Accounting, finance and tax professionals face constant pressure to keep up with new regulations, evolving technology and best practices. Continuing education (CE) requirements ensure that you remain compliant with professional standards and stay relevant in a field that demands continuous learning. However, waiting until the last minute to earn your CE credits can lead to several pitfalls, from unnecessary stress to career setbacks.
This blog will explore why accounting, finance and tax professionals should avoid procrastinating on CE credits and how Surgent Income Tax School offers the ideal solution for flexible, effective and comprehensive continuing education.
Risks of Procrastinating on CE Credits
Procrastination is common, especially when balancing a demanding career with personal life and other professional responsibilities. Here are some key reasons why many professionals put off earning their CE credits:
- Demanding workdays: Accounting, finance and tax professionals often have jam-packed schedules, leaving little room for anything outside of daily tasks. The constant pressure to meet deadlines and satisfy clients can make it easy to push off CE courses.
- Personal demands: Between work and family obligations, it’s challenging to carve out time for education. “Family first” is more than a saying; it’s a way of life. As a result, CE takes a back seat.
- Uncertainty about course relevance: With so many CE courses available, it can be overwhelming to decide which ones are right for you. Uncertainty about which courses will provide the most value can lead to hesitation, delaying progress.
- Unique learning needs: Not every CE course is designed with diverse learning styles in mind. Some professionals need more interactive learning, while others prefer self-paced study. Without finding the right course for your learning preferences, the process of earning credits is put off.
While these reasons are valid, procrastination comes with significant risks that can negatively impact your career and personal well-being. Here are the primary dangers of waiting until the last minute to earn CE credits:
Increased Stress
The closer the CE deadline looms, the more anxiety builds. Each passing day without earning credits adds unnecessary pressure, leading to rushed decisions and less effective learning. Scrambling to find and complete courses at the last minute can turn what should be an enriching learning experience into a stressful ordeal.
Poor Knowledge Retention
Cramming for exams in college might have worked short-term, but the same strategy doesn’t apply to continuing education. Last-minute learning doesn’t allow time to absorb, process, and retain essential information. As a result, you’re likely to forget what you learned quickly, diminishing the long-term value of the education you receive.
Noncompliance with Professional Standards
CE requirements are designed to keep professionals up to date with industry standards and ethics regulations. Delaying your CE could mean risking noncompliance. Each state and professional organization has strict guidelines on how and when CE credits should be completed, and failure to meet those deadlines could jeopardize your CPA or EA license, leaving you vulnerable to fines, penalties, or worse—career setbacks.
Wasted Time and Money
In a rush to complete CE requirements, professionals may end up choosing irrelevant courses just to fulfill the credit hours. This not only wastes time but also money, as many CE courses come with costs. Choosing the wrong courses may also leave knowledge gaps that could affect your ability to provide high-level service to clients or advance your career.
A Strategic Approach to CE Success
The best way to avoid the pitfalls of procrastination is by taking a proactive approach to earning your CE credits. Incorporating continuing education into your routine, rather than treating it as a last-minute scramble, provides several advantages:
- Less stress: When CE is part of your regular professional development plan, you can take courses at your own pace without worrying about looming deadlines.
- Better knowledge retention: Spreading out your learning over time allows you to retain more information and apply it to your work, making the knowledge more valuable.
- Increased career growth opportunities: By staying on top of your CE requirements, you position yourself as a knowledgeable and reliable professional, making you an invaluable resource to clients and employers.
- Tailored learning: A strategic approach to CE allows you to select courses that align with your career goals and learning preferences. This ensures that every credit you earn is meaningful and relevant to your professional growth.
Why Surgent Income Tax School Is the Ideal CE Solution
Surgent Income Tax School offers accounting, finance and tax professionals a wide range of CE courses designed to be flexible, efficient and comprehensive. Surgent provides the tools you need to succeed without the last-minute rush.
Advance Your Tax Prep Career
Becoming an Enrolled Agent (EA) can open greater career opportunities, and Surgent offers comprehensive training to help you pass the EA Exam.
- Comprehensive EA prep course: Surgent EA Review is designed to provide everything you need to pass the EA Exam. By leveraging industry-leading Predictive AI Technology, Surgent EA Review helps maximize your study time to put you on a faster path to becoming an Enrolled Agent.
- Career Growth: Becoming an EA allows you to offer clients a higher level of service and expertise, making you more valuable and increasing your income potential.
- Flexible learning: Study at your own pace, making it easy to fit education into your existing obligations without last-minute stress. Once you become an EA, Surgent Income Tax School offers CE seminars and packages to make sure you stay up-to-date on the latest tax laws and legislation.
Fulfill Your CE Requirements
Surgent Income Tax School offers a variety of CE courses designed to help professionals stay compliant and up-to-date with industry standards. For example, with the CTEC deadline approaching on Oct. 31, Surgent Income Tax School offers a CTEC CE package that contains all necessary credits for a California tax preparer to meet the 20-hour renewal requirements for CTEC.
- Wide range of courses: Surgent offers an extensive selection of courses, ensuring you have the options you need to meet your CE requirements.
- Stay compliant: By continuously updating your skills, you can ensure you remain compliant with industry regulations and stay ahead of the competition.
- Convenient online learning: Surgent’s courses are available online, giving you the flexibility to learn when and where it’s most convenient for you.
Create the Career You Want
Surgent empowers professionals to create a flexible, fulfilling career by offering courses that help you learn to prepare taxes for individuals and small businesses or even start your own tax preparation business.
- Versatile career options: Whether you want to work seasonally or year-round, Surgent’s courses provide the training you need to build a successful career.
- Create your own business: Surgent provides the knowledge and resources to help you start your own tax prep business, giving you control over your professional future.
Make CE a Strategic Part of Your Career Success
Don’t let the pressure of last-minute deadlines derail your career. By planning ahead and incorporating continuing education into your regular routine, you can stay compliant, reduce stress, and position yourself for success.
Surgent Income Tax School offers flexible, convenient and comprehensive CE courses designed to fit the busy lives of accounting, finance and tax professionals. Take control of your continuing education today and set yourself up for long-term success.