California Tax Education Council
New Year, New Education Hours
Tuesday, January 3, 2012 - 11 commentsCalifornia Senate Bill 944 took effect January 1, 2012, which revises the hourly breakdown of continuing education requirements for CTEC-registered tax preparers (CRTPs).
Starting this year, CRTPs must complete a minimum of 15 hours federal and five hours state of continuing education each year. Prior to the legislative change, CRTPs were required to complete 12 hours federal, 4 hours state, 2 hours ethics, plus 2 hours federal and/or state of continuing education each year.
The goal of the legislative change was to conform CTEC federal continuing education requirements to the new IRS requirements.
As of January 1, 2012, the IRS is requiring nonexempt tax preparers to complete 15 hours of federal continuing education each year (3 hours of federal tax law updates, 10 hours of other federal tax law, plus 2 hours ethics). Nonexempt tax preparers, including CRTPs, must also pass an IRS competency exam and background check by 2013.
Attorneys, certified public accountants and enrolled agents are exempt from the new IRS continuing education and exam requirements.
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The best education provider is California Tax School. You get a very reasonable price, which is so cool. You get all your testing material upfront for free. The test is fairly a piece of cake. You really just need to be able to read and answer questions. Once you finish the test, then you pay to submit your answers. Within a half hour you find out if you passed or not. And you get to print out your certificate, and they send your test results to ctec so you can get your fees paid.
I got into the A+plus ctec providers, paid the required fees for their material for the 5 hours state for my renewal and was not able to print out the material. My CTEC # is A164469 I tried to have them email me the printed material to no avail. Can you help?
Yes, our staff can help you. Please call 877-850-2832 for further assistance on what to do next.
I will have completed my Fed requirements on Monday 10/07/13 but need all 5 state CE. Is there a on line course/workshop that offers state only?
Yes, click on our "Approved Education Providers" link on the left side. There should be options for you to do a search for California only courses. You can also call our office at 877-850-2832 and ask for that list.
I am taking a seminar worth 8 hours in a few days. Is there anything I can do that will satisfy the other 12 hours I need to re-certify with CTEC? How can I submit these hours to CTEC?
On the left side of our website, under "Preparers," there is an "Approved Education Providers" list. Click on it for a list of approved providers who offer courses to fulfill your 12 hours. The education providers will submit your hours to CTEC after you finish the course.
I am confused about CE requirements. I got CTEC approved last fall, worked this year. Now do I need 15 or 20 CE units for my renewal? I saw on one place on the CTEC website it was 20, but then somewhere else that in conforming with IRS requirements it was 15. Can you clarify please.
Hi Robin, CTEC requires 20 hours of CE to renew (15 hours federal and five hours state). And yes, CTEC did conform its federal CE requirement to the now suspended IRS CE requirement- but again, the 15 hours of federal is only part of the 20 hour requirement.
Hi there, Just confirming that as a CRTP I do not have to do an ethics course this year for my CE's? Thanks.
Hi Jocelyn, No, actually you need to take at least two hours of ethics each year for your CE. The breakdown is 15 hours federal (10 hours federal tax law, 3 hours tax updates and 2 hours of ethics), plus five hours of state.