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  • 1.  Tax Research Software

    Posted 04-03-2026 12:18 PM

    Hello, for those working in tax departments or doing tax related research for your organization, is there a particular software company that you have found to be best for tax related research? If so, what do you like about it and do you feel that the cost is worth it?



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    Madison King
    Executive Director of Tax and Reporting
    Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana Systems Office
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  • 2.  RE: Tax Research Software

    Posted 04-06-2026 09:30 AM
    Edited by Elizabeth Tetrault 04-06-2026 09:30 AM

    Hi Madison,

    I've used three tax research platforms in a university work setting: Bloomberg Tax (BNA), RIA Checkpoint (Thomson Reuters), and CCH AnswerConnect (Wolters Kluwer).

    I've generally found them useful in that order. In my opinion, Bloomberg produces the strongest search results, with good links to relevant topics and explanations. Checkpoint is often licensed through university libraries, primarily for business students. It works well, though I've found it somewhat less intuitive. I have found CCH AnswerConnect to be the least helpful.

    I wasn't closely involved on the cost side, but I believe Bloomberg is somewhere in the ~$15k per year range. That said, enterprise‑level software pricing always amazes me, so I'm probably not the best judge of cost versus value.



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    Elizabeth Tetrault
    Tax Supervisor
    University of South Florida
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  • 3.  RE: Tax Research Software

    Posted 04-07-2026 08:38 AM

    When I worked at a CPA firm doing taxes we used Thomson Reuters Accounting CS.



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    Darlene Sedlak
    Director of Student Accounts
    Marywood University
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  • 4.  RE: Tax Research Software

    Posted 04-07-2026 12:00 PM

    We currently utilize CCH Answerconnect. What sold me on it was the topic articles that are curated by Wolters Kluwer tax experts.  They also have an AI tool now, which needs some work but it's a good starting place when working on an issue.  I have used Checkpoint in the past as well.  I have found that they both are fairly good tools, but they present information differently.  I'd recommend getting a trial of both from the vendors and see which one fits best for you.  We use Bloomberg for Payroll research only and I have to say that the AI tools it has recently implemented exceeded my expectations. 



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    Adam Stark
    Tax Director
    University of Colorado System Office
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  • 5.  RE: Tax Research Software

    Posted 04-08-2026 09:31 AM
    Edited by Lewis Catrett 04-08-2026 09:31 AM

    Hey Madison - We currently use Checkpoint. It is a good cost effective product. We were using it when I started here 4 years ago and that was one of the first things I evaluated. Bloomberg and CCH licenses were beyond our budget but I do like some of the Checkpoint tools, such as their 990 Deskbook. We also subscribe to "The Tax Law of Colleges and Universities". It is a great source and a no brainer at its price point. 



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    Lewis Catrett
    Director, Tax Accounting and Special Projects
    University of South Alabama
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