Make It Relevant for ME!

A few weeks ago IAC-EZ (CloudAve review here) introduced state tax estimates to go along with the federal ones they already provided.

At the time State taxes were limited to California, Florida, Illinois, Michigan, Texas, Virginia and Washington. Following their rapid develop and release strategy, IAC-EZ have just released a new version that includes State tax estimate calculation for New York, Indiana, Tennessee and Pennsylvania.

I was pleased to see State tax estimates – after all it’s pretty silly to have an accounting application calculate your Federal state liability but give no clue as to your State liability.

Notwithstanding that though something still rankled with me. I’m involved in a handful of businesses, all of which I do the accounting for but equally all of which I own in part. I’ve always hankered to see my own, as well as the general corporate tax liability. After all, and despite the intense loyalty I feel towards my businesses, it’s my own personal financial position that comes first.

So I was stoked to hear that included in the recent release is the simple, yet eminently handy addition of the calcualation of a particular users share taxes. IAC-EZ already knows the ownership split for the business – now it tell you the taxation apportionment as well.

Sure it’s a little simplistic and doesn’t take into account profit splits that are outside of the equity share – but it’s a nice example of user centred design and rapid iteration that is part and parcel of SaaS done right.