[Fratty Redneck]

Is anyone familiar with the EA exams? My employer has asked that I take these exams within the next month. Just curious on the difficulty of the exams and how much studying it will actually require. I know I’ve heard that the EA is nothing compared to the CPA, but the practice tests online aren’t exactly a cake walk.

[M123]

I'm an EA. 3 exams that in total may be as difficult as Reg less the business law content.

I passed over a 3 month period with only a basic book on Amazon. No need for endless videos or the kind of prep the CPA requires but it's not an easy exam.

30 days sounds quite unreasonable to just suddenly take unless you are pretty well seasoned in tax.

The EA exams will be have a bit more content on limits and phase outs and knowing things like income brackets. Not extremely difficult but a different kind of exam than the CPA.

If we think of tax law as a lot of rules, exceptions to the rules, and exceptions to the exceptions, you can expect a lot of the exam to focus on exceptions. Not trick questions per se but demanding that one knows the content.

I do believe that it will tell you then and there if you pass – BONUS.

[Fratty Redneck]

@m123 thanks! I like to think I'm decent in tax so that should play to my advantage. I spent 4 tax seasons with a CPA firm and now work for a law firm in their tax side. I help out with tax collection clients and also do some forensic accounting when tax compliance issues arise if that makes sense. I'm still in “public” accounting you could say just without the long hours and Saturdays during tax season.

[Recked]

I took the EA exams, and used Gleim EA exam review. Parts 1 & 3 Fall/Winter of 2013, took tax season and the summer off, then Part 2 Fall of 2014, licensed Jan 2015.
It would be a challenge to take them in a month unless you are very good with tax.
I had over 10 years experience in tax at the time, but I took the exam probably a little too seriously.
I ended up studying about 15 hours a week for 8, 6 and 10 weeks. I did Part 1, Part 3, then Part 2.
Gleim recommends 80-100 for parts 1 & 2, and 60-80 hours for Part 3.

Some people on this website have said they have done the EA exam in as little as a few weeks.
If you are pressed for time maybe try and just read the books, and skip the whole Gleim approach as it takes so much time.
I was nervous for each exam and worried as to whether I passed or not but was immediately relieved when I closed the test as you get instant scores.
I think looking back I was OVER prepared, but that was my goal, and it helped a great deal in my daily work as well.

My biggest tip/pointer for this exam, you have around 3.5 hours for 100 MC questions.
I took notes on each question, just a word or 2 on what it was on.
In my experience the answers to some questions are in the wording of other questions.
You will come across questions that help guide you on the answer to previous questions, and because you have little notes on each one, you can easily go back to the previous question to adjust your answer.

I am not sure why your employer would want you to take the EA exam in a months time when you are trying to finish the CPA exam, that seems cruel and unusual punishment to me.

[Recked]

I think my weeks in the above post are incorrect.
It may have been 6, 4 and 8 weeks.
Each Gleim section was taking me about 5 hours total.
I would do one section over 3 nights after work, then one each on Saturday and Sunday.

[Thistooshallpass]

I am an EA, My employer also required it of me. (but not in a one month time frame! They gave me a few months knowing I am knee deep in CPA studying & testing as well)
I took the easiest part (RPP) first after studying maybe 20 hours for it. Took two weeks off then took Individual and Business within 10 days of each other and studied a mere 14 hours for the individual section. Passed all three parts first try. (total time for all three parts, including two weeks of ignoring the books was less than 8 weeks)
I am not saying the tests are easy, they aren't. But effective studying can definitely shave off the study hours required. I used a coworkers old FastForwardAcademy materials that were a couple years expired and only worked the 100 question practice exams over and over until I consistently had scores in the 80's.

[Fratty Redneck]

Thanks for the info. I think part of the reason they are wanting me to get it done is in case I did not pass the CPA exam (I'm waiting on BEC and FAR September 19th). A big part of my job is being listed on a POA, thus representing clients before the IRS. Without a CPA or an EA designation, I can't do a big part of my job. The good news is that they are letting me study probably 6 hours a day at work for these exams. Having said that, do you all think it is doable in that timeframe? Specifically, begin studying tomorrow and take part 1 September 21st, Part 2 September 26th, and Part 3 October 2nd. Even if I receive good news, they are adamant about me taking the EA exam to further market myself to clients in addition to the CPA.

[Recked]

I think it is possible. Especially if they are giving you 6 hours a day at work to study.
Use my note method for each question and you'll thank me later.

[Thistooshallpass]

I totally understand your employers requirements then, I too worked directly in tax relief and representing clients with the IRS.
If you can study 6 hours a day and cram in more like 8 hours on weekends then I would say your very tight time frame is doable.
If you can move the dates a little, I do recommend taking RPP first, yes, it's the 3rd part but it gives you a good feel for the questions and how the test is as a whole. I am glad I took RPP first. But you'll need much less time for RPP than you will for the other two, so add days in between test 2 and 3 to compensate.
If it makes you feel better, a gal here at my job took part 2 and part 3(RPP) in two days. She passed all three first time as well.
Great news about the EA, you find out your results immediately upon walking out of the testing room so you can sign up to retest within 48 hours I believe.

[Thistooshallpass]

Also, ReckedRacing is 100% correct, pay close attention as answers to questions are given in the wording of other questions. BUT you have to pay attention and remember what you read (or take notes like recommended) as they obviously aren't worded the same but you can deduce it down and figure it out. Unlike the CPA, you get sheets of paper and a pencil for the EA, dump info on those when you first walk in so you can refer to. Like basis calculations for partnerships and corps and AMT etc. It helps to have things to refer to as you'll likely get confused after 100 questions.

[Fratty Redneck]

Since I'm not planning to sit until September 21, maybe I will take Individuals first, RPP second on September 26, and then take Businesses on October 3rd. That way, I have more time for the harder parts.

[ryan.andrew6]

I took the exam several years ago over the course or two to three months, however I only really studied the week before each test. I also scheduled them on Mondays so I would have a full weekend of studying with no interruptions before the exam.

I used the Passkey EA Review books. You can find them on amazon for pretty cheap (compared to CPA courses).

[Fratty Redneck]

Passkey is what I went with. Ordered it next day shipping today on Amazon. Hoping to start studying tomorrow afternoon. Thanks for the encouragement.

[Recked]

Gleim Part 1 = 13 sections
Part 2 = 20 sections
Part 3 = 7 sections
I still have the books in my office. 2013/2014 editions.
The part 3 book is very thin. That was the easiest one, mostly on Circ. 230.

[Ag12thman]

Does PassKey only make EA books? Was wondering if they offered any study books for any other exams.

FAR: July 2016

[turo9992000]

It's doable.

I'm also taking the CPA exam and the earliest that I see myself getting licensed is in the spring (if I pass). I also need to be able to represent clients so I decided to schedule My ea exams while I studied for REG.

I passed all three on my first try about halfway through studying for REG, I just took REG this past Sunday. Most of the info overlaps with REG. The ea exam goes just a bit deeper, but it's not too bad if you have worked in tax. Part two tested heavily on S corps and Partnerships, and what seemed to be a high number of sch F questions. I only studied for the ea exam during my lunch. I did all three in 3 consecutive weeks, every Saturday leading to my REG exam.

I used fast forward academy mostly for the testbank, but honestly I think my 5 years experience plus my REG studying would have been enough to pass.

[Author]

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