For this reason, the EA exam doesn’t really have trick questions per se. Rather, it simply demands that you know the content thoroughly. CPAs are qualified to perform more specialized tasks, such as auditing and consulting. They may also be called upon to provide advice on financial matters for their clients or business organizations. However, this comes with an increased time to earn a CPA certification, more barriers to entry, and a higher price to earn your CPA.
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Learn how to choose the best tax professional for your company. There is a 15-minute break and some buffer time before for instructions, so plan on spending 4 hours in the test. You are allowed to take each part up to four times between May 1 and February 28, and you have a two-year window from when you pass one part to pass the remaining two. You will need to check the Prometric website to find out what the current fees are for each part of the exam. Additionally, you will have to wait a little longer to finish the process. Registering online is easiest, but you can fill out Form W-12 and mail it to the IRS.
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If you are wearing eyeglasses you will be required to remove them for visual inspection to ensure they don’t contain a recording device. Large jewelry items must be stored in your locker due to concerns over concealed recording devices. Water in a clear or transparent container with a lid or cap must have all labels removed, and the container will be inspected for notes or other prohibited test aids. You will need to remove the lid/cap for visual inspection by the Test Center staff. These inspections will take a few seconds and will be done at check-in and again upon return from breaks before you enter the testing room to ensure you do not violate any security protocol. With the exception of wedding and engagement rings and small stud earrings, jewelry is prohibited.
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While this is all good news, none of it suggests that you should take the EA exam lightly. Your goal is not just to pass the exam eventually, but to pass it effectively (i.e., on your first is it hard to become an enrolled agent try). So, now that you know about the enrolled agent pass rate, you can begin to strategize to become an EA. Next, it’s time to start thinking about your enrolled agent exam prep.
Are you smart, organized, detail-oriented, and always ready to learn? Do you believe in holding to the highest ethical standards possible? You might make a great EA…plus you don’t need a college degree. In contrast, the REG exam requires candidates to complete 76 MCQs and 8 TBSs within 4 hours. Because the EA exam only has three parts instead of four like the CPA Exam, you shouldn’t need to study for the EA exam as long in total as you would for the CPA Exam. It might be easy to commit to studying for only an hour a week, but you should aim as high as you reasonably can.
When is the Enrolled Agent Exam given?
- The IRS claims that a paid return preparer looked at more than half of the 150 million individual returns filed in 2015.
- As the average Enrolled Agent exam pass rate is 71%, many people find the EA exam to be easier than the CPA Exam or CMA exam.
- EA candidates with IRS experience must fill out a form, undergo a background check, and have their tax transcripts reviewed.
- If you pass, you will be told only that you passed and not given your score.
- Passing this comprehensive exam is a pivotal moment on your journey of how to become an Enrolled Agent, demonstrating that you are prepared with the knowledge and skills to work in this role.
Many of those tax returns were filed with the help of an enrolled agent. Our Enrolled Agent prep courses help you learn and practice the content so you can pass with confidence. The rewarding EA credential is well worth the effort to pass the SEE. With structured online courses that take you from tax basics to advanced https://www.bookstime.com/ concepts, the CTP program gives you the foundational knowledge needed to become an Enrolled Agent. Our step-by-step curriculum designed for EA exam preparation allows you to gain expertise in all areas tested on the exam. EAs enjoy flexible work options, higher earning potential, and high demand for their services.
- You can increase your tax knowledge and expand your professional connections at these events.
- You’ll likely need to spend an average of 5 hours on each major topic area.
- Scaled scores are determined by calculating the number of questions answered correctly and converting it to a scale that ranges from 40 to 130.
- You can try to study for the Enrolled Agent exam “during your free time,” but if you’re like most people, there just isn’t enough extra time when you’re also working or going to school.
- For all three sections, you’re looking at a total of around 150 to 210 hours of study for the EA exam.
- Your first and last name must exactly match the first and last name you used to schedule the examination.
- To remain active, you must complete a yearly minimum of 16 hours including 2 hours of ethics or professional conduct.