Universal's Professional Tax Preparer Certification
Click Below to Learn More:
The Value of the Professional Tax Preparer Designation
The Personal Benefits of Becoming a PTP
How to Become a Professional Tax Preparer
The Coursework
The Exam
UAC's Instructional Philosophy
Praise of the Program
PTP Certification Overview
Your Bread and Butter Returns
Sheltering Your Income
Income Adjustment Strategies
Becoming the 1040 Expert
Getting Comfortable With Business Basics
Profitable Business Returns
Growing Your Tax Practice
The Value of the Professional Tax Preparer Designation (PTP)
Each year, nearly every adult in the nation is faced with the daunting task of determining whether they will owe taxes or receive a refund. Since taxes have become an ever-increasing part of a family's budget, they receive a lot of attention, making knowledgeable tax professionals some of the most sought-after individuals in the U.S. today.
As the tax laws continue to increase in complexity, individuals that have done their own taxes are now looking for someone to help them resulting in annual growth for tax preparation firms.
In response to the increasing demand for income tax professionals, the Universal Accounting Center (UAC) offers a Professional Tax Preparer (PTP) Program that trains individuals fully in personal and business returns. Upon completion, qualified students receive the PTP designation, assuring potential employers and clients that these UAC graduates are qualified to take care of all their income tax needs expertly. Fittingly, those with the PTP designation find better, higher paying opportunities.
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The Personal Benefits of Becoming a PTP
While many want to increase their incomes, either through better jobs or opening their own tax practice, there are many other benefits in attaining the PTP designation. The PTP designation will enable you to do the following:
- Demonstrate that you have proven skills in personal and business taxes
- Advance your career and potentially increase your compensation
- Place "PTP" after your name, distinguishing you from other tax preparers
- Raise your value to your company, employer or clients
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How to Become a PTP
The Coursework
Becoming a Professional Tax Preparer is essential for those involved in the practical application of federal tax laws for individuals and businesses. The PTP designation is only offered to students of UAC.
The PTP Certification offers four learning modules in preparation for a final exam. Below is a summary of each of the modules, and their corresponding learning objective. A detailed description can be found later in this booklet.
In This Module, You will Learn:
PTP - Professional Tax Preparer Program (Modules 1-4)
Tax preparation is a lucrative business. Consider that first-time preparers submit tax forms for 50 clients, charging an average of $150 each. They make, roughly, $7500 working the 45 days before April 15th, and that’s before they have had much time to build a solid client More...
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| Training Included |
Value |
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Establishing the Tax Foundation -- Course Module 1
Learn the entire process for determining income and adjustments to income, which will factor into the Adjusted Gross Income. In fact, you will cover all the information necessary to prepare Page one of the Form 1040. -- 4 DVDs & Manual
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$495 |
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Becoming the 1040 Expert -- Course Module 2
The module deals with the background information and forms that go into Form 1040, Page 2. We also discuss all the adjustments that can be made to adjusted gross income, including credits that are allowed and different types of deductions and exemptions that can be taken against that adjusted gross income number. -- 4 DVDs & Manual
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$495 |
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Profitable Business Returns -- Course Module 3
In Module 3, we introduce you to the world of business organizations and their tax concerns. This module is a practical companion to Module 2, as it gives you experience in completing each of the schedules and forms common to business organizations. -- 4 DVDs & Manual
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$495 |
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Building Your Successful Tax Practice -- Course Module 4
This module has been developed to give you a head start in creating and running your own tax preparation service. You will find yourself light years ahead of the competition as you put these strategies into play. -- 4 DVDs & Manual
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$495 |
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Four Additional Months Follow-up Support
2 month support for each module purchased plus 4 additional for a total of 12 months follow-up support
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$1089 |
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Professional Tax Certification Exam
Get Certified as a Professional Tax Preparer
Certificate of completion (final grade greater than 65%)
Professional Tax Preparer designation (with 90% or better grade)
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$570 |
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Customized Web Site (Free Promotional Offer)
With your purchase we will create a custom Web site for your business and host it for you for free for 6 months. Your Web site will become a valuable part of your marketing; in many cases you may only need to refer prospective clients to your site and it will sell your services for you. See Custom Universal Accounting Website |
$980 |
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Professional Tax Preparer Guarantee
If, after completing the course, you feel the course didn't live up to your expectation, simply return the materials to Universal, for a 100% refund of any monies paid.
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| Total $ |
4,619 |
| Buy Now Discount $ |
-2,639 |
| Amount to Finance $ |
1,980 |
| Internet Cash Discount $ |
-300 |
| Your Cash Price $ |
1,680 |
After approximately 114 hours of focused training in the practical applications of tax procedure, you will take a final exam. To prepare, you should complete the four modules of the PTP Certification, including all the learning activities. The workbooks are designed to help you master the subject material and pass the final exam. Those passing with scores of 90% or greater are certified as a Professional Tax Preparer.
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The Exam
The exam questions, all multiple-choice, are taken from material covered in the four modules of the PTP Certification. The exam measures the skills and knowledge appropriate for a tax preparer that handles all the filings and responsibilities in personal and business returns.
To ensure exam integrity, each test is different. The questions are randomly selected from a pool of exam questions.
Upon completion, you will receive your score immediately, along with the questions you missed and the areas of the program you should review. To receive the Professional Tax Preparer designation, you must earn a score of 90% or higher. However, to receive a Certificate of Completion, you only need a 65%. If unsuccessful in achieving an adequate score at your first sitting, you may retake the test after 30 days.
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90-100%
65-89%
0-64% |
Professional Tax Preparer Designation
Certificate of Completion
Fail
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You will receive your Professional Tax Preparer Designation or your Certificate of Completion in the mail within four weeks of
taking the exam.
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UAC's Instructional Philosophy
Many Tax Preparation training materials place their focus on theory. The real difference between the PTP program and others is that UAC teaches the practical application of concepts as well as tax theory. In most of the 32 training sessions of the Professional Tax Preparer Certification, you will prepare at least one tax return — in some chapters, several.
When you learn to ride a bike you don't spend a lot of time studying how to do it. You start peddling, and before long, it becomes second nature to you. UAC will train you in such a way that tax preparation comes naturally with real clients. As you work through the practice sets in each session of the Professional Tax Preparer course you will gain confidence in your own abilities. Through this training you will prepare many types of tax forms, exposing you to questions that might arise in real-world tax preparation. This experience gives you the background to recognize even more uncommon tax issues and know intuitively how to solve them.
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Praise of the PTP Certification
Here's what just of a few of our PTP Certification graduates have said:
"I will never regret taking this course, only that I didn't do it sooner"
—Rachel Phillips
"The people at Universal are great . . . They genuinely care about their students and the students' success. I would recommend this course to anyone."
—Robin Saylor
"[Universal] teaches you step by step how to acquire clients and get your business off the ground. Taking this course brought my self confidence to the level I needed it to be to tackle the hurdles of getting my own business [started]."
—Dana Allred
"The support here is wonderful as the courses are very comprehensive and we are put in contact with outstanding resources to help each of us in our future work."
—Paul Burggraaf
"I do feel that I can go out and get clients, with the confidence that I needed."
—Tonya Johnson
"I am happy to announce that my business is up and running. I really enjoyed the class."
—Edward Kacska
For More Information
If you would like more information on the Professional Tax Preparer program, or if you would like to enroll, please do the following:
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Professional Tax Preparer Certification Overview
Our in-class, hand-posted and computerized accounting and bookkeeping courses and home study programs are designed for anyone wanting to increase their income, either through getting a better job or through opening their own tax service. Through taking these courses, students will learn the methods of tax preparation.
Upon completion of this program students will be proficient in the following:
- Locate, calculate, and submit tax returns.
- Identify legitimate income reductions and tax credits that can save thousands of dollars.
- Itemize a tax return and handle business expenses, capital gains and losses, and depreciation.
- Understand self-employment and rental property income, Alternative Minimum Tax, tax payments, extensions, and amended returns.
- Recognize different business types and the tax forms that service them.
- Understand sole proprietorships, partnerships, Limited Liability Companies, C Corporations, S Corporations, and Personal Service
Corporations, recognizing the tax advantages and disadvantages of each.
- Start their own tax service with confidence and ease.
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Your Bread and Butter Returns
Module I of the Professional Tax Preparer Certification
This one-week course (also available in DVD format) is designed to prepare you to complete tax returns for the majority of tax preparers. These are the most fundamental tax concepts with explanations of where the information comes from, how it is calculated, and when and where to send the tax returns.
At the conclusion of this module you will have mastered the following:
- Standard Deductions and Exemptions
- Income
- Interest and Dividend Income
- Retirement Income and other Income
Course Curriculum:
Total Course Hours (in-class): 12 Hours
Estimated Time of Completion: 16 Hours
Course Tuition and Fees (including books and materials): $285
Course Attendance Schedule
In-class: Contact your local campus for a schedule of classes
Distance learning: You will receive four DVD's in an attractive album for easy storage along with a companion workbook.
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Sheltering Your Income
Module II of the Professional Tax Preparer Certification
This one-week course (also available in DVD format) is designed to share concepts and strategies that will ensure you pay a lower tax than you might otherwise. Included are legitimate reductions in income that can save thousands of dollars on a tax return, but few utilize. Additionally, you'll understand how to take various tax credits which could get back more from the government than was originally contributed.
At the conclusion of this module you will have mastered the following:
- Earned Income Tax credit
- Tax Credits - Child Care and Others
- Employee Business Expense
- Adjustments to Income II (Student Loans, MSA's)
Course Curriculum:
Total Course Hours (in-class): 12 Hours
Estimated Time of Completion: 16 Hours
Course Tuition and Fees (including books and materials): $285
Course Attendance Schedule:
In-class: Contact your local campus for a schedule of classes
Distance learning: You will receive four DVD's in an attractive album for easy storage along with a companion workbook.
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Income Adjustment Strategies
Module III of the Professional Tax Preparer Certification
This one-week course (also available in DVD format) includes even more tax saving tips. In addition to explaining how to itemize a tax return, you will also learn how to handle business expenses, capital gains and losses, and depreciation.
At the conclusion of this module you will have mastered the following:
- Itemized Deductions Session
- Employee Business Expense
- Capital Gains and Losses
- Depreciation
Course Curriculum:
Total Course Hours (in-class): 12 Hours
Estimated Time of Completion: 16 Hours
Course Tuition and Fees (including books and materials): $285
Course Attendance Schedule
In-class: Contact your local campus for a schedule of classes
Distance learning: You will receive four DVD's in an attractive album for easy storage along with a companion workbook.
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Becoming the 1040 Expert
Module IV of the Professional Tax Preparer Certification
This one-week course (also available in DVD format) finishes the discussion on 1040 preparation by addressing self-employment and rental property income, Alternative Minimum Tax, tax payments, extensions, and amended returns, just to name a few.
At the conclusion of this module you will have mastered the following:
- Self-Employment Income
- Rental Property
- Alternative Minimum Tax, Injured and Innocent Spouse
- Payments Extensions, Amended Returns, Penalties
Course Curriculum:
Total Course Hours (in-class): 12 Hours
Estimated Time of Completion: 16 Hours
Course Tuition and Fees (including books and materials): $285
Course Attendance Schedule
In-class: Contact your local campus for a schedule of classes
Distance learning: You will receive four DVD's in an attractive album for easy storage along with a companion workbook.
Potential Occupations This course prepares you for employment in the following occupations:
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Getting Comfortable With Business Basics
Module V of the Professional Tax Preparer Certification
This one-week course (also available in DVD format) will introduce you to the lucrative and highly needed field of business returns. You will learn about the different types of businesses and the tax forms that service them.
At the conclusion of this module you will have mastered the following:
- Business Organizations
- Income Expense and Basis
- Dispositions
- Employment and Excise Tax
- Retirement
Course Curriculum:
Total Course Hours (in-class): 12 Hours
Estimated Time of Completion: 20 Hours
Course Tuition and Fees (including books and materials): $285
Course Attendance Schedule
In-class: Contact your local campus for a schedule of classes
Distance learning: You will receive four DVD's in an attractive album for easy storage along with a companion workbook.
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Profitable Business Returns
Module VI of the Professional Tax Preparer Certification
This one-week course (also available in DVD format) will continue to train you in business returns. You will become knowledgeable regarding sole proprietorships, partnerships, Limited Liability Companies, C Corporations, S Corporations, and Personal Service Corporations.
At the conclusion of this module you will have mastered the following:
- Sole Proprietorships
- Partnerships
- C Corporations
- S Corporations
Course Curriculum:
Total Course Hours (in-class): 12 Hours
Estimated Time of Completion: 20 Hours
Course Tuition and Fees (including books and materials): $285
Course Attendance Schedule
In-class: Contact your local campus for a schedule of classes
Distance learning: You will receive four DVD's in an attractive album for easy storage along with a companion workbook.
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Growing Your Tax Practice Today
Module VII of the Professional Tax Preparer Certification
This one-week course (also available in DVD format) is designed for those individuals who want to successfully start or build a profitable tax practice. This module explains how to do the following: get started, grow the tax practice through a proven marketing program, interview clients effectively, and charge a fee that will generate income the PTP needs, wants, and deserves.
At the conclusion of this module you will have mastered the following:
- Getting Started Right
- Effective Marketing
- Comfortable Interviewing Techniques
- Profitable Fee Calculations
- Always The Expert Tax Preparer
Course Curriculum:
Total Course Hours (in-class): 10 Hours
Estimated Time of Completion: 10 Hours
Course Tuition and Fees (including books and materials): $285
Course Attendance Schedule
In-class: Contact your local campus for a schedule of classes
Distance learning: You will receive four DVD's in an attractive album for easy storage along with a companion workbook.
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