Remember the article a few months ago about how hairdressers are more regulated than tax preparers? That article got a lot of attention (and for good reason) because for the first time someone was calling out the fact that there’s no standardized test or license that has to be acquired in order to prepare taxes for others. It’s no secret to those in the industry that consumers should be wary of who they choose to prepare their taxes and this article pretty much spelled it out.
As a tax preparer, even though you don’t have to go through regulations to prepare taxes, it’s important to ensure that you have the proper training so that mistakes can be avoided. At The Income Tax School, we offer the option of being trained and gaining a certificate as proof of your education. We do this so that our students can show clients that they’ve been through training and are competent. If you’re thinking about becoming a tax preparer, or just want to expand your knowledge to be able to prepare more complicated returns, we have three programs that would increase your knowledge and offer a set of credentials for you to display in your office.
The Chartered Tax Advisor certificate is for learning the basics. This program is only 2 courses (the Comprehensive Tax Course and Advanced Level 1 Tax Course).
What you’ll learn:
With this program you will learn to prepare tax returns for most Form 1040 individuals, non-business taxpayers, and small business taxpayers (self-employed/Schedule C). You will also learn how to research tax issues.
This program starts with the same two classes as the CTA program and then gets more advanced with an additional course: Small Business Level 1 Tax. This certificate will enable you to prepare both individual Form 1040 and small business corporation Form 1120 & 1120S and partnership Form 1065 tax returns. No prior tax or accounting knowledge is required, and minimal computer skills.
The Chartered Tax Professional (CTP) certificate program includes 5 courses. It will enable you to prepare both basic and complex individual Form 1040 and small business corporation Form 1120 & 1120S and partnership Form 1065 tax returns. The CTP program also covers all topics on the IRS Enrolled Agent (EA) exam and will help you to pass the EA exam after taking an EA exam review. An EA is the highest designation you can earn in the tax preparation industry.
Courses included in this program
- Comprehensive Tax Course
- Advanced I Tax Course
- Advanced II Tax Course
- Small Business I Tax Course
- Small Business II Tax Course
If you are just getting into the tax preparation business, getting started with one of these three programs is a great way to get a leg up on the competition. Our Tax School has been nationally recognized and honored by multiple organizations. Show potential clients that you’ve invested in tax preparer training and get that certificate!
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