How I Passed All 3 Enrolled Agent (EA) Exams on My First Try in 6 weeks

Summary

The speaker shares their experience of becoming an Enrolled Agent (EA), detailing the steps and challenges faced while preparing for and passing the three required exams. They emphasize the importance of setting an aggressive study timeline, relying on practice questions rather than textbooks, and managing test anxiety. Despite feeling unprepared at times, the speaker successfully passed all three tests on the first try. The process, although challenging, reinforced their understanding of taxation and made them appreciate the EA credential as a sign of solid tax knowledge and analytical skills.

Takeaways

• 😀 Enrolled Agent (EA) certification requires passing three tests: Part 1 (Individuals), Part 2 (Business), and Part 3 (Representation, Practice, and Procedures).
• 😀 You can take the exams in any order, but the key factor is the time you allocate to study for each test.
• 😀 The speaker followed an aggressive study timeline, with the first test scheduled for May 9th despite a late start to studying.
• 😀 The speaker relied on practice questions from Gleim instead of textbooks, believing that hands-on practice was the most effective way to study.
• 😀 Previous exam successes, such as passing the real estate and insurance exams on the first try, gave the speaker confidence in their testing approach.
• 😀 It is important to create a personal strategy for the tests, such as starting with a subject you're comfortable with to reduce anxiety.
• 😀 The testing environment at Prometric facilities is strict, with security measures like lockers and detection wands before entering the testing room.
• 😀 A useful test-taking strategy was writing out formulas or shorthand notes on scratch paper to help stay focused and avoid spending too much time on one question.
• 😀 The speaker found Part 3 (Representation, Practice, and Procedures) more difficult than expected, despite others suggesting it was easier.
• 😀 The business exam (Part 2) was perceived as the easiest by the speaker, contrary to the common belief that it is the hardest.
• 😀 After passing all three exams, the speaker appreciated the EA credential for demonstrating a strong understanding of taxation, even though it doesn’t make someone an expert.

Q & A

What are the three tests required to become an enrolled agent?

The three tests required are Part 1 Individuals, Part 2 Business, and Part 3 Representation, Practice, and Procedures. These tests can be taken in any order.

How did the speaker manage their study schedule for the EA exams?

The speaker set an aggressive timeline for studying. They scheduled their first exam for May 9th, knowing they would only have time to study in late April due to their tax season work. They relied on practice questions and used their method of researching topics they got wrong to reinforce their learning.

What method of studying did the speaker use for preparing for the exams?

The speaker focused on practice questions instead of textbook reading. When they got questions wrong or didn't understand the correct answer, they researched the topic and repeated the process until they fully grasped the concepts.

What strategy did the speaker use during the test to stay focused and avoid wasting time?

During the test, the speaker wrote shorthand notes or formulas for lengthy questions on scratch paper. This helped them focus and prevent overthinking, keeping them on pace throughout the exam.

What was the speaker’s approach to deciding which test to take first?

The speaker didn’t think much about the order of the tests, believing that if you know the material, it doesn’t matter which test you start with. However, they recommended starting with a test you feel more comfortable with to reduce anxiety.

How did the speaker prepare differently for each of the three exams?

For the first exam, the speaker used a Gleim test question bank. For the second exam, they switched to a different test bank, though they didn’t remember the name of the company. For the final exam, they returned to Gleim. The speaker also adjusted their study approach based on the difficulty of each test.

What was the speaker’s experience with the Prometric testing facility?

The speaker described the Prometric testing facility as having strict security measures, such as locking away personal items and using a detector wand. The exam itself was 3.5 hours long, split into two parts with a bathroom break in between.

What was the most difficult aspect of the exams according to the speaker?

The speaker found that the difficulty of the exams was largely due to inadequate study time. Although the exams were challenging, they believe the aggressive study timeline contributed to the stress.

How long did it take for the speaker to receive their EA certificate after passing the exams?

After submitting the application, it took about six weeks for the IRS to issue the speaker’s enrolled agent certificate.

What advice does the speaker give to those considering becoming an enrolled agent?

The speaker highly recommends pursuing the enrolled agent credential. They emphasize that while passing the test doesn’t make someone an expert, it demonstrates solid knowledge and the ability to understand tax patterns and policies.