Enrolled Agent Certification

Weihong Li is an accounting student at Portland Community college and is demonstrating how the Enrolled Agent pathway would look for a community college student.  She took BA 256: Income Tax and then used the Surgent EA exam prep (free individual tax materials) to pass Part I of the exam on the first try.  She found that BA 256 had prepared her well for the exam.  

She then purchased (NAEA scholarships also available) Surgent's Part 2 materials and again passed the corporate & partnership section of the exam on the first try. Here are her comments on this phase of her journey: 

• I liked working on the multiple choice questions Surgent provided. Questions are repeated and always reviewed what you haven’t mastered, so it saves time for learners. The explanation after finishing each question is clear and on point. I read them all and also checked the references of the IRS section and code which can be accessed after the question explanation. Reading those referencestakes time but worth it to know both the details and general concept of the topic. There are also videos provided by Surgent, but I didn’t watch many. 

• I also remembered being told about how to deal with so many details in BA 256 (thank you!). The tip is taking notes. I used this tip on learning both tests. I think this is an efficient way for better preparation, especially for Surgent materials (question based).

• Now I am taking a short break. I am planning to start learning Part 3 soon and still use the Surgent materials. I am thinking about taking the exam in several months, and will keep you posted.

Did you know?

• Enrolled Agents are America's Tax Experts

• Enrolled Agents can work in a wide variety of places

• You can become an Enrolled Agent without a college degree

• Two  year free student NAEA membership - $35 per year afterwards

• There is an affordable pathway to preparing for the national enrolled agent exam

• You could win a scholarship to pay for your preparation (link is broken on EA website, but this works)

• Fast Forward Academy Enrolled Agent Guide to Success and Pricing Options

Oregon requires professional tax preparers to pass the Oregon Tax Preparers' Exam, but people with valid enrolled agent licenses are only required to take the Oregon law section of the Oregon Tax Consultants' Exam (which comes after the Preparers' Exam).  The Tax Preparers' Exam is not required, but completing the exam's 80 hour course requirement with PCC's BA 290: Income Tax Preparation (currently offered each fall term) would be a great start for preparing for Part 1 of the Enrolled Agent's Exam.