MD just requires one stand alone test. No course required. 180 minutes. 130 questions. 70% to pass.
There are study guides available. I bought one, but I found the information to be just a bunch of copy and pasted material from IRS publications. I found it much easier to just study the actual publications. The nice thing about the test is that you are allowed to bring a printed copy of Pub 17 and the MD Tax Guide with you during the test.
The valuable thing I find from the study guides is the two practice exams. It helps you figure out what you need to work on and brings the information into focus.
I'm pretty certain most of the info is in the publications we're allowed to bring in, it's just a matter of knowing where to look. #Index #TableOfContents
This is the official bulletin from the testing company which describes all the rules.
https://candidate.psiexams.com/bulletin ... inurl=.pdfIn regard to makbo's comment about taking the EA, I figured it would be better for me to use this as a stepping stone to bigger things. I don't have a degree, and I want to be able to start actually preparing returns, albeit if they're only a few returns a month. This way I can start getting real in-the-field experience. I have a bunch of friends that I'm sure would appreciate have a tax preparer on their side. My plan is to start off nice and cheap that way I can give myself that experience.
That could help me solve the good old paradox of work experience being a job requirement. (You need work experience to get hired for a job, but in order to have work experience, you need to have had a job, but the job requires work experience, etc...)
EA seems to be a lot more extensive and for right now, I'm just looking for an opening into the field that can help get started.
I may choose to veer off to different areas of the finance field in the future. For now, this is what I want to start with. (while I simultaneously work full time in a consulting firm in the health care industry
It's funny how that happens.)