Shema & Buda Tax Academy — Professional Tax Preparer Training

About Course

Welcome to Shema & Buda Tax Academy — Tax Preparer Foundations.

This foundational training program is designed to introduce aspiring and developing tax professionals to the essential knowledge, procedures, documentation, compliance standards, and practical skills needed to prepare tax returns professionally.

Students will progress through structured lessons, training materials, workbooks, knowledge checks, practice exercises, and assessments.

Training includes: tax preparation foundations, taxpayer intake and documentation, filing status and dependents, income reporting, deductions and credits, due diligence, tax law research, return review, e-file procedures, taxpayer data security, professional ethics, and tax-office workflow.

Students must complete assigned coursework and required assessments to qualify for a Shema & Buda Tax Academy Certificate of Completion.

Important: This is a private educational training program. Completion does not constitute an IRS or government-issued credential or professional license.

Understand the fundamentals of professional tax preparation
Conduct proper taxpayer intake and review required documentation
Determine filing status and dependent eligibility
Identify and report common sources of taxable income
Apply common tax deductions, adjustments, and credits
Understand Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) eligibility and due diligence
Complete required due diligence procedures, including Form 8867
Understand Schedule C and self-employment income and expenses
Identify education credits and common student tax issues
Follow taxpayer confidentiality and data security requirements
Understand professional ethics and tax preparer responsibilities
Navigate a professional tax preparation workflow using TaxSlayer Pro
Review tax returns for accuracy before filing
Understand refund, bank product, and payment procedures
Apply foundational tax knowledge to real-world tax preparation scenarios

Course Content

Welcome to Shema & Buda Tax Academy
Welcome to Shema & Buda Tax Academy. Begin here before starting your training. This orientation will introduce you to the course, explain how the training is structured, review course expectations, and show you what you must complete to earn your Certificate of Completion.

Welcome & Course Orientation

Module 1 — Tax Preparer Foundations & Professional Responsibilities
Begin your professional tax preparation training by learning the role and responsibilities of a tax preparer, professional standards, ethical conduct, taxpayer confidentiality, preparer requirements, and the fundamentals of operating in a professional tax environment.

Module 2 — Filing Status, Dependents & Qualifying Childr
Learn how to determine a taxpayer’s correct filing status, identify qualifying children and qualifying relatives, apply dependency rules, and evaluate the documentation needed to support filing status and dependent claims. This module also covers common situations involving single taxpayers, married taxpayers, Head of Household, and dependent eligibility.

Module 3 — Income, Adjustments & Form 1040
Build confidence identifying common income sources, above-the-line adjustments, and where information flows onto Form 1040.

Module 4 — Deductions & Tax Credits
Learn how adjustments, deductions, and major individual tax credits affect a federal income tax return and how to identify when additional documentation or review is required.

Module 5 — Due Diligence & Form 8867
Learn the paid-preparer due-diligence requirements for covered tax benefits, how to ask adequate follow-up questions, document taxpayer responses, complete Form 8867 accurately, and recognize situations requiring additional review.

Module 6 — Schedule C & Self-Employment
Learn the fundamentals of preparing returns for sole proprietors and independent contractors, including business income, expenses, recordkeeping, Schedule C, and self-employment tax.

Module 7 — Business Expenses & Schedule C Documentation
Build practical skills reviewing business expenses, separating personal and business costs, evaluating documentation, and preparing accurate Schedule C information.

Module 8 — Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)
Learn how to evaluate Earned Income Tax Credit eligibility, qualifying-child requirements, earned income, common EITC issues, and the paid preparer's due-diligence responsibilities.

Module 9 — Child Tax Credit, ACTC & Credit for Other Dependents
Learn how to evaluate eligibility for the Child Tax Credit, Additional Child Tax Credit, and Credit for Other Dependents while applying dependency rules, documentation standards, and paid-preparer due diligence.

Module 10 — Education Credits & Student Tax Issues
Learn the fundamentals of education tax benefits, Form 1098-T, qualified education expenses, scholarships and grants, dependency considerations, and due diligence when preparing returns involving students.

Module 11 — TaxSlayer Pro Workflow & Return Review
Learn a consistent TaxSlayer Pro preparation workflow from source documents through data entry, tax-form review, diagnostics, final quality control, and preparation for e-file.

Module 12 — Refunds, Bank Products & Payment Options
Learn how tax refunds differ from refund-related financial products, how to communicate fees and product terms accurately, and how to avoid misleading promises about refunds, advances, approvals, and timing.

Module 13 — Security, Quality Control & Professional Practice
Learn how to protect taxpayer information, recognize fraud and security threats, follow quality-control procedures, communicate professionally, and build a tax practice ethically.

Practice Returns — Hands-On Tax Preparation
Complete five hands-on practice returns designed to apply the tax preparation concepts learned throughout the course. Students must analyze taxpayer facts, review source documents, apply due diligence, enter information accurately, review completed tax forms, and demonstrate proper quality-control procedures.

Comprehensive Review & Final Exam Preparation
Review the core concepts from the Shema & Buda Tax Academy training program before completing the final examination. Students should use this section to identify areas requiring additional study, review due-diligence and quality-control standards, and prepare for the final assessment.

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About Course

What Will You Learn?

Course Content

Welcome & Course Orientation

Lesson 1.1 — Understanding the Role of a Professional Tax Preparer

Lesson 1.2 — PTIN Requirements, Ethics & Preparer Compliance

Taxpayer Confidentiality, Data Security & Protecting Client Information

Module 1 Knowledge Check — Tax Preparer Foundations & Professional Responsibilities

Lesson 2.1 — Understanding Filing Status

Lesson 2.2 — Qualifying Child Rules

Qualifying Relative & Dependency Rules.

Module 2 Knowledge Check — Filing Status & Dependents

Module 3 — Income, Adjustments & Form 1040 Build confidence identifying common income sources, above-the-line adjustments, and where information flows onto Form 1040.

Lesson 3.1 — W-2 Wages, Salaries & Withholding

Lesson 3.2 — Interest & Dividend Income

Lesson 3.3 — Retirement, Social Security & Other Common Income

Lesson 3.4 — Unemployment, Gig Work & Self-Employment Overview

Lesson 3.5 — Adjustments to Income

Module 3 Knowledge Check — Income, Adjustments & Form 1040

Module 4 — Deductions & Tax Credits Learn how adjustments, deductions, and major individual tax credits affect a federal income tax return and how to identify when additional documentation or review is required.

Lesson 4.1 — Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) & Adjustments

Lesson 4.2 — Standard vs. Itemized Deductions

Lesson 4.3 — Tax Credits vs. Deductions

Lesson 4.4 — Child Tax Credit, ACTC & Other Dependent Credit

Lesson 4.5 — Earned Income Tax Credit & Education Credits

Module 4 Knowledge Check — Deductions & Tax Credits

Module 5 — Due Diligence & Form 8867 Learn the paid-preparer due-diligence requirements for covered tax benefits, how to ask adequate follow-up questions, document taxpayer responses, complete Form 8867 accurately, and recognize situations requiring additional review.

Lesson 5.1 — Understanding Paid-Preparer Due Diligence

Lesson 5.2 — Benefits Covered by Form 8867

Lesson 5.3 — Asking Adequate Questions & Resolving Conflicts

Lesson 5.4 — Documentation, Notes & Record Retention

Lesson 5.5 — Form 8867 Review & Preparer Responsibility

Module 5 Knowledge Check — Due Diligence & Form 8867

Module 6 — Schedule C & Self-Employment Learn the fundamentals of preparing returns for sole proprietors and independent contractors, including business income, expenses, recordkeeping, Schedule C, and self-employment tax.

Lesson 6.1 — Understanding Self-Employment Income

Lesson 6.2 — Schedule C Basics

Lesson 6.3 — Ordinary & Necessary Business Expenses

Lesson 6.4 — Recordkeeping & Business Documentation

Lesson 6.5 — Self-Employment Tax & Return Review

Module 6 Knowledge Check — Schedule C & Self-Employment

Module 7 — Business Expenses & Schedule C Documentation Build practical skills reviewing business expenses, separating personal and business costs, evaluating documentation, and preparing accurate Schedule C information.

Lesson 7.1 — Business vs. Personal Expenses

Lesson 7.2 — Vehicle & Mileage Expenses

Lesson 7.3 — Home Office & Common Business Expenses

Lesson 7.4 — Receipts, Bank Statements & Expense Records

Lesson 7.5 — Schedule C Red Flags & Final Review

Module 7 Knowledge Check — Business Expenses & Schedule C Documentation

Module 8 — Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) Learn how to evaluate Earned Income Tax Credit eligibility, qualifying-child requirements, earned income, common EITC issues, and the paid preparer's due-diligence responsibilities.

Lesson 8.1 — EITC Fundamentals

Lesson 8.2 — EITC Qualifying Child Rules

Lesson 8.3 — EITC Without a Qualifying Child

Lesson 8.4 — EITC Due Diligence & Red Flags

Lesson 8.5 — EITC Documentation & Final Review

Module 8 Knowledge Check — Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)

Module 9 — Child Tax Credit, ACTC & Credit for Other Dependents Learn how to evaluate eligibility for the Child Tax Credit, Additional Child Tax Credit, and Credit for Other Dependents while applying dependency rules, documentation standards, and paid-preparer due diligence.

Lesson 9.1 — Child Tax Credit Fundamentals

Lesson 9.2 — Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC)

Lesson 9.3 — Credit for Other Dependents

Lesson 9.4 — Dependency Conflicts & Documentation

Lesson 9.5 — CTC Due Diligence & Final Review

Module 9 Knowledge Check — Child Tax Credit, ACTC & Credit for Other Dependents

Module 10 — Education Credits & Student Tax Issues Learn the fundamentals of education tax benefits, Form 1098-T, qualified education expenses, scholarships and grants, dependency considerations, and due diligence when preparing returns involving students.

Lesson 10.1 — Understanding Education Tax Benefits

Lesson 10.2 — Form 1098-T & Education Documents

Lesson 10.3 — American Opportunity Tax Credit

Lesson 10.4 — Lifetime Learning Credit

Lesson 10.5 — Scholarships, Dependents & Education Due Diligence

Module 10 Knowledge Check — Education Credits & Student Tax Issues

Module 11 — TaxSlayer Pro Workflow & Return Review Learn a consistent TaxSlayer Pro preparation workflow from source documents through data entry, tax-form review, diagnostics, final quality control, and preparation for e-file.

Lesson 11.1 — TaxSlayer Pro Preparation Workflow

Lesson 11.2 — Taxpayer Information, Filing Status & Dependents

Lesson 11.3 — Entering Income, Deductions & Credits

Lesson 11.4 — Diagnostics, Forms & Error Review

Lesson 11.5 — Final Quality-Control & E-File Review

Module 11 Knowledge Check — TaxSlayer Pro Workflow & Return Review

Module 12 — Refunds, Bank Products & Payment Options Learn how tax refunds differ from refund-related financial products, how to communicate fees and product terms accurately, and how to avoid misleading promises about refunds, advances, approvals, and timing.

Lesson 12.1 — Understanding Tax Refunds

Lesson 12.2 — Refund Advances & Bank Products

Lesson 12.3 — Fees & Client Disclosures

Lesson 12.4 — Refund Timing & Approval Claims