Tax Preparation Course

Protecting yourself and your clients is one of the biggest challenges that tax return preparers face today. Criminals have learned that tax return preparers have a lot of information about their customers, including their Social Security numbers, information about their families, and employment history. Criminals want to steal this information and weaponize it to steal money from banks, the IRS, or conduct other crimes.

This chapter explains the importance of interviewing the taxpayer. Each segment of the chapter will cover a section of Form 1040 with sample interview questions that are needed for the section discussed. The tax professional needs to understand the importance of knowledgeable questions to determine if the taxpayer is eligible to claim certain credits. Interview questions asked should be documented as well as the answers the taxpayer provided. Knowing basic tax law is essential.

Preparing tax returns is an art; knowing which questions to ask will help determine the best tax situation for the individual. Just imputing information into software does not prepare an accurate tax return. The saying is true: “garbage in, garbage out”. Entering incorrect information so that the taxpayer receives a higher refund is not the best situation for you or the client. This chapter provides you with a brief overview of current year forms and sample questions to determine the best tax position for the taxpayer. Asking the taxpayer, the right questions from the beginning provides the tax preparer accurate answers needed to complete the tax return.

This chapter will present an overview of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act standard deduction and what circumstances permit taxpayers to claim a higher standard deduction. You will also learn what an exemption is, what exemptions each of the filing statuses can claim, and how to identify a qualifying dependent.

The IRS has the authority to tax all income from whatever source it is derived. This includes compensation for services, gains from dispositions of property, interest and dividends, rent and royalties, pensions and annuities, gambling winnings, and even illegal activities. All such income a person receives is collectively referred to as “worldwide income.” However, not all money or property is taxable or subject to tax. This chapter will cover the different types of taxable and nontaxable income and show you where and how to report such wages on a professionally prepared tax return. A tax professional must recognize the different kinds of taxable income, tax-exempt income, and other income included in Schedule 1, line 21, and must know how to figure out the taxable percentage on Social Security benefits.

Any interest or dividends can be taxable income if they are credited to the taxpayer’s account and can be withdrawn. This chapter will cover the exceptions to this rule and show which interest and dividends are not taxable income and which expenses can be deducted on the taxpayer’s Schedule A if the taxpayer itemizes. 

Self-Study Internet-Based Courses

Students have the right to request a full refund of their purchase excluding taxes and shipping (if applicable) within seven (7) days of the purchase date if unsatisfied with the online course material. A request made after seven (7) days but no more than 30 days with 0% coursework completed will result in a store credit. If a textbook was purchased with the internet-based course, a refund will only be issued after the original textbook(s) have been received in a re-sellable condition. If the textbook is not shipped back only partial credit will be refunded. Any other requests outside of this policy will be denied. The request must be made in writing and sent to info@latinotaxpro.org.

How to Request a Refund
To request a refund, simply fill out the "Refund Request Form" and fax it to 831-424-3218. You can also email it to our Accounting Department:

LTPA Accounting Department
Janvictor Zamora, Sr. Accountant
Phone 866-936-2587
Fax 831-424-3218
Email: info@latinotaxpro.org

Latino Tax Professionals Association
1588 Moffett St., Suite A
Salinas, CA 93905 U.S.