How to Pass the Enrolled Agent Exam on Your First Try!

Want to know how to pass the Enrolled Agent exam on the first try? Yes, there are several things you can do to ensure the best possible chance of acing the test.

How difficult is the Enrolled Agent exam?

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Follow our expert tips to know about how to pass enrolled agent exams on your first attempt!

Overview of the Enrolled Agent Exam Structure

Enrolled agents are experts who represent taxpayers before the IRS in all taxation matters. They have to pass a rigorous, comprehensive test, and the IRS licenses them after conducting a criminal background check.

(Source: Twitter)

How difficult is the enrolled agent exam?

Before diving into how to pass enrolled agent exams, let’s look at the structure of the exams.

The Enrolled Agent Exam or Special Enrollment Examination (SEE) is a three-part test that covers taxation and general business practices. The Prometric administers SEE for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

The exam comprises multiple-choice questions and has three sections: Individuals, Businesses, and Representation, Practices & Procedures. Here are the sections of the EA exam:

Part 1 – Individuals:

• Preliminary Work and Taxpayer Data (15%)
• Specialized Returns for Individuals (15%)
• Taxation and Advice (20%)
• Deduction and Credits (25%)
• Income and Assets (25%)

Part 2 – Business:

• Specialized Returns and Taxpayers (15%)
• Business Financial Information (40%)
• Businesses (45%)

Part 3 – Representation:

• Completion of the Filing Process (17%)
• Specific Types of Registration (25%)
• Representation before the IRS (25%)
• Practices and Procedures (33%)

The test is taken on a computer and lasts 3.5 hours (210 minutes). There are 300 questions in total, and you must answer at least 105 of them correctly to pass. 

You’ll find questions in three categories: incomplete sentence, direct question, and all of the following except.

10 Best Tips to Pass the EA Exam

Here are 10 quick tips to help you through your exam with flying colors so that you can start working toward your career goals as soon as possible.

1) Schedule your exam at least 1–2 months in advance:

Be sure to have a solid understanding of all of the subjects. The best way to do this is to read as many Enrolled Agent books as possible and take practice exams and mock exam questions before you appear for the real exam. 

2) Start studying a couple of months in advance:

To be thoroughly prepared, you should start studying a couple of months in advance. 

Start with a good old-fashioned test-prep book. The more questions you answer and review, the better your chances of passing. It will only be a matter of time before you’ll have all those pesky details committed to memory.

3) Practice with online tests:

One of the ways to pass the exam is by taking practice tests. There are several free online test sites that offer plenty of sample questions, as well as study tools such as tutorials, flashcards, and more. Taking these tests will help you get familiar with the format of the exam and answer types.

4) Get your hands on sample questions: 

There are many versions of sample questions available online and in books. Pick one or two of your favorites and set aside time each day to answer at least 10. Hence, on test day, answering questions won’t be a pressure.

5) Create study groups:

If you’re in an area with a lot of fellow test takers, it’s a good idea to form study groups. These groups can help you stay on track and improve your understanding of difficult topics.

6) Create good habits for yourself (time management, daily study routine, environment, etc.):

Fix a time to study each day, and don’t break it. It’s much easier to stay motivated if you know you have 30 minutes of studying ahead of you, and it’s not too long or short. 

Study at least 3 hours but no more than 6 hours per day because after this period, your mind will start to turn off, and your retention will decrease significantly. 

7) Use flashcards and practice questions when you have time

Use flashcards and practice questions. There are plenty of free resources online, but make sure they focus on your weak areas.

8) Understand all the topics in depth by reading relevant materials

A big part of passing on the first attempt is ensuring you understand all the topics covered in depth by reading relevant materials. Ensure you’re studying for your exam with a personalized study plan, flashcards, or an online course; it’s up to you!

9) Take an EA prep course:

There are many best EA exam prep courses online, which is a good way to get a feel for the material you need to know. These courses follow EA best practices, are quite affordable, and help you identify areas of weakness.

You should also try taking practice exams, as these will get you ready for the test-taking experience.

10) Give it your best!

Finally, give the exam all you’ve got. Ensure you sleep well before your exam day and have a healthy breakfast. Stay hydrated before, during, and after the exam.

Finally, be time-conscious and focused on writing and passing the test.

How to Prepare for the EA Exam

Now that we have covered how to pass EA exams, let’s look at how to prepare for the Enrolled Agent exams.

If you have your heart set on becoming an Enrolled Agent (EA), you can make your dream come true with a little preparation and hard work. 

For passing the EA exam, you simply need to know how to prepare for EA exams.

If you follow these 10 tips on how to prepare for enrolled agent exams half the work for enrolment is done.

1. Set a time frame for studying:

Dealing with EA best practices and how to prepare for the enrolled agent exam is to start early and set a goal date.

It is advisable to start studying at least six months before the exam date to have enough time to cover all of the material.

2. Get adequate sleep before your test day:

When studying for EA exams, don’t do so for hours at a stretch.. This is not healthy if you want to follow EA best practices. You should be aware that knowing when to rest and getting sleep is crucial to your EA exam preparations.

3. Eat something before your exam start time, but don’t go overboard

Eating a small meal before an exam will boost your energy and make you feel more alert during the test. 

However, it is important not to overeat as it will make you feel uncomfortable during the exam. It’s also important not to drink anything with caffeine or alcohol because these drinks can make you jittery and irritable during the test.

4. Relax during breaks; stay focused during the test

To stay focused during the test, we recommend taking breaks every 15-20 minutes. This will give your brain time to relax and refocus on what you’re doing. 

Best EA Exam Courses and Discounts

Do you want to know how to take enrolled agent exams and pass on your first try?

Then the best EA exam prep courses can help.

Here are some of the best EA exam prep courses for 2023, along with their discounts:

• Fast Forward Academy EA Review Course
• Gleim EA Review Course
• Lambers EA Review Course
• Surgent EA Review Course
• TaxMama EA Review Course

We’ll do a quick review of these best EA exam prep courses and their discounts so you can choose one that has the best study material for EA exams that will suit your needs.

1. Fast Forward Academy EA Review Course

The Fast Forward Academy Enrolled Agent Review Course is a comprehensive option for anyone preparing for the next Enrolled Agent exam. The course includes the fundamentals of accounting and more advanced material.

As one of the best EA exam prep courses, it makes it easy for you to work at your pace, by devoting as much time as necessary to each topic. With one-on-one instruction from a qualified instructor, you are assured of acing the exam on the first try.

The upsides of this review course include a 10% discount, over 100 instructional videos, 3,053+ study questions, device compatibility, and a 30-day money-back guarantee.

2. Gleim EA Review Course

.If you’re unsure how to study for enrolled agent exams, you need to get the Gleim EA review course.

The Gleim Enrolled Agent Review Course is highly regarded as one of the best EA exam prep courses for preparing for and passing the Enrolled Agent exam. Students can study Gleim’s content through various methods, thanks to the availability of many books and online resources.

With 3,900+ exam questions, 100+ free study questions, expert & student support, final review, over 450 lecture videos that last for over 30 hours, and a 99% satisfaction rate, Gleim has everything you need to pass the EA exam on your first try. What’s more, you will get all these amazing features at a 20% discount.

The courses provide a wealth of resources, including live instructors and textbooks, e-books, audio lectures, simulated questions, and sample tests. Further, students who purchase Gleim EA review courses can also utilize them to prepare for other accounting or tax tests.

3. Lambers EA Review Course

Lambers Enrolled Agent Review Courses is among the few review courses that is exclusively developed for people trying for their EA license. They provide a thorough and up-to-date review course that allows you to prepare with or without a test day approaching.

Lambers includes a no-cost outline, digital study aids, online assessment exams, and other resources. They also have the industry’s most efficient review procedure; students can proceed from start to end in a short period. Moreover, there is no risk in signing up because the organization assures that its course will enable you to pass your exam.

Lambers EA review course comes with a 70% off offer, along with 450+ flashcards, over 60 hours of video content, real-life illustrations, highly intuitive test prep software, a money-back guarantee, and a “No Pass, No Pay” money-back guarantee. Undoubtedly, all lessons follow EA best practices and are very effective at teaching you how to study for Enrolled Agent exams.

4. Surgent EA Review Course

To pass the exam, enroll in the Surgent Enrolled Agent Review Course. It offers an incredibly simple review of all exam subjects. If you want to learn how to study for EA exams, you should take this course.

Surgent EA review course has a 96% pass rate, 25+ bite-sized video lectures, ReadySCORE and A.S.A.P. technology, 1-on-1 coaching, automatic updates of content materials, a pass or money-back guarantee, and a 25% discount.

It also provides access to a mock exam so you can see what it’s like on test day and track your progress while you learn, review, and revise. In addition, you will receive free course content updates, including those from the IRS or Congress. You also get unrestricted online access to all their courses, allowing you to study whenever and wherever you want.

5. TaxMama EA Review Course

TaxMama offers an online Enrolled Agent Review Course and is ideal for anyone who works with tax filings. It focuses solely on the EA test. In addition, it includes access to TaxMama’s 22-hour video course, which teaches students how to solve problems involving tax computations, exemptions, refunds, deductions, credits, and so on.

TaxMama also provides one-on-one tutoring conveniently, with unlimited access to course materials, 80+ hours of MP3 audio recordings, 4-hour review sessions, discussion forums, monthly live tax roundtable mentoring sessions, and other remarkable study material for EA exams.

Once you sign up for the Taxmama EA Review Course, you’ll get a 10% discount.

Best EA Advice from Social Media

If you are wondering how to study for EA exams or what type of EA best practices could come in handy, check social media and check what type of advice people offer new students.

We’ve picked out some of the best from social media: 

1. Practice makes perfect.
2. Prepare for every type of question that can be asked, and know why you are answering it. 
3. Know how to follow a process and what steps are involved in each process. 
4. If something doesn’t make sense during studying, take the time to research it so that you understand why the answer is what it is before moving on.
5. Get some physical activity before starting study time, like going for a jog or doing yoga. 
6. When there is more than one right answer, go with the best choice–not necessarily the most popular choice.
7. Pace yourself; don’t rush to try to finish all the questions in one sitting because you may get tired and not do as well when your brain needs a break. 
8. Take care of yourself before you start studying. Ensure you eat healthy foods and get enough sleep to keep your mind sharp. 
9. Never give up! You will always get better as you practice. 
10. Remember, if at first you don’t succeed, try again until you do succeed.

Bottom Line

How difficult is the Enrolled Agent exam? Perhaps not so difficult if you know EA best practices on how to pass enrolled agent exams.

It is possible to prepare for and pass your E.A. exam with flying colors. Of course, you may have to study a little more than if you were taking the CPA exam or other accounting exams, but it is well worth it! 

With the tips and tricks mentioned in this article, you can save years of frustration and heartache and ace your exams on your first try.