Drake Tax Pro 250

Article #: 18978

Last Updated: August 13, 2026

Tags: Drake Tax1120S1120H1040NR1040SSmultiuser

Drake Tax logo

Overview

If you prepare mix of individual and business returns, but file a lower volume of returns, the Drake Tax Pro 250 package might be right for you.

The Drake Tax Pro 250 package comes with 250 returns that can be redeemed as either Individual returns or Business/Estate returns. Details regarding pricing can be found on the support website pricing page. State programs and e-filing are available at no additional charge with all versions of Drake Tax.

A Drake Tax Pro 250 user can purchase:

Additional Individual (1040, 1040-NR, 1040-SS Returns) and Business/Entity Returns (1120, 1120-S, 1120-H, 1065, 1041, 990, 706 Returns) as needed once the initial 250 returns have been redeemed.
Drake Accounting - Professional Edition (select to bundle when purchasing Drake Tax Pro 250).
Drake Portals - Drake Portals - Overview and Pricing for details.
Drake Workflow - see Drake Workflow - Overview and Frequently Asked Questions for details.
E-Signature Events - see Drake Portals - Drake E-Sign Online - E-Signature Event Types for details.
GruntWorx Inventory - see GruntWorx - Overview for details.
Practice Essentials bundle - see Practice Essentials for details.
TheTaxBook WebLibrary Plus Research Tool - see TheTaxBook for details.

Internet Required

Internet access is required for the use and activation of the Drake Tax Pro 250 package and the purchase of additional business/estate returns. As with all versions of Drake Tax, internet access is also required to keep the software updated.

Installation

Drake Tax can be installed on peer-to-peer networks.

On networks not using a true server (networks where one computer is designated a “server” and the other computers share files through that computer), returns can be redeemed on any of the computers in the network. Do not, however, transmit from more than one computer.

Drake Tax can be installed on a server.

On networks using a true server, all returns are redeemed from the server, and all computers on the network have access to all the returns through the server.

Redeemed returns can be moved to other computers.

A redeemed return can be copied and moved to another computer without counting against your total. Both computers must have the same ERO setup in order to allow for this movement.

The SSN/EIN field is grayed out on all return types in the Drake Tax Pro 250 package. See below for more information about changing file types and changing the ID number on a return.

Summary

Open Drake Software and go to the Setup > Pay Per Return screen:

Account Summary - broken down in the following categories, cross-referenced with whether the return is an Individual (1040, 1040-NR, 1040-SS Returns) or a Business/Estate (1120, 1120-S, 1120-H, 1065, 1041, 990, 706 Returns).
- Total Returns Purchased
  - Shows how many returns have been purchased.
  - The Drake Tax Pro 250 package comes with: 250 returns that can be redeemed as either Individual returns or Business/Estate returns.
- Total Returns Redeemed
  - A return is “redeemed” when you:
    - Start a new return
    - Update an existing return*
    - Change the EIN on a return
  Note A return redeemed on this machine can be moved to another machine.
- Total Returns Remaining
  - The total returns remaining are the amount of returns that have been purchased, but have not been redeemed.
Account Details - This section shows how much it will cost to upgrade your Drake Tax Pro 250 package to Drake Tax Pro Unlimited.
Purchase Returns - See below for details.
PPR List - Verify which ID numbers were used to activate returns.

Purchasing Returns

To ensure that your PPR purchase is synced to your desktop program, you must have all of the following:

an active Drake account
the correct account information entered on the ERO screen
an internet connection

To purchase more returns, follow these steps:

Go to https://support.drakesoftware.com/Returns (SSO login required).

Tip You can also access this site from within Drake Tax by going to Setup > Pay Per Return > Purchase.

Alternatively, log into Drake Hub, select Drake Support Site on the left. Then go to Purchasing > Returns.
Choose the applicable tax year from the drop list.
Select how many returns you need (pricing details shown for each return type), and click Continue to Payment.
Verify your cart details, then click Make Payment.
Enter your card details and complete the checkout.
Purchases automatically sync with your software once complete.

Note Once returns are paid for, they can be used or "redeemed" simply creating and redeeming a new return or updating a return from the previous year.

Returns can be redeemed only one at a time.

Returns cannot be purchased or redeemed by phone. If your internet connection is offline, you can still work in redeemed returns, but you cannot purchase or redeem more returns until the internet connection is reestablished.

PPR Bank

When you have available returns during the Open/Create process, you will see the notification that the redemption will decrease the available number of returns in the bank and show how many will remain after that return is redeemed.

If you attempt to redeem a return when there are no available (un-redeemed) returns for that type, you will see the message:

"There are no ____ returns available. Do you wish to purchase more ____ returns (Y/N)?"

Updating and Redeeming

It is recommended that you update returns as you begin to work on them. If you choose to update a return, it will not be redeemed until you choose to open it in data entry. The following pop-up will ask if you want to redeem the return or continue in read-only mode.

There are several ways to use PPRs so that they are counted against your total of purchased and redeemed returns.

Starting a new return

From the Home window toolbar, click Open/Create.
Enter an SSN or EIN in the Open/Create a New Return dialog box. Click OK.
In the Open Return window, click Yes.
Verify the SSN/EIN entry.
Select a Return Type.
Enter a name in the Name Entry text box. Click OK.
Click Yes to verify that you want this return counted against your total.

Updating a return

From the Home window, go to Last Year Data > Update Clients 2024 to 2025.
In the Update Client Selection dialog box, enter an SSN/EIN and click Add Client.
Click Next.
In the Update Options menu, select the items to update.
Click the Update [return type] button. (If you are updating business* returns, the button will be labeled with the appropriate return type - 1120, 1120-S, 1065, etc.)
You are offered the opportunity to count the newly updated return against your supply of purchased but un-redeemed returns, or to open the return in read-only mode. You cannot make any new entries or calculate the return while in read-only mode.

Another method of updating a return is to click Open/Create from the toolbar, enter the SSN or EIN of a previous year’s client, and then make selections from the Update Options menu. You are then given the option to redeem the return, open in read only, or cancel.

Important Some states require certain fields to be verified upon update. If the SSN or EIN field is highlighted in green, you will be unable to click directly in that field (it will be grayed out). After verifying that the entries on screen 1 are correct, right-click and choose Clear Flags on this Screen.

Changing the TIN

You can change the SSN/EIN associated with a redeemed return, but this will cost you another return*. To change the SSN:

From the Home window, go to Tools > File Maintenance > Change ID Number on Return.
An alert reminds you that changing the ID counts against your total number of PPRs. Click Yes.
In the Incorrect ID number text box, enter the current SSN/EIN.
In the Correct ID number text box, enter the new SSN/EIN to associate with this return.
Click Continue, and then click Exit.
After changing a return’s SSN/EIN, update your client list by running the Repair Index Files tool. From the Home window, go to Tools > Repair Index Files.

Caution *You must have another return available in your bank to proceed.

Changing File Type

You are only able to change a business return to another type of business return. You cannot change a business return to a 1040, or vice versa. The file type can be changed one time under the Tools menu. An attempt to change the file type a second time will result in the following message:

"The return type has already been changed on this tax return. Additional changes not allowed."

Important A 1041 return cannot be changed to any other return type.

To change the file type:

From the Home window, go to Tools > File Maintenance > Change File Type to open the Convert Client Data File Type dialog box.
Click Yes.
Enter the EIN of the return you wish to change.
Click Continue.
From the Convert this file to: section, select the type of return you wish this return to be converted to.
Click Continue, and then click OK.

Upgrading

If you want to upgrade your Drake Tax Pro 250 package, you can now do so online - see Upgrade Tax Software for details.

Important You must close out of Drake Tax and relaunch it for the upgrade to take effect.

Once you have upgraded your purchase, you will be able to access Setup > Pay Per Return for reporting purposes:

If you are prompted to purchase additional returns after upgrading to an unlimited package, take the following steps (even if you completed this setup previously):

Log in to the Drake Software Support website and go to Downloads > Drake Tax.
Locate the e-file Password line and click Copy.

Tip This password is case-sensitive so you should use copy/paste to prevent typos.
In Drake Tax, go to Setup > Electronic Filing and Account Information (ERO) and paste the password in the e-file Password field.
Click OK.
Go to Setup > Firms.
Select Firm 1 and click Edit Firm (or double-click to edit).
Beside your EFIN, click Confirm.
Then click Save.