Practical ethics training for real tax preparers. Learn how to protect your clients, protect your business, and stay confidently compliant with IRS expectations.
Your clients trust you with their income, their identity, and their future. They expect accuracy. They expect professionalism. And they expect you to keep them out of IRS trouble.
This course fulfills your CTEC Ethics Requirement and gives you tools you can use right away — not dry theory, but real-world guidance based on Circular 230 and IRS standards.
Enroll Now for $69Staying Out of IRS Trouble 101 is designed for tax professionals who want a clear, practical, and relevant ethics course that goes beyond check-the-box training.
This course is ideal for:
If you prepare federal tax returns for compensation and want to stay ahead of IRS expectations, this course is for you.
This course walks you step by step through the core ethical responsibilities of a professional tax preparer. You’ll learn:
Understand how trust, accuracy, and professionalism protect you, your clients, and the tax system as a whole.
Learn what it means to be truly competent as a preparer — knowing when to research, when to ask for help, and how to avoid “winging it” with client returns.
Get clear on your responsibilities around refundable credits and high-risk areas, including the Earned Income Credit, Child Tax Credit, American Opportunity Credit, and Head of Household filing status. Know what questions to ask, what to document, and how to avoid due diligence penalties.
Discover the daily habits that keep your returns accurate, reduce errors, and help you avoid unnecessary IRS attention, especially during the busiest weeks of tax season.
Understand exactly what you can and cannot do as a PTIN holder. Learn when you’re allowed to talk to the IRS about a return you prepared, and when a client should be referred to an EA, CPA, or attorney for full representation.
Protect taxpayer information the right way. Learn why every tax professional — even a one-person home office — must have a Written Information Security Plan (WISP), and what that plan should cover.
Explore the real-world consequences of poor documentation, rushed work, and ethical shortcuts — and more importantly, how to avoid them with simple, repeatable systems.
See how office systems, communication, and boundaries with clients all contribute to an ethical practice where good decisions become the norm.
After you complete the lessons, you’ll take a final exam to confirm your understanding and download your certificate of completion for your records and compliance file.
Ethics training doesn’t have to be boring. This course is designed to be clear, conversational, and engaging — with real examples and practical takeaways.
You’ll get:
Everything is presented in straightforward language, so you can focus on what matters: preparing ethical, accurate returns and staying out of IRS trouble.
Most IRS problems for preparers don’t come from fraud. They come from small, preventable issues: missing documentation, unasked questions, unclear notes, or assumptions made under pressure.
After completing this training, you’ll be able to:
For over 40 years, Universal Accounting Center has helped thousands of tax and accounting professionals start and grow successful practices.
Our focus is simple: give you the skills, systems, and confidence you need to be both profitable and professional.
Staying Out of IRS Trouble 101 reflects that mission. It’s built specifically for working preparers — especially PTP graduates and CTEC professionals — who want more than just another checkbox on a renewal form.
Get immediate access to the course, complete your ethics training, and earn your certificate — all at your own pace.
Your investment: $69
Your return: confidence, clarity, and a stronger, more compliant tax practice.
Stay confident. Stay compliant. Stay out of IRS trouble.
Enroll in “Staying Out of IRS Trouble 101”Access the course 24/7 from any device. Certificate available immediately upon completion.