AFSP Course Descriptions

15-hour AFTR-Exempt Tax Preparer Package

This package satisfies the full continuing education requirement to be eligible for the IRS Annual Filing Season Program Record of Completion for PTIN holders who are NOT required to complete the 6-hour AFTR course. It includes courses listed below, which satisfy the following categories:

  • Federal Tax Law - 10 hours
  • Federal Tax Updates - 3 hours
  • Ethics - 2 hours

All course materials are provided as PDF files that can be downloaded from your account immediately after purchase, exams are administered online and are accessed by logging in to your account. The IRS requires a passing score of 70% for each course.

Sequoia CPE is an IRS Approved Continuing Education Provider, our provider ID is XE26W.

All AFSP courses were required to be completed by 12/31. Courses for next year will be available Summer 2023.

See Am I Exempt? if you are unsure whether this is the correct package for your requirements.

10-Hour Federal Tax Law Topics

10-Hour Federal Tax Law Topics	This course is designed to meet the 10 hour federal tax law requirement for the Annual Filing Season The first part of this course provides an understanding of the various individual retirement arrangements. It covers traditional IRAs, Roth IRAs, Simplified Employee Pensions (SEPs), and Savings Incentive Match Plans for Employees (SIMPLEs). It explains the rules for setting up an IRA, contributing to an IRA, transferring money or property to and from an IRA, handling an inherited IRA, making withdrawals from an IRA, receiving distributions from an IRA, and taking a credit for contributions to an IRA. It also explains the penalties and additional taxes that apply when the rules are not followed. To assist in complying with the tax rules for IRAs, this course contains worksheets, sample forms, and tables, which can be found throughout the course and in the appendices in the back. The second part of this course discusses the tax treatment of virtual currency. Roughly 3 in 10 Americans younger than age 30 indicate they have invested in, traded, or used a virtual currency, such as Bitcoin or Ethereum. As a result, tax preparers are more likely than ever to encounter clients who have engaged in one or more virtual currency transactions during the year and who may have taxable income as a result. Tax Treatment of Virtual Currency briefly discusses the nature of virtual currency, how transactions in virtual currency occur and are recorded, and the tax treatment to which they are subject.

Course Info:

  • Course #: 200H
  • Delivery: Self-Study
  • CPE Hours: 10
  • Course Level: Basic
  • Prerequisites: None
  • Advanced Preparation: None
  • Category: Federal Tax Law
  • Total Pages: 256
  • Questions: 50

IRS Program Approval Number: XE26W-T-00332-22-S

Course Objectives

Table of Contents

3-Hour Federal Tax Law Update

3-Hour Federal Tax Law Update Each year, various limits affecting income tax preparation and planning change. Some changes commonly occur each year as a result of inflation indexing, while others occur because of new legislation or the sunsetting of existing law. This course will examine the tax changes affecting 2022 as a result of passage of the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act of 2019 (SECURE Act), the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), and the inflation-changed limits effective for 2022 that are more significant from the perspective of an income tax preparer. Some context will be supplied, as appropriate, to assist readers in understanding the changes.

Course Info:

  • Course #: 300H
  • Delivery: Self-Study
  • CPE Hours: 3
  • Course Level: Basic
  • Prerequisites: None
  • Advanced Preparation: None
  • Category: Federal Tax Law Update
  • Total Pages: 106
  • Questions: 15

IRS Program Approval Number: XE26W-U-00331-22-S

Course Objectives

Table of Contents

2-Hour Ethics for Tax Preparers

2-Hour Ethics for Tax Preparers This course discusses various frivolous tax arguments and scams in relation to a federal tax preparer’s ethical obligations under IRS Circular 230. Additional information is provided on the civil and criminal penalties that can apply to your clients and the various penalties that can apply to you, the tax preparer, that violates ethical standards and your obligations under Circular 230.

Course Info:

  • Course #: 400H
  • Delivery: Self-Study
  • CPE Hours: 2
  • Course Level: Basic
  • Prerequisites: None
  • Advanced Preparation: None
  • Category: Ethics
  • Total Pages: 49
  • Questions: 10

IRS Program Approval Number: XE26W-E-00330-22-S

Course Objectives

Table of Contents