Exam Passing Tips
Enrolled Agent Exam
5 Tips To Help You Pass
Most people assume that once they leave school they are also closing the door on taking stressful exams. In a world where change is the only constant, learning and assessment are an ever present part of professional life, so nothing could be further from the truth! Some assessments can be as simple as a small quiz at the end of a continuing education course. Expert level credentials such as the Enrolled Agent require you to successfully pass a 3-part high stakes exam within 36 months.
Below are some time-tested tips you can leverage to increase your chances of passing all three parts of the Special Enrollment Exam (SEE) the first time.
1. Understand The Exam Structure And Specification
The EA Exam, officially known as the Special Enrollment Examination (SEE), is a three-part exam administered by PSI Services on behalf of the Internal Revenue Service. Each part is taken as a separate 100 multiple choice question exam and you will have 3.5 hours to answer all questions for that part.
The Enrolled Agent examination consists of 3 separate parts that you can take in any order. When you take the exam, you will see 15 questions that you didn’t study. Those questions are likely experimental and don’t count towards your score, so don’t get discouraged.
The IRS exam specifications reflect the common tasks an Enrolled Agent performs and the knowledge needed to adequately perform those duties.
Below is a chart of the domain weightings for each part of the EA exam.
| SEE Part 1 Domains | Weightings |
|---|---|
| 1. Preliminary Work and Taxpayer Data | 16% |
| 2. Income and Assets | 20% |
| 3. Deductions and Credits | 20% |
| 4. Taxation | 18% |
| 5. Advising the Individual Taxpayer | 13% |
| 6. Specialized Returns for Individuals | 13% |
| SEE Part 2 Domains | Weightings |
|---|---|
| 1. Business Entities and Considerations | 35% |
| 2. Business Tax Preparation | 44% |
| 3. Specialized Returns and Taxpayers | 21% |
| SEE Part 3 Domains | Weightings |
|---|---|
| 1. Practices and Procedures | 31% |
| 2. Representations before the IRS | 29% |
| 3. Specific Areas of Representation | 24% |
| 4. Filing Process | 16% |
2. Understand What Tax Information You Will Need To Know
For exams taken between May 1, 2026 – February 28, 2027, all references on the examination are to the Internal Revenue Code, Code of Federal Regulations, IRS forms, instructions and publications, as amended through December 31, 2025. Also, unless otherwise stated, all questions relate to the calendar year 2025. Questions that contain the term ‘current tax year’ refer to the calendar year 2025. In answering questions, candidates should not take into account any legislation or court decisions after December 31, 2025.
3. Enrolled Agent Exam Study Plan
To be successful in passing all three parts of the EA exam on the first try, you need a study plan that gets you through the material efficiently. Even if you do not like to read, you’ll need to make reading a daily habit early on. A good study plan will have you reading around four to five days per week for the first couple weeks. You will be reading each day for about an hour. Your plan will need to include some additional time for daily quizzes and a review of explanations to questions you are not sure about or those you get wrong.
4. Trusting Marketing Spin Technology Is Risky
Beware of the hype, many courses offer up fancy sounding technology with buzzwords like “groundbreaking” or “award winning”. A deeper look proves the groundbreaking technology is nothing more than marketing hype. A simple google search also proves that awards given for technology were from organizations that charge a fee as part of their sham.
One of the big buzzwords tossed around in education technology today is: adaptive. Study tools that don’t collect data in real time are not adaptive. Tools that collect data through one singular assessment and prescribe a path of learning, but don’t collect data or provide support in real-time are not adaptive. Unfortunately students are being told they have the best technology when the reality is they are getting basic quizzes spun with all the hype a marketing department can muster.
So what is adaptive? Adaptive sequencing is the ability to continuously collect real-time data on performance and use it to automatically change a students learning experience. Using unproven or overhyped tools thought up by marketing departments in place of a sound study plan in our opinion is risky and could result in failed exams, wasting considerable time and money. When considering an EA course to help you pass your exams on the first try, you want a clean design, and great content delivered through proven study tools, just like those offered here at Fast Forward Academy. You can try the EA exam course if you are interested in learning more.
5. Set Yourself Up For Success With Urgency
“How do I put urgency into my EA studies”, you ask? The answer is simple, make a proclamation that you will take one part per month over a three-month period. Write the dates you plan to take each part on a calendar where you’ll see them multiple times per day. Put the dates in your phone with a reminder. Tell your friends and family your plans and that your time for the next 3 months is dedicated to preparing for and passing the EA exam.
The difference between dreams and goals is that a goal has a start and completion date next to it. To achieve means to live, act, work, and study with not just purpose, but urgency. Having a written goal that you are now accountable for achieving won’t make preparation harder, it will make it possible!
How to Handle Question Logic
A tricky exam question can cause you to select the wrong answer, even when you understand the rules. Taking your time to carefully read the questions and identify important logical indicators can help you define the scope of the question, and hopefully prevent you from missing out on points on topics you know.
Logical Qualifiers — NOT, EXCEPT, EXCLUDED, and INCLUDED.
A qualifier is a word that determines the scope of the question. These words apply logic to the question and can alter the answer dramatically. The IRS may use logical qualifiers alone or combine them with additional indicators to direct the test taker to the correct answer. Be careful here as each qualifier or indicator can affect the outcome of the question.
Quantity Indicators — ALL, NONE, and ONLY.
These indicators refer to the amount or frequency of an occurrence. A quantity indicator states the amount involved.
Probability Indicators - MUST, ALWAYS, NOT ALWAYS, NEVER, COULD, LIKELY, and MAY.
This indicator refers to the likelihood or frequency of occurrence.
The following statements about dividends received from a dividend reinvestment plan are correct, except:
A.
Reinvested dividends are not taxable if not removed from the plan.
B.
Reinvested dividends are taxable in the year paid.
C.
Reinvested dividends are taxable and are added to the basis of the stock or mutual fund.
D.
Reinvested dividends are treated as ordinary or qualified dividends.
Choose the Best Answer
Test-taking skills can add those critical points to your results. A question or two can be the difference between passing or failing. The following fundamentals will help you hone your skills. These characteristics are common on many exams, especially with multiple-choice questions that can lack all the details you desire to be 100% certain of your answer.
Triggers
A trigger is an important detail or fact that you must understand to determine the correct answer to a question. Common triggers include age, income, citizenship, marital status, residency, support, and use. When you recognize a trigger, consider why it is in the question. Is it important? Would changing it affect the answer? Often there are reasons why this information is in the question. If you do not understand why something is there, take pause, and try to recall if there is a rule. If you cannot remember, choose the best answer, mark the question and return to later for review.
George, a single taxpayer, has W-2 income of $31,000. During the 2018 tax year, he contributed $7,500 to his traditional IRA. George has excess contributions of how much?
A.
$2,500
B.
$2,000
C.
$500
D.
None of the above.
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