Can you recommend a tax planning software for comparing filing scenarios when a client has W-2, 1099, and rental income?

Yes — if your main need is comparing “what-if” filing scenarios for a client with W-2, 1099, and rental income, I’d look at software that supports tax projection, multi-scenario comparison, and entity/filing status analysis.

Best options to consider

1. Drake Tax / Drake Tax Planner

• Good for tax professionals
• Includes tax planning/projection tools
• Can compare scenarios like:
  • W-2 only vs. adding 1099 income
  • Schedule E rental treatment
  • Married filing jointly vs. separately
  • Retirement contribution strategies
• Strong value if you want a more affordable professional suite

2. Intuit ProConnect Tax + Planner

• Solid for scenario analysis and projections
• Useful if you already work in the Intuit ecosystem
• Can model multiple income streams and estimate tax impact
• Better for firms already using QuickBooks/Intuit tools

3. CCH Axcess Tax + Tax Planner

• More enterprise-grade
• Very strong for complex client planning
• Good reporting and scenario comparison capabilities
• Typically pricier, but robust for larger practices

4. UltraTax CS + Planner CS

• Excellent for detailed tax planning
• Strong integration with tax prep workflows
• Good if you need advanced modeling for rentals, pass-through income, and projected liability

5. Lacerte Tax

• Strong for high-complexity returns
• Has tax planning/projection features
• Often favored for more intricate client situations, though usually on the pricier side

If you want a lighter-weight planning-only tool

If you don’t need a full tax prep suite, look at:

• Holistiplan — very popular for tax planning summaries and scenario insights, especially for advisors
• RightCapital / eMoney / MoneyGuide — more financial planning oriented, but can be useful for broader scenario modeling
• BNA Income Tax Planner — strong standalone tax projection tool, more traditional and detailed

My practical recommendation

• Best value for tax firms: Drake Tax
• Best standalone planning tool: BNA Income Tax Planner
• Best advisor-friendly presentation/reporting: Holistiplan
• Best enterprise option: CCH Axcess or UltraTax CS

What to look for specifically

For your use case, make sure the software can handle:

• Schedule C / 1099 self-employment income
• Schedule E rental income and depreciation
• QBI calculations
• Estimated tax payments
• Scenario comparisons side-by-side
• State tax impact
• Different filing statuses and spouse income combinations

If you want, I can also give you:

1. a top 3 shortlist by budget, or
2. a comparison table focused specifically on W-2 + 1099 + rental scenario planning.