November 26 - December 3

Financing done right by Alessandro Cancian I can still remember when I was a kid and both my parents were accustomed to keeping our households accounts in order. Wages, rent, and anything else were entered manually in a precious booklet that my father kept in a drawer by his bedside. Times were different then, but today the number of items to keep into account has surely increased. In the last few years Ive tried to keep my accounts by using what is recognized as the market leader software: Quicken. This year Intuit released the 2001 version of its products, now available in four different packages according to your needs: Basic, Deluxe, Home and Business, Suite. For the occasion I was able to test the Suite version, which includes Quicken Deluxe, QuickTax, and QuickWealth Planner. The Quicken Deluxe 2000 version already was a good product as a desktop financial manager, and its new edition improves it further. The new program makes online banking easier, offering full control over ones accounts, allowing bill payment, etc., but in addition to that, Deluxe also helps you plan and control your investments. In certain cases Quicken offers useful advice, assisting, for instance, in deciding whether to effect some payments in different periods or highlighting abnormal situations or even reminding you of missed payments. The novelties in the Deluxe version include RRSP Summary which keeps you updated on your RRSP investments through information, graphics and comparisons; Investment Research Guide, which improves portfolio management thanks to information coming from Quicken.ca. But in addition to the various welcome novelties, Intuit made some changes on the interface , introducing even a new toolbar. If on the one hand these somewhat simplify several processes, on the other they can create some embarrassment to long-time users of the program. The Suite package, available for Windows 95/98/2000 and NT, alongside Quicken Deluxe, also includes the possibility to download QuickTax Final from the Internet, allowing you to prepare up to 18 tax returns. QuickWealth is the last missing piece in the puzzle, and the full version of this software will allow you to plan your financial future. For new users, Deluxe 2001 can surely give you everything you need for keeping your finances under control. Too many options can sometimes get confusing, and at times you could be forced to do some research, but the approach Quicken follows to put you in command of your accounts is the right one. The price of the Suite, at $99.95, is right, especially considering all the software included in the package. Should your main interest be the adequate management of your finances, you can purchase just the stand-alone version of Deluxe at $69.95. For further information please visit www.intuit.com/canada

 

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