[Anonymous]

I have a couple questions:

Can you tell me what prep materials you used?

Can you tell me your study plan, how long you studied, how much you studied each section, etc.?

I have 20 days to do most of tax and completed a final review. I’m not sure that I have enough time.

CPAPending

[NECain]

I used the Wiley Book. Read a section, did half of the MCQ's for that section, and took notes on the ones I missed and ones I guessed on. After I did that with all the sections, I reviewed my notes, and then did the remaining MCQ's. The last week I reviewed the notes again concentrating on my weak areas and then topped it off with a couple of timed practice exams. This process took about 5 weeks, but we also had a baby in that time period so I would say there was probably only 4 weeks of actual good study. I don't know if this is helpful or not, but that's what I did and I passed with a 79 on my first try. Good luck!

REG - 79
BEC - 75
AUD - 84
FAR - 75
Done...Thank you Wiley Books, Wiley Test Bank, and the NINJA Notes

[wldcatnc]

I used Becker and supplemented it with the Wiley Test Bank. Overall I spent about 6 weeks studying in all, which was just about right for my method of studying. I watched a lecture and then do the home work and repeat until done with all the lectures. That took about two and half to three weeks and I repeated all the hw questions in Becker and moved onto Wiley. Finished up with the final exams and hit the Simulations in Wiley. I feel their sims prepare you way better in my opinion. I ended up passing with an 85.

FAR: 81
REG: 85
AUD: 73,71,83
BEC: 82

DONE!!!!!!

[Anonymous]

Thanks guys.

Here's where I stand. I've taken business law before, I am a bit rusty but understand the basic framework. I decided to save some time since I was familiar and just study the CPAExcel section of Business Law and ethics–as opposed to doing Wiley. CPAExcel does not give you logical jumping off points to ‘now go do MCQ's 12-40'. So I decided to just push through and complete the business law and then go on to the Wiley mcq's for business law. Due to some family events, that took far too long. I retyped my business law notes when I was done since there was such a long span between me starting studying and completing it. I'm taking notes on taxation as I go through.

Now I am about 1/4 of the way through individual taxation in Wiley (I'm sorry Wiley I will never leave you again). I have 20 days before my exam (including two additional days off and one holiday) to get through taxation (notes and mcq's 1x through) and do my review. For my review, I want to do all of the MCQ's at least 3 times, more if needed, and the SIMS.

I'll be busting my butt before work, at lunch, after work, during the weekends, my two extra days off, and the holiday. I just don't know if that's enough time to get through the highly technical tax portions. I'm an EA so much of the tax is review but I am also not taking anything for granted.

[HumanPiranha]

if you put in 105+ hours into studying for REG, you will be fine.

[Anonymous]

Based on what I estimate using 3 hours on workdays, 8 on Saturdays and extra days off, 3 on Sundays….I'm looking at 87 in addition to what I have already spent on business law.

Maybe this isn't as grave as I think/feel.

[pacific1]

I passed it the first time…a long time ago and have of course lost that credit. I used Becker, had absolutely NO tax experience or knowledge at all, I studied for about 4-5 weeks. I think you are in very good shape!

[MChro12]

I passed it my first time using just Becker and the Becker flash cards. I studied for about 6 weeks, about 15 hours a week, with a 30 hour final review weekend. I'd make sure you know/understand all the tax related calculations. Don't put off AMT. They'll help in the MC and especially on the sims. If you've taken a Blaw class, the business law/commercial paper sections won't be bad at all.

Reg 77 (Aug 11)
Aud 80 (Nov 11)
BEC 79 (Jan 12)
FAR 80 (April 12)

[greenli2]

Thanks everyone for their posts, they settled my nerves down as well. I'm only on chap 4 of becker and taking my test on the 29th. I took off thurs and fri from work to give myself 5 full days to review before taking it. I'm hoping I can pass this in such a short window (short cause I screwed around after my audit test instead of jumping back into testing). I cant push the test back due to NTS expiring.

Does anyone know how important those 50 pages are in chap 4 that cover ethics? They seemed to say there wasnt many questions related to it on the exam, but Passmaster has 80 questions on it and a ton of flash cards.

Good Luck

BEC - 2/13 - 87
Audit - 4-16 - 99
Reg - 5-29 - 94
Far- 8-13 - 97

I use becker self-study, final review, flash cards, wiley test bank, and I make my own flash cards using studyblue.com

[zerohedge]

Becker, NINJA, and the Wiley book.

Kept up with the live classes and MCQ in Becker, redid questions in corp tax which was my weakest area. I kept out the NINJA notes when I did the MCQs and added my own notes to them as I went. Then did the entire Wiley book in the three days before the test. As long as you pace yourself during the test and allow time for the SIMS you should be fine.

I think time management is one of the most important parts of the test. If you get a AMT question and you have no idea what to do just guess and move on. You don't need a 100, just a 75. Throw a question and keep the time you would have wasted.

Reg - 2/24/12 passed
BEC - 4/3/12 passed
FAR - round 2 7/1/12 passed
AUD - round 2 11/01/12

Using Becker, wiley, and NINJA.

[HumanPiranha]

@CPApending

Thats just my opinion. I studied about 110 hours for REG (and I do taxes at my job about 80% of the time) and ended up with a 90. It was also my first exam so I was extra certain to give myself plenty of time to study. I wanted to put myself in a position to succeed.

I was ready to suggest just rescheduling a few days later, but then i see that you are already scheduled for the 29th 🙁 I mean, if thats the date you have to dance, then dance

[zerohedge]

@CPApending sounds like you are in great shape with that plan. Just be sure to vary your study methods so you don't get bored. Read some, do MCQ, and write down notes.

If I were you I would skip the sims. I have never done a sim and it has been fine for me. You should look over them and read the answer to them to make sure you understand how they work, but it is a big time commitment to practice sims for REG that you will not see on the test. There are so many possible Sims for REG that chances are even if you practice a lot of them you will have never seen the ones like the actual tests. Just focus on the concepts and MCQ. That way you will have good fundamentals and know the basics. Also remember you always have the research tab.

Sounds like you have plenty of time and a good plan though. Just stay positive and do the best you can.

Reg - 2/24/12 passed
BEC - 4/3/12 passed
FAR - round 2 7/1/12 passed
AUD - round 2 11/01/12

Using Becker, wiley, and NINJA.

[Anonymous]

I used Wiley Test Bank and Ninja notes. Pounding on MCQ's worked the best for me.

[latenight]

@bobkorz I'm a nervous about REG and am doing MCQs like crazy. I agree that pounding the MCQs seems like the way to go when the material is so dry.

AUD - 87
BEC - 76
FAR - 96
REG - 94

[Anonymous]

Don't skip the SIMS. You can get some partial credit, so feel comfortable filling one out, even if you have to search the tax code for the answer.

I passed on the first try. I have some tax experience under my belt, and a partnership, corporations, and estate class to boot. I used Becker and Wiley Test Bank. For the tax topics I felt great about, I worked the multiple choice first. If I wasn't quite as competent as I hoped I was, I went back and watched every second of the lectures. I also read through the book, and watched all of the lectures on business law. If I had it to do over again (God forbid that I lose credit!!!!), I would make sure I studied AMT more and learned more of the little nuances related to individual taxation, which I thought, “I got this…I have prepared so many 1040's….” I would also study more of the forms like a 706, 709, 1041, 1120S, etc.

You WILL be tested on Circular 230 and the AICPA tax preparation statements. It is going to happen. Don't neglect them. Don't listen to Tim Gearty. Ethics are now much more prominent than in previous years.

[IndianaCPAGuy]

I barely passed REG the first time with a 75. Used Yaeger videos, Wiley book, and Wiley On-Line test bank. Also had the Ninja notes but did not find them as helpful as with AUD.

Licensed CPA in Indiana

[Author]

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