Tax is a foreign language.

Dependents? Exemptions? Credits? Earned Income? When you’re talking tax, those words may not mean what you think they mean. The United States tax code is a complicated law, and the job of a tax professional is to make sure their clients are following that law. If that sounds scary, it should. But being a tax professional is to be in control of your own work. Start with the basics and build your skills over time and with experience.

That’s where CSEA comes in. We are a network of tax professionals dedicated to growing our profession and supporting each other. Not only do we speak tax – we teach others to speak it too.

CSEA has partnered with Latino Tax Pro to create a program that provides the education and support you need to become a tax preparer, or, for those already in the profession, to improve your skills in basic tax preparation. With CSEA's program, you'll learn from Enrolled Agents with years of experience. If you need to register to work as a paid preparer in California, we will help you to successfully navigate that process too.

Weekly classes start on August 2, 2023 and run through October 5, 2023.

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Become a tax preparer, or improve your skills in basic tax preparation.

A candidate for enrollment into this program may fit one of the following descriptions:

  • Wants to become a CRTP and is shopping for educational providers.
  • Thinks about "doing taxes" but doesn't know how to get started in the tax preparation profession.
  • Currently performs accounting/bookkeeping functions and is looking to add tax preparation to their skill set.
  • Prepares basic 1040s for wage earners and wants to learn more.
  • Lost their CRTP designation and needs to re-take the 60-hour education and re-apply.
  • Interested in pursuing the Enrolled Agent (EA) designation and wants to take this course as a pre-qualification for the EA Exam Prep course.
  • Previously was exempt from registration but now needs to register (former EA, CPA etc.).
  • Wants to learn to prepare taxes for California residents but does not reside in California.
 
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We'll help you get your CRTP designation.

This program allows you to meet the requirements for becoming a CTEC-registered tax preparer (CRTP). The CRTP designation is mandatory - you must have completed the registration process to be legally able to prepare tax filings on behalf of California tax payors. CTEC's requirements can be a challenge to navigate and complete, and this course will help students effectively prepare to manage the steps involved in the application and registration process. To make sure CTEC is aware of the milestones you've accomplished on your learning journey, your attendance will be recorded at the start of each class session and later reported to CTEC.

 
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CSEA partners with experienced instructors and a bilingual, industry renowned education materials provider to offer you evergreen content for this program.

Our goal is to grow the tax preparation profession - a strong and knowledgeable pool of professionals serves the interests of tax preparers everywhere. To meet that goal, this program provides access to strong digital materials and resources, including an instructional e-book, a cutting-edge learning management system, and weekly virtual/online instruction. (Additionally, a physical/print textbook may be ordered directly from LTP.) Curriculum for the program is updated annually to meet the California requirements to become a CTEC-registered tax preparer (CRTP), and new curriculum materials are published every June.