Overview

In Drake Tax Online (DTO), returns are tied to the tax year and are redeemed when certain actions occur inside a return.

Returns:

• Are specific to a single tax year

• Are consumed when a live return is created or modified in certain ways

• Do not roll forward to future years

• Cannot be refunded once redeemed

This article explains how return charges work and what to expect. For information about purchasing returns, see Drake Tax Online - Purchasing.

Return Counted

A return is counted when a live return is created or when the SSN or EIN changes.

The return is counted when you:

• create a new return in DTO

• start a new return from Hub in DTO

• import a return from the prior year

• change the SSN/EIN on an existing return.

At that point, a return is redeemed from your available return bank. See Drake Tax Online - Creating a Return for details.

It is not counted when you:

• Open or view an existing return

• Calculate an existing return

• Navigate within a return

• Create a test return (see below)

Test Returns vs. Live Returns

You can create a test return by selecting the option to create a test return instead of entering an SSN or EIN. Drake Tax Online will generate a random test SSN or EIN, and the return will not be counted against your bank of returns as long as the SSN/EIN field is not edited. See Drake Tax Online - Creating a Return for details.

A test return:

• Does not count as a return

• Can be used for practice or review

• Remains uncounted unless you edit the SSN/EIN

Deleting a Return

Returns are counted against your bank of returns when created, not when filed. Once a return is counted against your bank of returns by creating it with an SSN or EIN, it is considered used. Deleting the return does not refund it back to your bank of returns.

In short, deleting a return:

• Removes the client data from your account

• Does not restore or refund the redeemed return to your bank of returns

Tax Year Behavior

Returns are tied to the tax year for which they are purchased and cannot be rolled forward to a future tax year. Unused returns can only be used for the same tax year while the IRS allows e-filing for that year.

Returns:

• Are tied to the specific tax year in which they are purchased

• Cannot be transferred to another tax year

• Do not roll forward

• Cannot be applied to future-year software

The current tax year and previous four tax years are available (if purchased). For example, in the 2025 filing season, tax years 2025, 2024, 2023, 2022, and 2021 are available in the drop list.

If you are missing one of these years, you need to have your account admin add you as a preparer for that year. See Drake Tax Online - Setting Up Users and Preparers for details.

For information on updating returns from a prior year, see Drake Tax Online - Updating Returns from a Prior Year.

Bulk Purchases and Pricing

Drake Tax Online offers discounted per-return pricing when you purchase returns in larger quantities upfront. The more returns you purchase at one time, the lower the cost per return. Individual and business returns are priced separately. Returns can also be purchased as needed throughout the season at standard pricing.

For information about purchasing returns, see Drake Tax Online - Purchasing.

Frequently Asked Questions