I want to learn how to do taxes, like take a taxes course online does anyone know a decent online school?

Question

I want to learn how to do taxes, like take a taxes course online does anyone know a decent online school?

Answer 1

I think some of the tax preparation services, like H & R Block, have free classes.  I don't know if they are online.

Why don't you google "online tax preparation classes."

Answer 2

H&R Block teaches a course and it is the best way for somebody with no accounting or similar background to learn individual taxes.  There is a fee but I can't tell you how much, it varies from year to year.  It runs 23 3-hour sessions over either 8 or 12 weeks and includes a 3-hour final exam at the end.

It is aimed at training new tax preparers but you don't have to commit to work for them and they won't commit to hiring you.  You do have to sign a paper that states that your reason for taking the class is not to compete with them.  They just started that a year or two ago because Jackass Screwitt, other bottom feeders, and local accounting firms were sending their new preparers there for training and Block finally got tired of training their competition.  But if you are taking it for your own info and to do your own taxes, that is fine.

If you are interested, they start about when public schools start back up - around Labor Day.  Look in your local yellow pages for their district office which would be the only one open this time of year - or call 800-HRBLOCK.

Answer 3

Whatever you do, don't pay block for anything!!   You cannot learn taxes in an 11 week course, and there are very few enrolled agents who work for block.   The enrolled agents go on their own after a while.  A client will overpay on their taxes if they patronize Block.   The only exception is if you can only do a 1040-EZ.  Block is only interested in getting you in and out in 15 minutes and taking your money.  You can read about the incompetency, sheer laziness and the many other problems of block "tax pros" by going on ripoffreport or reading on this thread.  I know from my own life, the clients who used go to hr ripoff and the horror stories I have witnessed.  Matter of fact, my ex and I went to block and that taught me that I had to learn to do taxes myself.  I was getting ripped on my taxes and getting ripped blind by h&ripoff.

I would get on the National Association of Enrolled Agents website - www.naea.org - and call the numbers that are on that website.  They will have some recommendations.  To become an enrolled agent, ideally you should be in the income tax preparation business for at least ten years and have a few partnerships and a corporation or two as clients as well as sole proprietorships, of course.   They will also have recommendations as to where you can go to take courses to prepare for the enrolled agents examination.

There's one given by Denver University to train you to be a CPA with a specialty in doing income taxes - www.aes.du.  I can't vouch as to how good it is.   The expensive software outfits like Drake, Ultratax and Lacerte have tests you can take on their websites.

The IRS has courses also, but it is my understanding that they only give them during the summer.

It's quite expensive, but if you get good references and good reports about a business school, you could take business tax at a school that will prepare you to be a CPA.   Good luck.