Customer Reviews

Quicken Financial Planner 3.3

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a superbly planned program. It walks the user through a simple but detailed interview leading to a conclusion about the adequacy of one's plans to their idea of retirement. My big complaint, however, is that Intuit has not supported the program at all. They posted a minor touchup on their website two years ago, then abandoned further revisions. The most current edition fails to acknowledge the 1998 tax reforms, such as capital gains tax reduction, and exemption of capital gains on sale of a home.

I've used the Financial Planner for a number of years and found it helpful ... until recently. The additions of Roth IRAs a few years ago and other more recent tax changes required the planner to be updated. It is no longer accurate. I tried installing one of the patches, but it wouldn't install. So I'm left with my favorite financial planner being almost useless. It still helps me consider all the options for planning my retirement, but it could have remained GREAT. Intuit is not supporting this product adequately, so now I'm in the market for something better. Too bad, it really was great a few years ago. Too bad for Intuit and their customers.

I absolutely agree with the other reviewers' comments about Quicken Financial Planner! And I'd like to challenge all you software developers out there: Why doesn't somebody who knows how to do it buy (or take) this once-marvelous software program, update it to current tax law, and offer it as your own product (with continuing support)?

If you make it possible to export our current QFP data into your new program, that would be even better! Then market it well, in terms of what it can do for me. (Intuit never did this competently. The only way I found out about it was upon recommendation from my accountant.)

This was a fantastic financial planning tool -- in fact, I still use it, even with it's hopelessly outdated tax information, because I've not been able to locate anything else remotely as well-conceived. (Has anyone else out there?) With a few keystrokes, I can try out a multitude of different investment strategies, or possible purchases/standards of living, and see their long-term effect upon our net worth. It's QFP that allowed me to see -- way back in '98, when most financial planners were saying "don't even think about it, in your position!" -- what an incredible effect converting our SEP-IRAs to Roth IRAs would have, long term.

Intuit, what in the world could you have been thinking, to abandon this gem? And if the genius who actually developed QFP in the first place is reading this, how about YOU taking it back, and making it your own product? Remember -- the Boomers' retirements are coming! And if you do, PLEASE let me know!

-- springchicken@ameritech.net

I thought I was the only one out there who was mystified by the lack of updates to Quicken Financial Planner. It was the best program of its kind and I have found nothing to replace the now useless planning tool.