Overview
Anyone who prepares tax returns for a fee in California is required by law to register as a tax preparer with the California Tax Education Council (CTEC). In order to register and obtain the California Registered Tax Preparer designation with CTEC, CTEC requires you to first complete a one-time 60-hour qualifying education course.
The online CTEC tax course thoroughly covers fundamental tax topics geared for first-time tax preparers who have not received any prior instruction in tax preparation. The 60 Hour Qualifying Course includes 45 Hours of Federal Tax Law and 15 Hours of California State Tax Law in accordance with CTEC's qualifying education requirement.
Learning Objectives
After completing this course, students should be able to:
- identify relevant differences in tax treatment between the Federal and California law
- understand the various parts of the Form 1040 and its related schedules and forms
- accurately report income and deductions for a taxpayer
- determine a taxpayer's eligibility for credits and deductions
- calculate a taxpayer's refund or balance due
Once you have completed your 60-hour qualifying course the following must also be done to complete your CTEC CRTP registration:
- Obtain a PTIN (Preparer Tax Identification Number) from the IRS
- Purchase a $5,000 tax preparer bond
- Register with CTEC within 18 months from the completion date on the certificate of completion for the 60-hour CTEC qualifying course