Enrolled Agent Course: Syllabus and More

Enrolled Agent Course: Syllabus and More

Taxation is a diverse world with lots of intricacies involved. Working in such an intricate world often encourages professionals to elevate their expertise in tax. To build a rewarding career in this ever-changing landscape, passing the Enrolled Agent Examination is your best move. This test will help you understand tax complications as well as open doors to unlimited career opportunities.

EA certification by the Internal Revenue Service known as the Special Enrollment Exam allows you to be a dependable tax specialist. This certification is what you need if you are interested in succeeding in taxes globally; however, do not just dive into it without any idea about what it entails. So, before pursuing the certification, knowing everything about it is necessary.

By completely reading this post, you can easily learn about EA and as part of your mission towards becoming an Enrolled Agent, you will be able to acquire all about Enrolled Agent Certification and Examination information. It acts as a compass guiding through the complexities of the EA exam syllabus, eligibility, career scope, and salaries involved.

Key Takeaways

  • Enrolled Agent Course

  • Enrolled Agent Exam

  • Enrolled Agent Syllabus

Enrolled Agent Certification and Reasons to Pursue It

EA certification is a challenging credential awarded by the IRS. As a matter of fact, this is the largest title that the Internal Revenue Service has for individuals who pass the Enrolled Agent Examination. Your qualification as such an expert will ensure you have technical knowledge of taxation, thus becoming the intermediary between taxpayers or employers and the IRS. 

In this respect, you will be expected to represent taxpayers before the Internal Revenue Service in all aspects of tax matters. Besides, you should also expect to deal with all tax issues for your employer or client, including audits and collections.

Some of the most compelling reasons to go for an EA certification at NorthStar Academy are listed below:

Unmatchable Tax Expertise

One of the primary reasons why this certification might be important for someone to acquire is that it will give everything one might need to become a successful tax practitioner. This course offers useful skills, from complex taxation laws to tax planning strategies. Moreover, constant learning remains necessary through additional education credits that update EAs about changing tax policies.

Convenient Syllabus

At NorthStar Academy, the EA exam syllabus has been curated with top-notch study materials, keeping in mind that this credential is usually desired by students or professionals who are simultaneously studying or working.  The syllabus contains all the necessary subjects and concepts to help you become a tax expert and do justice to the EA designation. 

Globally Recognised Credential

Preparing for the competitive Enrolled Agent Examination will become all-worthy when you get a designation that is highly respected all around the world. As a result, you will have access to global taxation job opportunities. From leading accounting firms to even the Big 4, an EA certification can be your key to unlocking a highly rewarding career. 

Autonomy and Flexibility

Next on the list of convincing reasons to take and pass the Enrolled Agent Examination is that after becoming an EA, you will get the flexibility to choose your career path. Whether you prefer freelancing, working in a traditional office setting, or starting your tax consultancy firm, this certification will allow you to do it all. 

 

Enrolled Agent Examination

The Special Enrollment Examination (SEE), also called the Enrolled Agent Exam, unlike other finance tests such as CMA or CPA, is easier. Read below to know everything about this examination in detail. 

Eligibility

Unlike other finance, accounting, and taxation certification exams, the eligibility for the EA exam does not demand much. It has just two prerequisites, as listed-

  • 10+2 qualification
  • Valid Preparer Tax Identification Number (PTIN)

Yes, that’s it. You need nothing else to be eligible for the Enrolled Agent Examination. Students from diverse educational backgrounds are allowed to take this examination. One more point to note here is that it does not mandate work experience for eligibility. As a result, no matter whether you have recently acquired your high school diploma, entered college for graduation, completed your post-graduate studies, or are working, you can take the EA exam. 

 

EA Exam Syllabus

Let's discuss the 3 parts of the EA Exam. 

Individuals

  • Preliminary Work with Taxpayer Data
  • Income and Assets
  • Deductions and Credits
  • Taxation and Advice
  • Specialised returns for Individuals


Business

  • Business Entities
  • Business Financial Information
  • Specialised Returns and Taxpayers


Representation

  • Practices and Procedures
  • Representation before the IRS
  • Specific Types of Representation
  • Filing Process


EA Exam Pattern

Each part of the Enrolled Agent Examination consists of 100 Multiple Choice Questions for which you have to choose a correct option. Among each set of 100 MCQs, 85 are scored questions for which the IRS gives a score. However, the remaining 15 MCQs in each part are experimental questions and not scored by the IRS. 

These questions are just for the evaluation of your suitability for future exams. All these 15 questions are spread throughout the paper, and you will not be able to identify them. Therefore, you must attempt all 100 MCQs. In total, you need to answer 300 questions. Each part is worth 130 marks; you must obtain 105 to pass each. The table below describes the distribution of the number of questions within the three parts. 

IndividualsBusinessRepresentation
Preliminary Work with Taxpayer Data- 17 questionsBusiness Entities- 28 questionsPractices and Procedures- 25 questions
Income and Assets- 21 questionsBusiness Financial Information- 39 questionsRepresentation before the IRS- 24 questions
Deductions and Credits- 21 questionsSpecialised Returns and Taxpayers- 18 questionsSpecific Types of Representation- 19 questions
Taxation and Advice- 14 questions Filing Process- 17 questions
Specialised returns for Individuals- 12 questions  

EA Exam Dates and Centres

The Enrolled Agent Examination has a window starting from May to February. EA Exam Centres are limited as compared to other finance and accounting examinations. The exam is conducted at Prometric centres, which are present in all major cities for the convenience of the candidates. These cities include- 

  • Bangalore, India
  • Hyderabad, India
  • New Delhi, India
  • Seoul, Korea
  • Tokyo, Japan
  • Toronto, Canada 
  • London, England

Frequently Asked Questions