Product Reviews

Whatever anyone thinks about self-assessment it's here to stay, so we might as well get used to it. But what if you know nothing about tax and hate filling in forms? You could always get some help from the tax team at corporate accountant KPMG - if you can afford it. Actually, now you can. Microsoft has joined forces with Digita (a professional tax software supplier) and KPMG to bring you TaxSaver 99.

TaxSaver 99 is a Tax Return form-filling and calculation tool, designed to take you through the dreaded Tax Return a step at a time. Once all the data is entered, you should be able to check how much tax you owe, print the form and send it off to the Inland Revenue. The tool offers help and advice, including articles written by tax experts at KPMG.

First of all you're presented with a main screen where you can start a new Tax Return or open an existing form. You can view KPMG-sourced articles about the self-assessment process, or take a tour of the software. The tax articles are an interesting read, though much of the information is about tax itself, the history of tax and just what self-assessment is.

You do get to the meaty stuff eventually, with employment issues, the family situation, giving away money and investments all being given the KPMG treatment. Like the guided tour, these articles load in your default Web browser, so if you know your way around a Web page you shouldn't have much difficulty.

Getting started with the Tax Return involves gathering together the necessary paperwork. TaxSaver helps here, with the first stage of the process involving Hector the Tax Inspector (the character from the Inland Revenue TV ads) taking you through all of these items. You click which areas apply to you, such as employment, self-employment, share schemes and so on, and Hector lists the things you'll need.

Once this is complete you begin

There are hyperlinks to more information included in the text for each page, and pressing the F1 key in the field you're completing brings up tax help concerning that item. If you change to viewing the tax form as it will be printed, the Inland Revenue notes are available for each item as well.

If things start to get complicated, TaxSaver is supposed to offer an 'Advise Me' button. This brings up an expert assistant to give you further information, covering things such as capital gains situations, alimony (or maintenance) and allowances. However, this button isn't often apparent, and there were a number of places where it would have been really useful.

Once all of the information has been completed, TaxSaver will review the results and highlight any errors, such as incomplete boxes, or skipped sections that need your attention before the tax form can be submitted. You can then view a summary breakdown of your tax liability for the year, (including any tax you might have overpaid on account), print the form, sign it and send it to the Inland Revenue. And that's about it.

The main benefits that Microsoft TaxSaver offers over competitors such as Which? TaxCalc are the KPMG prepared articles, the getting-started notes and the detailed explanations provided in the help files. The interview technique to complete the form is pretty much standard across the genre, although being able to enter data straight on to the form view itself is a boon to those who know what they're doing.

Microsoft TaxSaver 99 is certainly very accessible, and does the job competently enough - and you'll be unlikely to find more advice and help available elsewhere. If you're unsure about your liability in a certain area it's probably still safer to ask the tax office, but £25 isn't much to pay, even if the software is only valid for the 1998/1999 return. It really will make a difficult chore much easier.