TAX PREPARER FINAL EXAM OVERVIEW QUESTIONS WELL EXPLAINED
ANSWERS 2026/2027
What income reporting form should an independent contractor sometimes receive
from the person who paid him for his services? - (ANSWERS)Form 1099-MISC
(15.6)
Schedule C, Line F asks for the accounting method used in the business.
What is the difference between the cash method and the accrual method of
accounting? - (ANSWERS)• Under the accrual method, total sales and total charges
for services are included in income even though payment may be received in another
tax year.
• Under the cash method, only income actually received or expenses actually paid
during the year are included. (15.5)
What does it mean if a proprietor "materially participates" in the business? -
(ANSWERS)He is active in running the business in a substantial way on a day-to-
day basis. (15.5)
Why is it important to know whether or not the proprietor materially participates? -
(ANSWERS)If the proprietor does not materially participate, any loss from the
business is a passive loss and generally may be currently deducted only against
passive income. (15.6)
What are returns and allowances? - (ANSWERS)• Amounts that were refunded to
customers who returned merchandise for refund or partial refund.
• These amounts are subtracted from gross receipts. (15.6)
How is cost of goods sold determined? - (ANSWERS)Beginning inventory plus
purchases, plus labor, supplies, depreciation, etc. Attributable to product
manufacture or preparation for sale, minus ending inventory. (15.7)
If the client has contract labor, what should you remind the client that they should
, TAX PREPARER FINAL EXAM OVERVIEW QUESTIONS WELL EXPLAINED
ANSWERS 2026/2027
do? - (ANSWERS)• Provide a Form 1099-MISC to any independent contractor who
worked and earned $600 or more. (15.9)
What is the purpose of self-employment tax? - (ANSWERS)To pay social security
and medicare taxes. (15.14)
What amounts does a proprietor have "at risk"? - (ANSWERS)Amounts invested in
the business plus any business debts for which the proprietor is personally liable.
(15.16)
What difference does it make if the proprietor is "at risk" or not? -
(ANSWERS)Only amounts at risk may be used to determine the actual loss on
Schedule C. (15.16)
How does a Tax Professional meet due diligence requirements? - (ANSWERS)• Tax
Professionals fulfill due diligence requirements by making every effort to prepare
accurate and complete returns.
• Tax Professionals must have knowledge of tax law, and apply a reasonability
check to the information provided by their clients. (26.1)
What is a thorough interview? - (ANSWERS)A thorough interview consists of
asking general information questions, then asking additional questions whenever
information is incomplete or seems inaccurate or inconsistent. (26.2)
What is a conflict of interest? - (ANSWERS)A conflict of interest is when one's
situation might benefit at the expense of another's situation. (26.3)
What actions can resolve a conflict of interest? - (ANSWERS)A conflict of interest
is resolved when it is acknowledged, disclosed to all parties, and the parties have
consented to waiving the conflict. (26.3)
, TAX PREPARER FINAL EXAM OVERVIEW QUESTIONS WELL EXPLAINED
ANSWERS 2026/2027
What client information is confidential? - (ANSWERS)Any information that could
potentially identify the client is confidential.
Information includes (but is not limited to):
• Name
• Address and phone number
• Social security numbers
• Place of employment
• Any information from a tax return (26.4)
Is it acceptable for a Tax Professional to leave a detailed phone message for a client,
letting them know their tax return is complete? - (ANSWERS)• Tax Professionals
must have prior consent from the client to leave phone messages related to their tax
return.
• The fact that a taxpayer is the client of a Tax Professional or tax preparation
business is confidential information that must not be disclosed. (26.5)
What is a Tax Professional's responsibility upon finding out that a client has not
complied with any tax law? - (ANSWERS)A Tax Professional must advise the client
of the noncompliance and the consequences for not correcting the situation. (26.7)
What action should a Tax Professional take if a client insists on reporting
information that is inaccurate? - (ANSWERS)A Tax Professional should never
prepare a return that contains inaccurate information. (26.7)
If the employee thinks his Form W-2 is not correct, what should he do? -
(ANSWERS)• If the name or social security number is incorrect, the taxpayer may
change it himself and need not obtain a corrected W-2 before filing his tax return.
• The employer should be notified of the error and asked to update his records.
• Furthermore, the employee's social security number and earnings records should be
ANSWERS 2026/2027
What income reporting form should an independent contractor sometimes receive
from the person who paid him for his services? - (ANSWERS)Form 1099-MISC
(15.6)
Schedule C, Line F asks for the accounting method used in the business.
What is the difference between the cash method and the accrual method of
accounting? - (ANSWERS)• Under the accrual method, total sales and total charges
for services are included in income even though payment may be received in another
tax year.
• Under the cash method, only income actually received or expenses actually paid
during the year are included. (15.5)
What does it mean if a proprietor "materially participates" in the business? -
(ANSWERS)He is active in running the business in a substantial way on a day-to-
day basis. (15.5)
Why is it important to know whether or not the proprietor materially participates? -
(ANSWERS)If the proprietor does not materially participate, any loss from the
business is a passive loss and generally may be currently deducted only against
passive income. (15.6)
What are returns and allowances? - (ANSWERS)• Amounts that were refunded to
customers who returned merchandise for refund or partial refund.
• These amounts are subtracted from gross receipts. (15.6)
How is cost of goods sold determined? - (ANSWERS)Beginning inventory plus
purchases, plus labor, supplies, depreciation, etc. Attributable to product
manufacture or preparation for sale, minus ending inventory. (15.7)
If the client has contract labor, what should you remind the client that they should
, TAX PREPARER FINAL EXAM OVERVIEW QUESTIONS WELL EXPLAINED
ANSWERS 2026/2027
do? - (ANSWERS)• Provide a Form 1099-MISC to any independent contractor who
worked and earned $600 or more. (15.9)
What is the purpose of self-employment tax? - (ANSWERS)To pay social security
and medicare taxes. (15.14)
What amounts does a proprietor have "at risk"? - (ANSWERS)Amounts invested in
the business plus any business debts for which the proprietor is personally liable.
(15.16)
What difference does it make if the proprietor is "at risk" or not? -
(ANSWERS)Only amounts at risk may be used to determine the actual loss on
Schedule C. (15.16)
How does a Tax Professional meet due diligence requirements? - (ANSWERS)• Tax
Professionals fulfill due diligence requirements by making every effort to prepare
accurate and complete returns.
• Tax Professionals must have knowledge of tax law, and apply a reasonability
check to the information provided by their clients. (26.1)
What is a thorough interview? - (ANSWERS)A thorough interview consists of
asking general information questions, then asking additional questions whenever
information is incomplete or seems inaccurate or inconsistent. (26.2)
What is a conflict of interest? - (ANSWERS)A conflict of interest is when one's
situation might benefit at the expense of another's situation. (26.3)
What actions can resolve a conflict of interest? - (ANSWERS)A conflict of interest
is resolved when it is acknowledged, disclosed to all parties, and the parties have
consented to waiving the conflict. (26.3)
, TAX PREPARER FINAL EXAM OVERVIEW QUESTIONS WELL EXPLAINED
ANSWERS 2026/2027
What client information is confidential? - (ANSWERS)Any information that could
potentially identify the client is confidential.
Information includes (but is not limited to):
• Name
• Address and phone number
• Social security numbers
• Place of employment
• Any information from a tax return (26.4)
Is it acceptable for a Tax Professional to leave a detailed phone message for a client,
letting them know their tax return is complete? - (ANSWERS)• Tax Professionals
must have prior consent from the client to leave phone messages related to their tax
return.
• The fact that a taxpayer is the client of a Tax Professional or tax preparation
business is confidential information that must not be disclosed. (26.5)
What is a Tax Professional's responsibility upon finding out that a client has not
complied with any tax law? - (ANSWERS)A Tax Professional must advise the client
of the noncompliance and the consequences for not correcting the situation. (26.7)
What action should a Tax Professional take if a client insists on reporting
information that is inaccurate? - (ANSWERS)A Tax Professional should never
prepare a return that contains inaccurate information. (26.7)
If the employee thinks his Form W-2 is not correct, what should he do? -
(ANSWERS)• If the name or social security number is incorrect, the taxpayer may
change it himself and need not obtain a corrected W-2 before filing his tax return.
• The employer should be notified of the error and asked to update his records.
• Furthermore, the employee's social security number and earnings records should be
