CHECKPOINT LEARNING
TAX RESEARCH
CERTIFICATE PROGRAM™
Build a Solid Foundation
for Your Tax Research
Checkpoint Learning Certificate Program:
A new level of assurance in practical skills training.
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CHECKPOINT LEARNING
TAX RESEARCH CERTIFICATE PROGRAM™
The Checkpoint Learning Tax Research Certificate
Program™ helps candidates develop foundational
tax research knowledge while earning approximately
22 hours of Continuing Professional Education
credit. This program was developed to fill in the
gaps for entry-level tax professionals and those
re-entering the workforce after an extended leave.
Tax research proficiency is all too often left out of
formal education programs, leaving new accountants missing key skills required
to perform effectively. From dependence on unreliable internet sources, to lack
of clarity on the import (and order) of law, case law, commentary and treatises,
many tax leaders find their staff unprepared to perform real-world tax research.
Delivered through our powerful CPEasy platform, this blended-learning format
includes live instructor-led webinars, online self-study courses and a written
tax research case study that will equip professionals with what they need to
effectively perform federal and state tax research.
The certificate gained will reflect a thorough and transferable foundation in tax
research. The course includes examples from Thomson Reuters Checkpoint®,
the profession’s leading source for intelligent tax and accounting information.
DURATION
The program can be completed in as little as three months or as long as a year.
Annual renewal is available by completing eight hours of specially identified
CPE credit.
TAX RESEARCH COMPETENCY CERTIFICATE
Those who successfully complete the program will be mailed a frameable
Checkpoint Learning Tax Research Competency Certificate™. Certificate holders
can add this accomplishment to their resume or LinkedIn profile and opt to be
published on a list of certified professionals on the Checkpoint Learning website.
CPE CREDITS
The Tax Research Certificate Program provides learners with an opportunity to
earn 22 hours of Continuing Professional Education credit.
RENEWAL
To renew, certificate holders will be required to maintain their tax research skills
annually. This will be accomplished by successful completion of eight hours of
specifically identified continuing education on Checkpoint Learning. Nominal
renewal fee will apply.
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WHO BENEFITS:
Firm and corporate executives
who hire and manage tax
staff members
This certificate program provides
consistent, quality direction to
ensure new tax professionals are
capable of effective and efficient tax
research.
Individual tax professionals
Adding a tax research certificate
from Thomson Reuters to your
resume and LinkedIn account will
enhance your demonstrated skillset
and professional profile.
New graduates
The Tax Research Certificate
program is a great bridge from your
accounting degree to passing the
CPA exam. While you are working
and preparing for the exam, you can
address this practical knowledge
area and enhance your hireability as
a staff accountant.
To learn more, contact your
sales representative or visit
cl.thomsonreuters.com/getcertificate.
TAX RESEARCH CERTIFICATE PROGRAM
The total length of the program will be 34 hours and will cover both federal and state tax research topics. A certificate will
be awarded to each participant upon their successful completion of the program requirements.
WEBINARS
This program includes three webinars presented by a tax
research expert who will walk participants through federal
and state tax research best practices on Checkpoint. Live
webinars provide two CPE credits each.
• Cracking the Code: Efficient and Thorough Tax Research
Techniques. This webinar will teach a systematic research
methodology that tax researchers may use in order to identify
and analyze tax issues efficiently, accurately and thoroughly;
explain the hierarchy and different types of primary sources
in tax law and discuss how to use secondary sources most
effectively.
• Cracking the Code: Advanced Tax Research. This webinar
will teach code section based research, using explanations and
annotations to find the most relevant authorities, when and
how to use keyword searches; when and how to use legislative
history in tax research, hands on research examples involving
losses and deductions and state tax law and efficient state tax
research.
• Cracking the Code: Hands-on Tax Research. The webinar will
present an introduction to the case studies with a discussion
of the background law and facts, a discussion of possible
research strategies for approaching tax research problems,
a demonstration of how to prepare a research outline for the
relevant tax issues, a discussion of how to best present research
results in an analytical memorandum and how to comply with
professional standards in performing tax research and providing
tax advice.
• Tax Research: Case Analysis.
The final online course further develops the knowledge and
tax research skills acquired in the previous two courses of this
series. Each chapter has a taxpayer scenario that presents a
few facts and requests an opinion or recommendation on the
handling of a particular tax matter. The learner will realize
the relationship of the law, interpretations and cases to the
taxpayer scenario (four credit hours of CPE awarded after
successful completion).
FINAL ASSIGNMENT
A case study will be provided by the instructor who is
available to answer questions during the third webinar,
Cracking the Code: Hands-on Tax Research. Your case
study will be graded and feedback will be provided. The
assignment is tailored to the learner’s practice area —
corporate taxation or public practice. A thirty-day free
trial of Checkpoint® is available for completion of the case
study assignment, which requires access to a professional
tax research platform of your choice (12 hours estimated
completion time).
ONLINE COURSES
This program features three interactive online courses
with in-depth coverage of tax law, treasury interpretations,
court interpretations and various case studies (16 CPE
credits total).
• Tax Research: Tax Law and Treasury Interpretations.
This online course provides in-depth coverage of the Internal
Revenue Code and Treasury Department regulations as well as
interpretations, rulings and procedures issued by the Internal
Revenue Service. This course teaches how to research tax issues
and answer tax questions by consulting these tax materials
(four credit hours of CPE awarded after successful completion).
Display your expertise in federal
and state tax research
• Tax Research: Court Interpretations and Citator.
This is the second online course in our series on tax research
further hones tax research skills. It discusses judicial
interpretations and citations from various U.S. courts. It also
introduces the Citator research tools (eight credit hours of CPE
awarded after successful completion).
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CHECKPOINT LEARNING
TAX RESEARCH CERTIFICATE PROGRAM™
You know it’s vital that your staff is
competent in tax research.
When your team doesn’t understand the research process, it can
cost time, money and client confidence. We have designed the
Checkpoint Learning Tax Research Certificate Program™ to fill
the gaps left by formal education programs and to equip your
staff to expertly conduct federal and state tax research. This
program, powered by our CPEasy platform, will allow you to
gain a higher level of confidence with your junior staff members’
tax research work.
WITH THE CHECKPOINT
LEARNING TAX RESEARCH
CERTIFICATE PROGRAM,
YOU’RE ON SOLID GROUND.
THOMSON REUTERS
P.O. BOX 115008
CARROLLTON, TX 75011-5008
© 2015 THOMSON REUTERS. CHECKPOINT AND
CHECKPOINT LEARNING ARE REGISTERED TRADEMARKS
OF THOMSON REUTERS AND ITS AFFILIATED COMPANIES.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
UPDATED MAY 2015-DGM
T-600613
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