Federal Tax Preparation

Offered as an Anselmian Career Edge (ACE) Certificate*

Every United States citizen completes a federal income tax return at some point in their lives. By earning a Federal Tax Preparation certificate, you’ll gain a technical understanding of what can be a complex and confusing process for many. Through real-world experiences, you’ll learn to properly navigate filing your own taxes and obtain skills that allow you to help others. This area of study will prepare you for careers in a range of sectors from public and commercial accounting firms to government entities such as the IRS.

*Anselmian Career Edge (ACE) Certificates offer Saint Anselm students practical career knowledge, skills, and preparation through relevant courses and engaging partnerships with local, regional, national, and international companies and organizations.

The Federal Tax Preparation certificate partner is:

ECONOMICS AND BUSINESS DEPARTMENT

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Obtaining a Federal Tax Preparation certificate and participating in the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program teaches students how to use tax preparation software, gives students hands-on tax preparation experience, builds their communication skills as they work with the public, and allows them to network with tax professionals.

— Professor Sandra J. Cereola, Ph.D.

Featured Course

Financial Accounting

In this course, you’ll learn about accounting concepts that lead to the preparation of company financial statements. You’ll review the importance of good accounting information for the capital market for and proper decision making within a company. You’ll examined the income statement, statement of retained earnings, and the balance sheet and look at alternative accounting treatments for inventory and bad debt. By the end of the semester, students will have the skills to prepare financial statements for a small company.

Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program

In addition to course requirements, students interested in the Federal Tax Preparation certificate must complete a tax season as a VITA Program volunteer. In the VITA Program, you’ll gain practical experience preparing tax returns for low-income individuals. To be a VITA volunteer, you must pass the IRS’s advanced prep exam.

Learn more about the VITA Program→

Topics You’ll Study

Throughout your coursework, you’ll explore the role of tax preparation to better understand the ins and outs of the filing process. You’ll study a variety of topics, including:

Changes to tax codes and what it means for future financial planning
Federal taxation of corporations, partnerships and Subchapter S
Tax planning and filing on individual and business levels
The calculation of the Alternate Minimum Tax (AMT) for individuals and businesses

Anselmian Career Edge Certificate

Anselmian Career Edge (ACE) Certificates are employment-oriented academic programs strengthened by partnerships with leading employers and supported by a strong alumni network. Students completing an ACE Certificate complete three courses while also gaining practical, career-focused knowledge and skills from engaging with partner-employers. The courses, experiential learning, and collaboration with partners provides certificates that complement the College’s liberal arts curriculum and prepare students for post-graduation success.

ACE Certificate Partner: CBIZ

Providing professional services to businesses, CBIZ delivers tax, accounting, benefits, insurance, and technology services to support organizational growth. Partnering with Saint Anselm, CBIZ offers Saint Anselm students and alumni opportunities for hands-on learning through internships, networking events, panels, on-site visits and other experiences.

Learn more about CBIZ→

OFFICE OF PARTNERSHIPS

Additional Federal Tax Preparation Certificate Information

There are no prerequisites for the Federal Tax Preparation certificate, though some courses overlap with major and minor requirements. No more than one course may overlap to ensure that certificates offer additional value to existing programs.