & Expenses screen
labeled "Quick View." On the Income & Expenses screen, the Quick View
screen also includes a calculation of taxes and the bottom line. Thus,
for mediation or collaborative law purposes, you have both quick data
entry and a quick view of the bottom line all on one screen.
Net Worth Thumbnail Graph. On the Lawyer tab, on the Income &
Expenses screen, or the Support/Alimony screen, there is now an option
to display the Projected Net Worth graph. Previously, you could display
only the Projected After-Tax Cash graph.
Data Entry Hints. Throughout the software, in the data entry
fields, you will now see a pale gray "hint," which indicates briefly
what the entry in that field is for. Examples of hints include
"description," "value," "%," and so on.
Quick Child Support Calculators. On the Lawyer tab, we have
introduced Quick Child Support Calculators for all 20 of the states for
which we have child support guidelines. People in those states who are
using the Lawyer tab now have the ability to quickly enter the key
inputs for child support and get the child support amount. The link for
this screen is located on the Lawyer tab immediately below the link for
"Background & Child." On the Planner tab, the link to the Quick
Calculator is located on the Child Support screen.
Data File Encryption. All data files are now automatically
encrypted. The effect of this is to increase security when you send the
data files to us, to yourself, or to another professional over the
Internet. If you wish to turn encryption off, for any reason, you may
click Home tab > System Info > "Click Here to Specify Security Options."
Colorado Child Support. In this release, we added the Colorado
child support guidelines to our software. The changes in the low income
adjustment that will be effective on January 1, 2008, are built in to
the software and will automatically become effective on January 1. The
software automatically handles split and shared custody.
What If Analysis. In the previous release, it was possible for
the "end year" for spousal support or child support to be set to zero.
In some cases, this was also happening on the Planner and Lawyer pages
for child support and/or spousal support. Now, in all of those cases,
the "end year" will default to some number of years in the future.
Printing What If Analysis. We have removed the page break between
the top and bottom half of the "What If Analysis" page, so that the
"What If Analysis" screen may now print on a single page, if the results
section is short enough.
Alimony Calculator Menu Option. The Alimony Calculator is now
available as a selection as a link in the left margin of the Negotiate
tab. Previously, it was available only as a link on the Alimony Optimize
screen.
Business Income and Expenses. It is now possible to detail the
list of income and expenses for a business. The software will
automatically calculate the net income and use that net income in the
remainder of its calculations. We have also added a report to the
Reports list for the income and expenses of the business. (We are not
handling business depreciation. However, because the expensing
provisions of Section 179 are sufficiently generous, many small
businesses are able to expense fully all equipment in the first year,
and so they do not need depreciation tracking.) To access the detailed
list of income and expenses, click the link on the "more info" screen
for the business that is located next to the line where you enter the
net income of the business.
Income and Expenses from Assets and Debts. On the Lawyer tab, the
Income & Expenses page had not previously included the income and
expenses from assets and liabilities (mortgages, debt payments,
investment income, and insurance premiums). We have now added the
ability to include expenses from assets (mortgages, debt payments, and
insurance premiums) on the Income & Expenses screen.
Flexible footer. There is now more flexibility with respect to
the footers on printed pages. This includes the option to include some
information in a larger font.
Budget Report. There is now an option on the budget report to
omit pennies.
Client Data Sheets Single Spaced. It is now possible to specify
that you want the lines on the Client Data Sheets to be single space.
(By default, they are double-spaced.) Client data sheets are located on
the Files tab.
Formatting Options on the Total Property Report. You may now
specify options such as omitting percents, omitting dollars, adding
numbers at the end of the lines for exhibits, and so on, on the Total
Property Report. Previously, these options were available only on the
Division of Marital Property report.
Larger Footnote Font. There is now an option on the "Add Options"
dialog to print the footnotes at full size. By default, they print
smaller than the rest of the report.
Nonqualified IRA Contribution. It is now possible to specify that
a contribution to an IRA or 401(k) plan is nonqualified. This is a
checkbox on the screen at the place where you enter the contribution
amount. The amount of a nonqualified contribution will not be deducted
for tax purposes.
Value of Child Credit. On the alimony calculator report, on the
line for the value of the child credit, we revised the calculations so
that, if person has low income, none of it gets used, so "value" of
credit is zero. Previously, we were just showing the amount of the child
credit, whether or not it actually reduced taxes.
Enhancements for Connecticut
Connecticut Affidavit Monthly. You may now specify that the
software should calculate and show the numbers on the Connecticut
Affidavit on a monthly basis, or on a weekly basis. To select that
option, click the link at the top of the Connecticut Affidavit screen.
Connecticut Income & Expenses. In this release, we have
reorganized the Income & Expenses screen on the Lawyer tab in
Connecticut. Now, that screen more closely tracks the Connecticut
Affidavit. This change should make it significantly easier to use for
attorneys and paralegals who are preparing the Affidavit.
Enhancements for California
Retirement Contributions. Tax deductible retirement contributions
will now carry automatically to the California child support guidelines.
Child Birth Date. If no birth date is entered for a child, we now
assume that the child is under age 18. Previously, we had assumed that
the child did not qualify for child support. Now, the child will be
counted as qualifying for child support.
Enhancements for Florida
Child Care for Guideline. We are now automatically carrying child
care information from the planner to the Florida child support
guidelines calculation.
Enhancements for Georgia
Guideline Update. We have updated the child support forms to
reflect the changes that have been made effective in October, 2007.
Enhancements for Illinois
State tax. Retirement distributions now are not taxed for state
tax purposes
Enhancements for New York
Notes on New York Net Worth Statement. We have added a number of
"Note" links on the Family Data page of the New York Net Worth
Statement. This will be of great value to attorneys and paralegals who
would like to add notes to explain the various entries.
Tracking Report. On the New York Net Worth Statement, at the top
of the Expense section of the Income & Expenses screen, there is a new
link for a "Tracking Report." This report shows the correspondence from
Net Worth Statement lines to Planner Budget Report lines, and vice
versa.
Asset and Liabilities Description Lines. We have added the
ability to add as many description lines as you wish throughout the
Assets and Liabilities sections of the Net Worth Statement as well.
"Percent of Interest" Field. The "percent of interest" field on
the business asset on the Net Worth Statement is now a text field, not a
number field. You may thus enter as many decimal points as you like as
well as text explanation on that line.
Setting "Totals" to "Unknown." Is now possible to set the totals
at the bottom of the Assets page of the Net Worth Statement and the
bottom of the Liabilities page to be "Unknown." To do that, type Ctrl+U
on that field. (You may set any other numeric field to unknown this way
as well.)
Enhancements for Rhode Island
Guideline Update. We have updated the child support table for
Rhode Island, per the administrative order 2007-03, that was effective
November 1, 2007. The table was released prior to November 1.
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