E A

[Bees Knees]

I joined the NAEA for one year, and felt I didn't get my monies-worth. Only the local group had any activities, and to attend them you had to join the National and State. A lot of money for few benefits.

Belonging to an organization is much more than the personal membership benefits you might receive, such as discounts on product purchases and seminars.

The real benefit you receive from joining is you now are supporting an organization that will fight for your right to practice as an EA. If we are not organized, we could have our credentials ignored or trampled on. For example, NAEA has been and currently continues to fight for our right to be grandfathered into any new legislation that may be passed concerning regulating paid preparers. It seems silly, but most Congressmen do not have a clue how the tax profession works. Yet they seem to have a desire to pass laws concerning it. We need organizations such as NAEA and NATP to fight and protect our status as EAs. I do not want to have to go out and pass another silly test just to prove I am a competent tax preparer.

[DTS]

Black Bart, EA

Hey Bart,

Congratulations on passing the exam!!

Dennis

[Black Bart]

Thanx to:

jimmcg/ jainen/ Dennis

Frank/ Roberts/ rosieea/ Bees Knees/ Gary -- I already joined NAEA ($105). I have to say though that their turnaround time's a bit slow--my app/check were two weeks gone-no response--was about to call when email said they're sending a new member kit. But, it's eight days now and no kit. Guess I'll just have to wait and see how it plays out. By the way, how many CE hours per year do you have to get? I'm a licensed Public Accountant in Arkansas and we have to get 40 hours from board-registered sources. I wonder if those same hours could be used for the EA requirements?

OldJack -- >>unqualified for any other type work<< -- Does this mean I don't have to mow the yard anymore?

Birds & Bees/ geekgirldany -- Received NATP's (impressive) package in the mail today--guess they get names from IRS. $134 for the year--I'm sending it in.

Veritas -- Dhanya-waad ("thank you" in Hindi--I picked up an Indian client). So you're boning up (>>I'm trying out my high school Spanish<<) for the invasion, eh? Don't tell any of the guys in the Minutemen about it.

Armando -- >>does this mean we have to start treating you with respect?<< Well...umm..would you not take it the wrong way if I asked you to bow, kiss my hand, and call me "Godfather"?

[S T]

Congrats

A little late in chiming in here, but Congratulations on your success of achieving EA.

NAEA requirements are different than IRS, require 30 hours per year or 90 hours per 3 year cyle where IRS only requires 24 hours per year or I believe 72 per 3 year cycle. Here's a link for you. http://www.naea.org/MemberPortal/Edu.../ContinuingEd/

I did find a site that has some good info and CPE that you can do online which is http://www.cpedepot.com Danny Santucci is one of my favorite speakers and has presented several topics in online form for testing. Our local Calif Chapter also offers once a month sessions on line. I don't know if the other States chapters do that. But it has also been beneficial.

I belong to both the NAEA and the local Calif chapter. While I don't attend all of the meetings that are offered here, I feel the NAEA and the local chapter is well worth the cost due to the lobbying and the interest in promoting our EA designation that we have worked so hard to obtain. Also there are some great seminars, and the speakers usually are awesome. You also receive monthly publications that have a lot of information on what is "happening" plus 2 hours of CPE are offered with each issue. Our recent Calif chapter had an article about the "LLC Fees Declared as Unconstituitonal" in California, which is of interest to those of us in Calif. The recent NAEA had an article by none other than our illustrous authors of the Tax Book, etc. on ethics, yes both Brad and Paul and another contributing author. I found the article to be very informative and helpful regarding so many of the ethic questions that we have concerns about. The down side was that the NAEA didn't offer the 2 hours CPE on ethics that we all need.

So as Dani so aptly put it, what would Bees do??

Congratulations!!

Sandy

[JG EA]

Also my congratulations!

Did you study long and hard? I bet it took up all of your last summer.

[Black Bart]

Thanks Sandy and JG,

Did you study long and hard? I bet it took up all of your last summer.

Yeah, actually I did study all summer this time. I took it twice--flunked in '04. First time, I passed parts 1-Individuals and 4-IRS Administration, barely missed part 2 (Sole Props/Partners), got 95 and needed 105, but badly flunked part 3 (Corporations, Estates, Gifts, etc.), getting 72--needed 105.

Funny thing; I learned more from flunkin' the first test than anything else. I'd only done a couple of corporations, but thought "well, it's about taxes--I know taxes--how bad can it be?" I quickly found out. Ordering the Gleim course "overnight" and looking at book #3, I realized I didn't know doodly-squat (What? "Brother-sister" and "controlled" corporations aren't necessarily run by your relatives?).

Anyway, waiting in the test room, I talked to three ladies across the table. They asked had I "studied long?" "Three weeks," I replied. You?" "THREE YEARS," one of them solemnly intoned--turning me to stone. Seems lots of people have taken the test two-three times before and are still trying to pass.

Next day, upon seeing part 3, I knew I was sunk. All I could do was hope I'd "luck out"-- an extremely long shot (I won a cakewalk at age 12). As I left the building I prayed for divine intervention and gave $5 to a wino as a token of devout good will toward my fellow man. As they say, I think He heard my plea, but the answer was "No."

So, for '05 I studied for months and months. I still used Gleim (their CD tests are good) and concentrated heavily on part three--everybody told me that's the one they failed. Also, people here advised "study basis, basis, basis." So, I did, and passed (never mind by how much--an inch is as good as a mile).

[abby]

Congratulations from here, too

I don't have any good advice for you - just happy for your accomplishment and grateful for your wry humor and point of view on this board - and while I'm at it - thanks for giving me the idea for my board name. AB was a bit too impersonal.

Not much wry humor in those test, eh?

[Black Bart]

Thanks -- A coincidence, but

I don't have any good advice for you - just happy for your accomplishment and grateful for your wry humor and point of view on this board - and while I'm at it - thanks for giving me the idea for my board name. AB was a bit too impersonal.

Not much wry humor in those test, eh?

you came up in this recent conversation. I was debating how to tell the world about this EA thing and decided to give the Foxworthy crowd a trial run. I printed "EA" on my forehead with a black Magic Marker and went over to Rube's Lubes, LLC to see my mentor and...hmm...let's see...cousin? great half-uncle? in-law? what? I forget. Oh well; doesn't matter--you know what they say--we're all related down here.

Rube: Whassup?
BB: Notice anything different about me?
Rube: You cain't spell?
BB: Say what?
Rube: You spelt "et" wrong. It ain't "EA;" it's "ET."
BB: "Et?" You mean like in "get?" What's "et?"
Rube: Lordy; you college boys! Looky here--trah tu foller 'long an' ah'll give you "samples" uh th' ten-sez uv ver-bull use-idge (I know--I know; he runs a lube rack, for Heaven's sake, but Rube's always figured he was just a little bit "hot" ever since he got Salutatorian at Dogpatch Primer).
Rube: Awright, now. It's thisaway--Present: Ah eat at McDonald's ever' mornin'. Past: Ah et at McDonald's this mornin'. Past Present: Ah done et this mornin'. See? It ain't rocket science!
BB: All that aside--you think it's too ostentatious?
Rube: Ah done tole you once't--no cussin' in th' shop! Jus' las' fall you said "thespian" in here; talkin' 'bout that there Oregon gal who claimed she used to be one. Surprised she'd admit it, ah hafta say!

[oceanlovin'ea]

Congrats

Way to go, Black Bart.

I took the test in 2004 and was really scared. I just missed passing by a few points on 2 parts, but when all was said and done, I passed, due to some of the questions that I missed being allowed. I'm like you - I passed, don't care by how much.

Florida does a special day at their FSEA convention each year for new EA's. So I went to that in 2005 and found it helpful. I joined both FSEA and NAEA. One advantage of being in NAEA is that you hear about other state's seminars. I attended Georgia's state EA convention this year in Jekyll Island for a double benefit - beautiful setting and good program. I chose that one because of the subject matter and was very impressed.
I attended a couple of sessions of Florida's convention because I didn't feel that most of the sessions would benefit me that much. Since it was in driving distance, I just went for part of the program.

I sat at dinner with a couple from Ohio who said they always go to Georgia's convention. They think it is one of the best.

My husband thinks I'm crazy this year, always working on CE credits. But I don't want to mess up. I will do some online. There is a test in each EA Journal that you can send in for CE credits too.

My local chapter is very active so that is a plus. We have a dinner once a month and meeting during off season.

Anyway, great job. And wear your new title proudly.

Linda F

[DTS]

Exam

Bart,

I was just curious where you took your exam. From a few of your past posts, I understand you live in Dogpatch or Possum Holler, something like that...

Seriously, where was it? I have family in Arkansas and wanted to see where you were in relation to them.

Dennis

[Ricardo]

Bart EA

Well done, sir. (notice the sir)?

Does this mean you are to now be considered " NON-INEXCRUPULOUS" ?

Regards - - Ricardo

[Black Bart]

Thanx to

Linda: The Georgia meet sounds like fun. What big city is that island close to and about how much do their seminars cost?

Ricardo: Hi there. Yeah, that's a handy non-word isn't it (a homemade combination of inexcusable and unscrupulous)? I used to employ it against Armando occasionally. It won't be necessary to bow and scrape, but it's nice to hear from you again. Chime in more often.

Dennis: The only one in Arkansas was Little Rock, but you can apply for sites in other states and they'll take you if there's room. I wanted Memphis because I'm familiar with that town, so I applied for it and got it. However, that's all been changed now since Thomson took it over. IRS had only 90 test sites--Thomson has 300 (isn't the efficiency of private enterprise versus governmental lack of imagination just amazing?). Formerly, practical sites for Arkansas were: Little Rock, Kansas City, St. Louis, Oklahoma City, Memphis, and Jackson, Mississippi. I haven't seen the list of new sites, but now people can probably take it in a mid-size city near their homes.

[DTS]

Memphis

Bart,

My Mother was born and raised not far from West Memphis, Eudora and Mark Tree.Other family members are in the Northwest corner around Rogers.

Dennis

[oceanlovin'ea]

Georgia seminar

Black Bart,

Jekyll Island is a small island off the coast from Brunswick. It was "THE Place to go" for the rich back in the early 1900's. They all had cottages on the island and vacationed there. It has been kept in as close to original condition as possible.

The seminar costs $299. Florida's seminar for early registration was $339. So seminar costs was similar. It was Monday through Wednesday, a long day Monday and Tuesday and Wednesday mornings. Tuesday afternoon was sightseeing. Lunch was included Monday and Tuesday and Tuesday night buffet plus light breakfast each morning. Then the hotel is always separate. The rooms at Jekyll Island were $179 a night.

There were about 60 or 70 people there. I think Florida's attendance was a little lower than that.

Next year the seminar in Georgia will be at St. Simon's Island, which is the island next to Jekyll Island.

Linda F

[Black Bart]

susieq

I've taken the test two times over the years - always have a tough time with part two and three. I only do individuals and became discouraged. Just received online info re the new system with Thomson Prometric. They are making it a 3 part test taken at particular locations around the country online.

The announcement IR 2006-92 addressed the issue of "transition carryover restrictions" This is what it said: " To carry over scores from the IRS format to the Thomson Prometric format, candidates must meet prior minimum retention rules for carryover. Specifically, candidates must have been notified by IRS that they could carry over scores for the parts passed. Candidates applying carryover scores from previous IRS format to the Thomson Prometric format may only do so through December 2007. Thus, individuals who passed parts of the 2003, 2004 or 2005 exams (and met prior minimum retention rules for carryover) have until December 31, 2007 to pass the remaining parts of the exam."

My question is concerning my scores and the possibility that I could take part two of the new format exam (this is formerly part two and three)

Do you understand the above explanation as - I can take the passing scores for part 1 and 4 from the 2004 exam , carry them over and retake the part two (the old two and three) in 2005. If I don't pass this year, I still have until 12/2007.

Sorry -- didn't mean to hog all the attention, but I couldn't resist baskin' in the limelight (ordinarily I "don't get no respect").

Anyway, yeah; I agree with the conclusion you make in your fourth paragraph ("Do you understand...) about the IRS explanation. It does indeed sound like you can carry over the old parts one and four (I'm assuming you met retention requirements) to 2006 and take only the new part two which, as you say, is a combination of old parts two and three. Then if you don't make it, you'll still have another shot at it in 2007. I don't know this for a fact, but it's what that announcement sounds like to me. If you want to check and make sure, here's some contact info they sent me:

Internal Revenue Service
Office of Practitioner Enrollment
P. O. Box 33968
Detroit, MI 48232
313-234-1280
EPP@irs.gov

I read the IRS release and there's lots of good news for candidates--the number of test sites has quadrupled, all parts don't have to be taken at one sitting, and passed parts carry over. I understand that true and false questions are gone and everything's multiple-choice. That seems bad at first glance; cutting down the odds of a guess from one out of two to one out of four, but TF questions didn't carry much score weight either way.

I know what you mean about becoming discouraged. I too only do individual returns and parts two and three also did me in. After flunking the first time I was deeply depressed and, even though I signed up again and studied a lot, I was so sure I'd flunk that at one point I decided not to go. However, there was nothing to lose (nothing ventured--nothing gained), so I changed my mind and went anyway. I finally made it and I'll bet you will too. Just have those corporations and partnerships for breakfast, dinner, and supper until September and you'll do alright.

Since you've taken it twice, that shows you've got tenacity and courage--otherwise you would've quit long ago. I've seen many times over the years that people who just do nothing else except persist (keep on keepin' on) will eventually reach their goal, even moreso than another who might be smarter but lacks the stamina for the long haul.

There's a line I always liked from President Nixon's "farewell" speech at the White House --"Always do your best--never give up!" It sounds like you've been taking that tack for quite a while. You're still in the running, so don't stop now.

Best regards, BB