Enrolled Agent Review Course Comparison Table of Contents
Enrolled Agent Courses Disclosure
I've analyzed the most popular enrolled agent courses based on my own experiences, readers’ feedback, and comments from professionals in major accounting forums. You can use my list of pros and cons to find the best EA review course for you! After all, finding the right EA study material for your budget and learning style is no easy task. However, a good enrolled agent exam prep course can help you pass your exams faster. I’ve also included several links to EA test prepdiscounts in this post!
Let Me Find the Best Enrolled Agent Prep for You!
What is the best enrolled agent prep course? To start, I don’t always believe EA prep courses that claim their study materials are the absolute best. Why? Well, it’s because different enrolled agent exam courses suit different candidates according to their individual backgrounds and learning styles. Regardless, I am confident that you will find enrolled agent courses that work for you.
 |  |  |  |
|---|
Enrolled Agent Courses | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
$629 | $1,657 | $1,400 | ||
Course Discount | ||||
NAEA/Top Tax Prep Firms' Endorsement |  | | |  |
Video Lectures | | | | |
# of Practice Questions | 3,500+ | 1,800+ | 3,500+ | 2,100 |
Money-Back Guarantee | | | | |
Access Time Limit | Until You Pass | Until You Pass | Will Expire |
Detailed Comparison of All EA Study Materials
What is the Best EA Review Course?
If you’ve been looking at EA classes online, you’ll find that several options are available. But which one is the best, and which one will help you become a tax enrolled agent the fastest? Truth be told, with so many options—from enrolled agent exam prep books to EA classes and more—the “best” enrolled agent preparation is whatever fits your learning preferences and budget.
Consequently, I’ve put together a comparison of the most popular EA programs and enrolled agent live classes for 2023. If a course looks interesting to you, check to see if it offers a free trial. And once you make a decision, use my EA exam prep course discounts to save some cash.
Gleim EA Review
Gleim EA Review is the most widely used EA review course on the market. Plus, it has everything you need to pass the EA exam.
Strengths: Great Enrolled Agent Study Materials
Free demo of Gleim EA prep
You don’t have to take my word that Gleim is one of the best enrolled agent prep courses. Instead, you can sign up for a free trial of the course with full access to Study Unit One.
Great guarantees
Every Gleim EA prep course has a money-back guarantee. What’s more, the Gleim Premium EA Review System comes with online access until you pass your EA exams.
Thousands of high-quality practice questions
Gleim EA Review claims to have the biggest test bank on the market, and the company has a reputation for writing excellent, accurate exam questions. Gleim has the most detailed answer explanations as well.
Adaptive Course with SmartAdapt Technology
The Gleim EA prep course is essentially a guided self-study review course. The learning platform tells you what you need to study and when you are ready to take the exam. Also, it integrates all of Gleim’s learning tools (like MCQs, videos, flashcards, and support) into one comprehensive course.
Weaknesses
A bit expensive without a Gleim EA discount code
Although you can choose between the Traditional and Premium versions, the Gleim EA Review course is still one of the more expensive on the market. Of course, you can use our exclusive Gleim EA discount deals to save on your study materials.
Recommendation for Gleim EA Exam Courses
If you have a tax background and are the type of candidate who learns best from doing lots of practice questions, I have no doubt that the Gleim EA course is the best for you.
Discover why Gleim might be the best EA study course for you by reading my detailed review.
Surgent EA Review
Surgent is an accounting test prep developer that prides itself on one unique offering in particular: e-learning software that learns from your answers. And for that reason, Surgent often makes the list of best EA certification courses.
Strengths of Surgent EA Material
Weakness-targeting technology
Surgent’s ASAP (adaptive learning) technology analyzes your weakest areas based on your performance in each study session. With this feature, you can target your study time on the content areas you haven’t mastered yet. In fact, this personalized system claims to reduce candidates’ study time by 40% compared to other enrolled agent test prep.
ReadySCORE reveals when you're ready to pass the enrolled agent exam
Surgent’s courses come with a feature called ReadySCORE. Basically, the course keeps tracks of how many questions you’re answering correctly and how many content areas you’ve mastered. On your course dashboard, you’ll notice a proficiency badge called a ReadySCORE. It essentially lets you know when you’re ready to take the EA exam. What’s more, it even has a 98% accuracy!
Good guarantee
Just as importantly, Surgent even comes with a money-back guarantee if users don’t pass the enrolled agent exam. And that kind of guarantee isn’t offered by many of the other best EA courses. The offer has some strings attached, though, which you can read about in our full review of Surgent EA.
Weaknesses of Surgent EA Prep
Lack of support
Surgent's course doesn't offer the same level of support as Gleim's course. All things considered, the lower price does reflect this absence.
Recommendation
The Surgent course is a good choice for those who know the exam content but need an enrolled agent training course for exam preparation. It is also a great supplemental choice if you're looking for an additional set of practice questions. And when you add in our Surgent EA discount code, it’s an affordable enrolled agent study guide as well.
Taxmama.com by Eva Rosenberg
TaxMama EA exam review is a fully comprehensive course that supports you up until and even after you pass the EA exam.
Strengths
Truly unlimited access and lifelong support
The TaxMama course provides you with access as long as you need it. And, you'll be able to ask the instructors and professionals in the course client-related questions, too. In fact, you can continue to access your TaxMama course even after you pass the EA exam. As a result, you can come back to TaxMama whenever you need a refresher about the latest tax laws.
The most [and best] video lectures on the market
TaxMama is the only review course that provides a wealth of instructional videos specifically for the EA exam. On the other hand, some courses—like the Fast Forward Academy—use videos that were actually developed for their CPA users.
In contrast, the TaxMama videos are first recorded as live lectures, and users can participate in these webinars and ask questions in real-time. In this way, even if you can’t attend enrolled agent live classes, you’ll still get the benefits. Because thankfully, if you miss a lecture, you can watch it later on demand because all lectures are recorded.
Weaknesses
Price tag
The price of the TaxMama course may be a bit out of range for some enrolled agent candidates. At any rate, all of the additional value warrants this price tag. And don’t forget about our TaxMama discount.
Lambers EA Prep Course
Best-selling author and tax pro Eva Rosenberg (aka TaxMama) created most of the Lambers EA prep course. Regardless, Lambers is not as comprehensive or supportive as the TaxMama course. But if you don't need help with your tax business or don't have the budget for TaxMama, Lambers may be an excellent fit.
Strengths of the Lambers EA Course
Lambers EA exam flashcards: An easy way to do SEE test prep
Not all of today’s EA courses include flashcards in their bundles. By comparison, the Lambers Complete EA Bundle includes 450 digital flashcards in addition to other EA course material.
Lambers EA Review discounts
Lambers offers a very generous 70% discount to readers of I Pass the EA Exam. So, if you’re trying to save money on your enrolled agent study material, definitely take a look at Lambers.
Weaknesses of Lambers EA Prep
Video lectures lack engagement
While Lambers offers over 55+ hours of video lectures, they aren't the most captivating instructional videos I've seen. Consequently, the team at Lambers is actively working on modifying its lectures. But as you can imagine, that’s a big project. So these updates will take time.
Recommendation
Lambers is a highly affordable option for EA exam study material. As a matter of fact, it provides candidates with a comprehensive course with instructor support. If you learn best by answering questions, reading EA textbooks, and quizzing yourself with flashcards, Lambers might be the perfect fit for you.
Honorable Mention -- EA Prep Courses
These other courses didn't make the list of my best EA exam prep, but I've still listed them here for your reference.
H&R Block Income Tax Course
Strengths: enrolled agent live classes
Live classes are available in more than 10,000 locations. And in addition to live classes, EA candidates can participate in enrolled agent classes online, too.
Weaknesses: not specific enrolled agent EA exam study material
This course is not tailor-made for the EA exam. Therefore, if you really need to learn the enrolled agent material from the ground up, I suggest investigating another course.
WiseGuides Enrolled Agent Test Prep
Strengths
The WiseGuide EA Review course includes 45+ hours of video lectures that cover all three parts of the enrolled agent exam. In addition, the course also has 3,000+ MCQs and a study progress tracker.
Weaknesses: not specific enrolled agent EA exam study material
The personal support offered by WiseGuides is limited. Furthermore, although the company claims that its materials are updated for the latest tax laws, the WiseGuides website itself hasn’t been updated since 2019. Therefore, if you choose to use WiseGuides for your EA prep, make sure that you’re purchasing current materials.
Passkey Enrolled Agent Books
Strengths
Since the PassKey system includes enrolled agent study books without any additional support, they are an affordable way to study for the EA exam. The complete guide is priced at less than $300 for all 3 parts. The workbooks with mock exams cost just another $60 each or about $180 for the whole set. Subsequently, if you purchase the textbooks and workbooks, your total cost about $480. (You can get a full review course, using my exclusive code, for around this same price -- check out my Gleim EA discount page.)
Weaknesses: nowhere near a full course
The Passkey books do not include access to an enrolled agent course online. Furthermore, candidates can't practice in a simulated testing environment. So, if you want to practice answering 100 questions in 3.5 hours (which is what you’ll have to do on exam day), it’s up to you to try to recreate the testing environment on your own. On the other hand, most enrolled agent courses online come with timed mock exams that replicate the look and feel of the real EA exam.
Passkey's system is OK if you're just looking for an EA book. However, in this era of computerized tests, I personally would prefer to have an online component as well. After all, taking a computerized practice exam is the only way to experience a simulated exam environment. Tools for performance tracking and time management are also helpful for monitoring your study progress, and you won't find those here.
The Winner and My Recommendation for the Best Enrolled Agent Course
As I have noted, it’s important to pick a course that fits the unique way you learn. (Scroll down if you aren’t sure—I have some suggestions to help you decide if you’re a visual or logical learner, for example.) In any case, there’s one enrolled agent exam preparation system that seems to work for everyone: and that’s Gleim EA.
Why Gleim is a Good Enrolled Agent Study Guide in 2023
If you're a serious candidate who wants to pass on the first try, I recommend Gleim EA Review for several reasons.
First of all, Gleim EA Review is a preferred provider for the NATP (National Association of Tax Professionals). And it also has the best practice questions, includes Personal Counselor support, and comes with an Access Until You Pass guarantee. You can explore the Gleim EA course with the free trial. Moreover, with our Gleim enrolled agent discount, you can save 15%.
Best Enrolled Agent Test Banks
The enrolled agents exam contains exactly 300 multiple-choice questions (MCQs) addressing several content areas. These topics are fairly broad, so the exam questions could ask you about anything relating to them. To prepare for such general coverage of federal taxation, you must answer plenty of practice questions.
Finding Enrolled Agent Exam Questions
Thankfully, you can get more than enough practice questions in EA test banks, which you’ll find in enrolled agent exam courses. A test bank is basically a collection of MCQs like those on the exam. In short, using a test bank allows you to become more familiar with the exam content and testing environment. It also helps you avoid memorizing the questions, which is an ineffective strategy. (In contrast, if you only use EA review books with limited questions, you won’t have enough, and you’ll start to memorize them in the end.)
While EA test bank size varies, Gleim has the best test bank on the market.
Gleim EA Review: Best review questions for the EA exam
The Gleim EA test bank has more than 3,500 unique practice MCQs and detailed answer explanations for each. These explanations are crucial for helping you understand the reasoning behind each answer (both the correct and incorrect choices). Furthermore, these questions also recreate the format and functionality of the real exam questions better than any other test bank. This level of exam emulation lets you develop more confidence, so you are prepared to pass the exam. Additionally, Gleim EA Review provides unlimited practice exams so you can study what you need and be fully prepared on exam day.
Best Video Lectures in an Enrolled Agent Prep Course
You might not think you can learn that much from videos, but video lectures are actually a great resource for mixing up your studies and keeping you focused. Video lectures are simply video recordings of instructors teaching about the concepts and questions on the exam. When you incorporate video lectures into your review, you can process information faster, retain it longer, understand it better, and enjoy it more.
Course | Video Lectures |
Fast Forward Academy EA Review | Yes (15+ hours) |
Yes (40+) | |
Yes (30+ hours) | |
Yes | |
No | |
No |
First of all, you should consider both quantity and quality when comparing enrolled agent coursevideo lectures. For example, some EA training courses have a small number of video hours, but the lectures are still well-made and informative. On the other hand, some EA study programs have hours upon hours of video lectures, but they are dull and don’t teach anything you can’t read in EA exam books.
With these standards in mind, I recommend the TaxMama’s video lectures.
TaxMama EA Test Prep: Enrolled Agent Live Classes + Videos
TaxMama presents video lectures in both live and on-demand (recorded) formats. At the same time, you'll be able to ask questions in real time when viewing the live lectures. With expert instructors leading the lessons, these video lectures simplify the difficult topics so you can increase your comprehension and retention. Plus, the recorded lectures allow you to skip to important sections, take notes, and create discussions while you watch.
In general, video lectures are great EA review resources. The TaxMama EA video lectures, in specific, are the best.
Enrolled Agent Audio Lectures
Multitasking is not always the best idea. But when multitasking means you’re studying for the EA exam while exercising, cleaning, or commuting, it’s a great idea. Studying while doing simple tasks like these is possible thanks to EA review audio lectures. In a nutshell, audio lectures are the auditory content of a lecture. And with them, auditory learners and candidates on the go can maximize their time.
Course | Audio Lectures |
Yes | |
Yes | |
Fast Forward Academy EA Review | No |
Yes | |
Yes | |
WiseGuides EA Review | No |
As you can see, most review providers don’t actually offer audio lectures. So I only have a few recommendations.
The Gleim EA audio lectures are as thorough and comprehensive as the Gleim EA books. That’s great news, because it means you won’t have to miss a thing when you switch from the book to the audio lectures and back again. The audio lectures are also clear and easy to listen to as well. Finally, you can download them and play them on any device for your convenience.
If you intend to rely heavily on audio lectures for your EA exam review, I suggest you rely on Gleim EA audio lectures.
2. TaxMama EA Exam Review
The TaxMama EA test prep courses come with audio lectures, too. Actually, TaxMama makes audio lectures available as part of the company’s commitment to making accommodations for blind and deaf students. Therefore, the video lectures are available as downloaded audios. In fact, they even come with PDFs of the text, so users can benefit from both reading and hearing the content, which helps you retain material longer!
Enrolled Agent Course Study Planners
The process of passing the EA exam demands that you make some plans, one of them being an EA exam study plan. To make your study plan, you must determine how fast you want to pass, when you can fit regular study sessions into your schedule, how to average 1-2 study hours a day, and when you can finish your studies. This step is very important. However, it can also be quite easy when you use an EA review study planner. And most of the best EA exam prep coursesinclude a study planner.
Course | Study Planner |
Yes | |
Yes | |
Fast Forward Academy EA Review | No |
No | |
Passkey EA Books | No |
No |
Above all, the best EA study planners should be easy to use, adjust to changes, record your progress, and hold you accountable. Good news! Gleim EA and Surgent EA study planners both fulfill these requirements.
The Gleim EA Review study planner is top-notch because it enables you add test dates and hours of availability before developing a detailed schedule of all your study sessions. The study planner keeps track of your study history and adapts as you add or remove blackout dates. Additionally, it emails or texts you about missed study sessions.
Surgent’s course software creates a custom study plan once you’ve completed a series of quizzes. The study planner tool then helps you see exactly how many hours you must devote to your exam preparations. The study planner considers your exam date, specified study days, and knowledge levels to produce a tailored review agenda.
With these effective study planners, you can find your ideal test dates and make sure that you’re totally ready by then.
Best Customer Support of EA Courses Online
Quality customer service is one component that you can always use to distinguish a good enrolled agent course from a great one. The best enrolled agent courses offer dedicated support to candidates in a variety of ways. For example, with standard customer service, you can simply contact the company through various means like phone, email, live chat, and social messaging. But with exceptional customer service, you get assistance for each specific problem from a team of experts. The provider that has gone above and beyond in this way is TaxMama. However, other providers like Gleim have good user support, too.
TaxMama's customer service stands alone for three reasons. First, as soon as you enroll with TaxMama, you'll be connected to a network of other exam candidates and seasoned EAs. Second, TaxMama equips you with the knowledge needed to start your own tax practice. You can ask her and other highly qualified EAs questions about your clients, client returns, and starting your business. And you can ask for this assistance forever (unless you unsubscribe from the course). No other course will allow you to ask questions concerning clients and starting your business. Finally, you also get access to accounting experts who will help you understand the exam concepts when you reach out to them. As part of this, you can ask these questions in real-time or while self-studying.
2. Gleim Enrolled Agent Prep
Gleim has a team of Personal Counselors who are exam mentors and study coaches. They answer your questions about the exam and the study process, help you plan your goals, and stick with you every step of the way to ensure your success. With their Premium product you also get access to their team of accounting experts who are available directly through the course and are able to provide further assistance on any problem in the Gleim materials you need assistance with. Gleim EA also has a top-notch team of technical experts available via email or phone.
You don’t have to take on the EA exam alone. You can receive outstanding study aid from the beginning to the end of your exam journey when you review with TaxMama or Gleim.
Enrolled Agent Exam Review Course Flashcards
Flashcards may seem a little old-school, but they’re still very effective, especially when you’re studying for the EA exam. If you need to improve your memorization of definitions, formulas, and more, you should flip through flashcards.
Developing your own flashcard deck increases your comprehension and retention of the information, but if your enrolled agent course includes them, you can save time and effort by utilizing pre-made flashcards.
EA Prep Course | Flashcards |
Fast Forward Academy EA Review | Yes |
Yes | |
No | |
No | |
No | |
Passkey EA Books | No |
Although several providers include flashcards in their packages, Lambers is the best course for flashcards.
Making your own flashcards helps you learn, but using pre-made flashcards saves time. So if you're someone who likes to study with flashcards, I recommended checking out Lambers. You'll get plenty of flashcards, and you can easily study on the go for the EA exam.
Best Budget EA Review Course
As I mentioned, enrolled agent review courses are definitely not the costliest (when you compare them to other exam prep, like that for the CPA Exam). However, that doesn’t mean your funds for EA exam prep are unlimited. I understand that you might really need to or really want to save money. In that case, I recommend at least using EA promo codes to save on whichever course you buy. But, specifically, I suggest buying what I believe to be the best budget enrolled agent exam review course: Surgent EA Review. However, Gleim EA is a close second choice.
1. Surgent: Best Enrolled Agent Study on a Budget
When you use my Surgent EA Review discount code links, you can save even more on a budget-friendly but quality EA course. In fact, Surgent EA Review is one of the most innovative courses in the industry. For instance, Surgent is considered to be one of the best enrolled agent exam prepcompanies because it saves you study time. Specially, the courses are enhanced with Surgent’s proprietary A.S.A.P. technology that evaluates your current knowledge to pinpoint your strengths and weaknesses. Once the adaptive software has discovered your weak areas, it generates a personalized study path that you can follow every day until you reach EA exam success. Furthermore, Surgent’s course also includes almost 2,000 MCQs with answer explanations, built-in up-to-date IRS publications, unlimited practice exams, and an access until you pass guarantee. This course is a great value for new EA exam candidates, and it’s also comfortably priced for re-takers.
With my Surgent EA Review course discount, you can get study materials for a bargain, too. Surgent has been leading the way with adaptive technology, and when you use an EA promo code to purchase Surgent’s course, you can save both time and money.
2. Gleim EA Enrolled Agent Course
In my opinion, the Gleim EA Review Course presents the best combination of value and money. The Traditional Gleim EA Review Course has the largest test bank available with more than 3,500 practice questions. It also achieves impressive coverage of the exam content with expertly-authored books. Finally, the Traditional Gleim EA course supports your entire enrolled agent journey with access to exam mentors. When you purchase the Premium Gleim EA Review Course, you also receive audio lectures, access to accounting experts, and an access until you pass guarantee.
Plus, the Gleim Premium course also includes video lectures, as does Fast Forward Academy EA Review, another option to consider. But still, from a cost-saving perspective, my general recommendation is Gleim EA Review.
3. Runner Up: Lambers EA Prep
Another affordable option to consider is Lambers EA Review. With the exclusive 70% discount for I Pass the EA Exam readers, Lambers is highly affordable. Most of my readers on a budget still choose Surgent EA, but Lambers is an up-and-coming option that you should also consider.
Lambers has a single goal: teach students what they need to know to pass the EA Exam. As a matter of fact, the Lambers instructors have been teaching EA and CPA reviews for 20+ years. Equally important, the Lambers EA exam study materials break down recent exam trends to show you what topics are most frequently tested. Plus, in their videos, the instructors work through 100s of former exam questions with you. They also outline what you should memorize to pass the exam.
Best Enrolled Agent Study Guide for Candidates Who Failed the EA Exam
You might fail the EA exam for several reasons. For instance, maybe you didn’t study well enough or long enough. Or, it’s also possible that you didn’t use the right enrolled agent exam study materials.
If you do ever fail an exam part, you’ll probably be tempted to blame your SEE exam prep right away. However, I advise you to thoroughly evaluate your own study habits first. Consequently, only when you can honestly say that you put all your effort into your studies, used the review course exactly as instructed, and still failed should you officially turn against your course.
1. Surgent EA: Best Enrolled Agent prep course for re-takers
But if you do need new EA exam prep, I recommend Surgent EA Review.
In the event that you become an EA exam re-taker, Surgent EA Review has your back. First, the adaptive technology powering Surgent’s course will enable you to unearth all of your weak areas. You can then drill down into the appropriate sections until you’ve taken your knowledge to the peak of understanding. Second, you’ll also enjoy Surgent’s free demo and a terrific guarantee. And with my Surgent EA Review discount, making the switch is even easier. I think you’ll find Surgent to be the lifesaver you need on your voyage to EA exam success.
Best EA Exam Review for Accounting Students Taking the SEE
With some certifications, you can’t take the exam until you basically have a bachelor’s degree. With others, you just can’t become officially certified until you’ve graduated. In contrast, with the enrolled agent designation, you can finish the exam and earn the qualification as soon as you’re able, no matter how much education you have!
Therefore, I suggest studying with either Gleim EA or Surgent EA if you're an accounting student. After all, you probably don't have much time to study since you're busy with your other classes. And for that reason, you should study with the best courses to save you time. Gleim and Surgent are top EA courses that won't steer you wrong!
Best Enrolled Agent EA Review Course for Accountants
By earning the enrolled agent designation, full-time accountants can enhance their careers with increased skills, income, job opportunities, and more. If you could have used such career benefits yesterday, you should plan to pass the EA exam as soon as possible. What’s more, an EA review course that covers all of the exam content clearly and concisely will help you pass faster than you think.
1. Gleim EA: Best Enrolled Agent study material for accountants
The EA course offering the most content coverage is Gleim EA Review. The Gleim brand specializes in easy-to-read content outlines, so the EA course presents all of the information you need to know in this simple, digestible format. For example, Gleim’s course deepens your knowledge with audio lectures and reinforces your comprehension with the biggest test bank available. No matter how long you’ve been out of school and in the accounting field, you can get in the EA exam game with Gleim EA Review.
What Is an Enrolled Agent Exam Review Course?
An enrolled agent exam review course is an assortment of self-study resources you can use to prepare for the Special Enrollment Exam (SEE), also known as the enrolled agent (EA) exam. The purpose of these courses is to help you learn the content that will appear on the EA exam. EA exam review courses are usually based online, so you can access most of the materials online. For example, enrolled agent exam courses typically contain:
- Digital or physical books
- A bank of practice questions
- Video lectures
- Audio lectures
- A study planner
- Performance tracking software
- Customer service access
- Limited access to your online materials for a set period (like 12 or 18 months)
Furthermore, you can purchase review courses for each part of the enrolled agent examseparately or as a complete set.
Benefits of Using an Enrolled Agent Course
You’ll experience many benefits from using an EA exam review course. Preparing with an enrolled agent exam review course is advantageous because:
An enrolled agent course covers exam content in convenient ways
To start, the SEE (Special Enrollment Exam) covers a lot of material. But an enrolled agent study course will help you study everything in an organized fashion.
The three parts of the EA exam test your familiarity with a variety of topics about tax preparation and representation.
- Part 1: Individuals
- Preliminary Work and Taxpayer Data
- Income and Assets
- Deductions and Credits
- Taxation and Advice
- Advising the Individual Taxpayer
- Part 2: Business
- Business Entities
- Business Tax Preparation
- Specialized Returns and Taxpayers
- Part 3: Representation, Practices, and Procedures
- Practices and Procedures
- Representation before the IRS
- Specific Types of Representation
- Filing Process
The Internal Revenue Service explains the EA exam content in the Candidate Information Bulletin and other documents found on the Prometric website. These documents go into a great deal of detail, but they don’t tell you specifics to the extent necessary for passing the exam. Therefore, as an EA candidate, you are responsible for finding and learn these specifics yourself. You’ll also need to develop the related skills, as well. Doing so on your own takes a lot of time and effort, as you’d need to conduct in-depth research about the EA exam syllabus. Of course, this process will also greatly increase the duration of your studies.
Thankfully, there’s another way. Instead of taking your preparations for the enrolled agent exam all on yourself, you can use an enrolled agent course. An enrolled agent exam review course gathers and distills all of this information for you. For example, a quality enrolled agent exam reviewcourse contains expertly-authored EA textbooks and lectures addressing every area of the exam content. With the exam content covered, you can focus on mastering the material rather than collecting it yourself.
The best EA exam prep guarantees you have the skill levels needed to pass
Just as good EA review courses provide the exam content, they also evaluate your study progress. With tools like performance tracking software and study planners, you can review and comprehend all of the exam content in a timely manner.
The EA exam uses multiple-choice questions to determine if you know everything you need to know to fulfill the enrolled agent position. For the most part, EA review courses usually feature test banks of practice questions. In a nutshell, test banks give you plenty of opportunities to apply what you’ve learned and get comfortable answering the exam questions. When those test banks also recreate the look and feel of the EA exam, they allow you to become familiar with the exam format and functionality before you even enter the testing center. The result? Come exam day, you have a lot of confidence and minimal chances of being surprised.
The best EA prep courses include a support system
Moreover, almost every enrolled agent exam review course comes with some type of customer service. That service could include assistance from friendly exam mentors who answer your questions, encourage you, and keep you on track. Or, it may also involve the ability to work with a technical team on computer or course access issues. At the very least, you’ll be able to contact your review provider via phone, email, or social media messaging whenever you need to. Above all, when you purchase one of the enrolled agent courses mentioned on this page, you can enjoy communication with EA experts who won’t let you go through the exam alone.
The Cost of EA Review Courses
While exam prep for some professional accounting certifications cost upwards of $2,000-$3,000, EA review courses are rarely so expensive. In fact, as you can see in the chart above, most EA courses cost less than $1,000. This is great news in light of the fact that you’ll have other EA exam fees to cover.
If you purchase an enrolled agent course that doesn’t come with unlimited course access, then you might also have to pay course renewal fees at some point. Alternatively, you could pass each part the first time and/or choose a course with candidate-friendly guarantees.
To avoid the horror of purchasing the wrong course (which you would realize after you failed a part or two) and having to buy another course, use the free trials offered by many providers. These trials show you how the courses work and how well they fit your learning style. Consequently, once you’ve explored all the available demos, you should know which course will be best for you. Then, you can use an EA promo code or discount to purchase that course and save money.
Determining Your Learning Style
Everyone has a unique learning style. We’re all special like that. Your personal learning style is the combination of tools and experiences you need to understand information. And, to effectively prepare for the EA exam, you must use a review course that suits your learning style. Therefore, you need to find out what kind of learner you are.
- If hearing someone’s explanation enables you to grasp a concept faster, you might be an auditory learner.
- When you use constant movement to intensify your concentration, you’re a kinesthetic learner.
- Does watching a video jumpstart your learning process? Then you’re most likely a visual learner.
- When writing and reading words on a page deepens your comprehension, you are a linguistic learner.
- Need to see the reasoning behind every concept? If so, you’d qualify as a logical learner.
- If researching a topic on your own is your preferred approach to learning, you may be a solitary learner.
- Do you relish the opportunity to dive into a new idea with a group of equally interested individuals? You’re probably a social learner.
- And, if you find yourself opting to alter your learning approach based on the information you’re investigating, chances are that you have more than one learning style. This is pretty popular.
As soon as you know your learning style, use that information to analyze each enrolled agent course. Doing so equips you to see how well these courses will satisfy your learning style. This is another instance in which the course demos come in handy. Sign up for every free demo you can find and explore it until your access expires if necessary. You need to know if a review course addresses your learning style before you make a monetary commitment, and the course trials help you to make this deduction.
Selecting the Best Enrolled Agent Course
When you’re ready to pick the best enrolled agent review course for you, judge all of your options according to these factors:
- Course reviews
- Fit for your learning style
- Number of practice questions
- Value for the price
- Course guarantees and access periods
- Course authors
- Lecture presenters
- Industry longevity
- Quality of customer support
- Availability of course demos
- Frequency of content updates
- Exam emulation
This list is long, and it might not be in the order of importance for you. Therefore, you should employ your own personal priorities to rearrange or omit these qualities as you see fit. Then, you can weigh each review course against your standards and preferences. Remember, different courses will suit different candidates. However, I know you can find the best enrolled agent course for you. And with it, you can pass the EA exam.
FAQs about Enrolled Agent Courses
What’s the best Enrolled Agent study guide for 2023?
As I previously noted, the Gleim EA courses seem to work for just about everyone. The material is constantly updated (so you’ll get the enrolled agent books for 2023, for instance), so you know you’re always studying the right content. Plus, the SmartAdapt platform helps you study faster and with greater efficiency.
What are the IRS approved Enrolled Agent courses?
Actually, the IRS doesn’t endorse any particular enrolled agent preparation course or any set of enrolled agent books.
Do I need Enrolled Agent classroom training? Or can I do it online?
You can absolutely use an online course! In fact, most EA candidates use online study material for the enrolled agent exam. For a hybrid approach, try out TaxMama’s courses that combine online study guides but also allow you to attend an online enrolled agent class.
Where can I find live Enrolled Agent classes online?
Some EA candidates prefer classroom-like enrolled agent training over self-study or EA exam prep books, for example. I get it-after all, most of us are used to our classrooms from high school and college. Therefore, that’s why the TaxMama offers live EA training online. Eva Rosenberg has a schedule of live, interactive enrolled agent seminars. She records them, too, so users can watch them on-demand as well. Basically, they are the next best thing to live enrolled agent classes.
Why can’t I just download an Enrolled Agent study guide PDF?
It might be tempting to Google “IRS enrolled agent exam study guide” and skip purchasing a review course. However, I think that’s a bad idea for a few reasons. To start, you want to be 100% sure that you’re using the right EA exam syllabus. After all, the exam changes every year based on revisions to the tax law. So what happens if you accidentally download an enrolled agent study guide for 2018-2019? Or an enrolled agent study guide from 2020? If you make this mistake, you’re going to be studying the wrong material if you want to pass the EA exam in 2023.
Where can I find an IRS Enrolled Agent practice exam?
First, the IRS does have a limited Enrolled Agent exam guide that is available on the Prometric website. It doesn’t have any questions, but it at least gives you an idea about the overall content that will be tested. Second, the IRS has a few sample EA exam questions, but you can only download 20 questions per part. But you can hardly consider these sample questions to be a true EA practice exam. Therefore, the best place to find an EA practice exam is right inside your test prep course.
More Help Finding the Best Enrolled Agent Course
This page contains my detailed analysis of the best EA review courses available. If you’d like more specific advice on the best EA exam prep for you, feel free to leave a comment or email me. I wish you the best with the enrolled agent exam!
Need More Info About the IRS Enrolled Agent Certification?
This website is a great place to find everything you need to know about the IRS enrolled agent exam. For example, I have posts about the IRS EA exam questions, study tips for passing on your first try, how long to study for the EA exam, test registration and exam costs, and more.
Free enrolled agent study guide
I even have a free IRS enrolled agent study guide! And remember—if you don’t find the information you need, please message me!
