[Anonymous]

Hi,

I am using Becker and just started R1 today … i have good 2.5-3 months (hopefully with not a lot of interruptions) before the exam date…. I have no tax experience (not even .001%) …. I wanted to know any advice on how to study or approach the materiel…. I am not sure how to even start…. I just worked on about 1/2 of the first lecture and feel stressed out already…. Its totally new information for me….

Could really use some tips

[Zaq]

1.) R1 & R2 – Individual Taxation. Treat as two parts of a whole. FOCUS on these two parts. Lecture, reread, take notes, HW questions, and Flashcards. You have the tools. Use them.

2.) R3 – Corporate Taxation. The most difficult of the chapters. FOCUS on this as well. Same as above. Even thought it is long.

3.) R4 – Partnership Taxation. Much easier compared to the previous due to repeat information, but be able to distinguish the differences between Partnership Taxation and the other forms of taxation. There are other Misc. items here that you don't want to skip.

4.) R5-R8 = Business Law. The information here will be a breath of fresh air. Shorter chapters; no formulas; easy to absorb concepts. I would suggest doing the lectures and jumping into the HW immediately. You will fly through these Chapters, but DON'T put less emphasis on it.

Then once you finish your first rotation, start over and rewrite your notes, redo the questions, redo the sims (or review them), and start banging out as man Progress Exams you can until you puke.

FAR: 50, 76!
REG: 74... (ouch baby, very ouch), 76!
AUD: 65, 91!?
BEC: 80! Aaaand doneskies!

May 2012 to August 2013. Can't believe it's over.

[Pellerific]

I just passed REG in Dec. Like you, I had zero tax experience and getting through the first few sections were really tough. My advice? Whatever it takes, stay diligent and get through the first 3 chapters. Then you know that you are on the home stretch. Although tax is four chapters in Beckers (2012) I just couldn't handle any more tax. So I jumped ahead to 5-8 and that went a lot quicker because it's business law. I then went back to chapter four. I took notes while I studied and reviewed them in the last two weeks. Last but not least….pray!

F-82
A-91
B-91
R-86

[mdrobbin]

I'm waiting for my score so I can't say if I have valuable advice or not. However, to prepare for studying REG, before you begin studying, bang your head against the wall 25 times. That will be the most pleasurable experience you have over the next few months as you study for this beast 🙂

On a serious note, focus hard on individual, partnership, and corporate taxation. Also be familiar with how S-Corps treat basis and distribution just to cover all your bases.

Make sure you know the following:

– tax basis for shareholder and corporation/partnership on contributed property and distributions

– treatment of distributions for C-Corps and Partnerships (i.e. dividend income, return of basis, etc.)

Don't get hung up on all the phaseout dollar amounts, it's more important to know the concepts than specific amounts.

Mix all that with some luck and hope for the best. Good luck!!!!

FAR - 2012 - PASSED (YAEGER)
AUD - 2012 - PASSED (YAEGER + NINJA NOTES)
BEC - 2012 - PASSED (YAEGER + NINJA NOTES)
REG - 2013 - PASSED (YAEGER + NINJA NOTES + NINJA AUDIO)

ETHICS - 2013 - PASSED

DONE!!! Thank you A71 for all the support! Hiya!!!

[Author]

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