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Archive for November, 2007

EA-2B Syllabus Questions

November 19th, 2007

I have already started getting questions from students about the EA-2B exam. Gee, you folks should at least rest a bit until after Thanksgiving?!

Q1. How much did the EA-2B syllabus change from 2007 to 2008?  I went to the IRS website and did not see any major changes, and I know PPA did not alter EA-2B stuff too much.
  
A1. The Joint Board announcement has not been updated for 2008. The EA-2B syllabus is not finalized until after 12/31 (consistent with prior years’ exams). The reason is that the syllabus can include any Revenue Rulings and regulations released prior to 12/31.
http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-utl/fall_2007_examination_program_booklet_.pdf

Last summer, the final version of the Joint Board announcement for EA-2A was not released until August. So I assume we may not see the new one until February 2008.

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Q2. I do not see any mention of PPA 2006 on the EA-2B syllabus.  Will PPA be reflected?
   
A2. I assume so. The usual cutoff date for the EA-2B exam is December 31, but most of PPA 2006 is effective starting January 1, 2008. I expect them to modify the Joint Board announcement to clarify this.

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Q3. What is the EA-2B syllabus going to look like? I would imagine that it would change a bit since 414(l), 415, 416 and 417 were on EA-2A (and EA-2B) in 2007. 

A3. I wish I knew, but nobody knows what it will look like. I assume they may add something (maybe IRC 436) to EA-2B to make up for the loss of IRC 414(l), 415 and 416. I still expect them to test QJSA and QPSA under 417 on EA-2B, since those were not tested under EA-2A.

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