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Independent Research Study
A Washington Institute for Graduate Studies student's Independent Research Study on the IRS Collection Process.
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Earn MORE than just CPE & CLE Credits at Washington Institute
Not all CPE/CLEs are created equal! Our in-depth treatment of the topics go well beyond what you would find at a simple seminar! Find out more about what Washington Institute for Graduate Study's CPE/CLE credit program can do for you!
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Community Forum
Washington Institute for Graduate studies is excited to announce that the Forum is now available
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Non-Students May Purchase For CLE/CPE Credits
If you are not interested in enrolling in our Master's degree program, but would like to complete a course for CPE/CLE credit, you may purchase courses and receive up to 30 CPE/CLE credits. Please contact the school for more information.
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Available Courses

*VERY IMPORTANT, PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING BEFORE CHECKING OUT A COURSE:

Washington Institute for Graduate Studies feels that its courses are acceptable for professional continuing education credit. State Boards of Accountancy have final authority on the acceptance of individual courses for CPE credit. Each student assumes the responsibility of contacting his/her own State Board of Accountancy to find out the requirements and what is accepted.

CLE CREDIT for Attorneys
CLE credit is available for all courses. Washington Institute for Graduate Studies feels its program is acceptable for continuing legal education credit by state bar associations. State Bar associations have final authority on the acceptance of individual courses for CLE credit.

CPE CREDIT for Enrolled Agents
Department of the Treasury, Internal Revenue Service
Qualified Sponsor (Sponsor # 358)
We have entered into an agreement with the Office of Professional Responsibility, Internal Revenue Service, to meet the requirements of 31 Code of Federal Regulations, section 10.6(g), covering maintenance of attendance records, retention of program outlines, qualifications of instructors, and length of class hours. This agreement does not constitute an endorsement by the Office of Professional Responsibility as to the quality of the program or its contribution to the professional competence of the enrolled individual.

TAX COURSES

OVERVIEW

Beyond the core courses, all courses are electives. Core courses (601 - 605) are included in the Final Comprehensive Exam, which each student must pass in order to graduate. Each student must successfully complete 24 semester hours to graduate. After the core courses are completed, you may take remaining courses in any sequence. The website includes the most current course listing for CPE, CLE and Semester Unit credit, as well as the suggested text for each course. Some courses have handouts and/or outlines, which may also be accessed on the website. The School reserves the right to make additions, deletions, changes and or to increase or decrease semester units, without notice to the student, as it deems appropriate.
IRS Tax Code
To order the IRS Tax Code from RIA, please contact William Williamson at 888-613-8841, or you can call him direct at 734-205-2895. The student pricing for this book is $55.63. The IRS Tax Code comes out in July and January each year.


TAX 601 - TAXATION OF INDIVIDUALS
CREDIT: ( 40 CPE Hours, 30 CLE Hours; 3 Semester Units)

DESCRIPTION: Computing the tax, return filing, filing status, exemptions, assignment of income, gross income, interest, divorce considerations, insurance, exclusions from gross income, business-related expenses, personal deductions, medication deductions, charitable deductions, casualty and theft losses, credits, alternative minimum tax, community property, and bankruptcy.
FORMAT: DVD

REQUIRED TEXT:

South-Western Publishing Company

West Federal Taxation 2009: Individual Income Taxes, Hoffman & Smith

ISBN: 0-324-61113-7, (Make sure it includes the 6 month free access code to IRA)

INSTRUCTOR: Richard Edmunds

EXAM OPTION: M601 Review and Final On-Line Exam/ L601 Review and Final On-Line Exam. The On-Line Exam is the only exam option acceptable for this course. To download the instructions, please go to the Exams webpage in the Student Area.



TAX 602 - BUSINESS EXPENSES, DEDUCTIONS AND CREDITS
CREDIT: ( 34 CPE Hours, 30 CLE Hours; 3 Semester Units)

DESCRIPTION:
Trade or business expenses, start-up and organizational expenses, activities and not engaged in for profit, expenses incurred for the production of income, depreciation, amortization and depletion, introduction to tax shelters-basis, at-risk and passive activity losses, transportation and travel expenses, standard deductions, and personal exemption deductions, itemized deductions and tax credits.

FORMAT: DVD

REQUIRED TEXT:

South-Western Publishing Company

West Federal Taxation 2009: Individual Income Taxes, Hoffman & Smith

ISBN: 0-324-61113-7, (Make sure it includes the 6 month free access code to RIA)

INSTRUCTOR: Richard Edmunds

EXAM OPTIONS: Review/Final On-Line Exams. The Review Exam is not mandatory or graded but is designed to provide valuable feedback in preparation for the Final Exam. To download the instructions, please go to the Exams webpage.



TAX 603 - TAXATION ACCOUNTING
CREDIT: (10 CPE Hours, 9 CLE Hours; 1 Semester Units)

DESCRIPTION: A study of federal taxation as it applies to tax accounting with an emphasis on: methods of accounting, installment methods, changes in accounting methods, accounting periods, rules regarding cost recovery methods, basis, capital gains and losses, alternative minimum tax, accounting for income taxes, financial statement accruals for deferred taxes, selected provisions of the internal revenue code, treasury regulations, administrative rulings, and judicial interpretations.
FORMAT: DVD FOR COMPUTERS-MAC and IBM compatible

REQUIRED TEXT (Course):

Thomson RIA

IIT- Federal Tax Accounting edition by Stephen Gertzman from Warren, Gorham, and Lamont

(FAS) 0791317889 2nd.

REQUIRED TEXT(Exam):

CCH Federal Taxation: Comprehensive Topics (2006) Smith, Harmelink, Hasselback

[STUDENT EDITION] (Textbook Binding)

  • You can find this book used on Amazon.com for around ($10.)

INSTRUCTOR: Tom Brinker

EXAM OPTIONS: Review/Final On-Line Exams. The Review Exam is not mandatory or graded but is designed to provide valuable feedback in preparation for the Final Exam. To download the instructions, please go to the Exams webpage. (This exam will be graded on a curve)



TAX 604 - TAXATION OF PARTNERSHIPS AND LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANIES
CREDIT: ( 30 CPE Hours, 25 CLE Hours; 3 Semester Units)

DESCRIPTION:
Partnership characteristics, tax year, contributions to partnerships, partnership interest in exchange for services, basis, liabilities, loss limitations, family partnerships, partnership income, allocations of partner's distributive shares, shifting distributive shares, termination, partner-partnership transactions, disproportionate distributions, current distributions, liquidating distributions, transfer of partnership interests, transfer of interests in partnerships with unrealized receivables, basis adjustments, death and retirement of partners, and taxation of limited liability companies.
FORMAT: DVD

REQUIRED TEXT:

Thomson RIA

IIT- Federal Taxation of Partnerships and Partners,Warren, Gorham, and Lamont

FPS: 9780791353035

  • To order contact Will Williamson at 1-888-613-2241 or direct 1-734-205-2895 or e-mail william.williamson@thomsonreuters.com for the student edition (Reg. $105, with discount, $84.00)
  • Students from Washington Institute for Graduate Studies receive an additional 20% discount.

SUGGESTED TEXT:

A companion workbook of Study Problems is available, but not required for this course. (Reg. $20, with discount $16)

INSTRUCTOR: Ryan Pace

EXAM OPTIONS: Review/Final On-Line Exams. The Review Exam is not mandatory or graded but is designed to provide valuable feedback in preparation for the Final Exam. To download the instructions, please go to the Exams webpage.


TAX 605 - TAXATION OF CORPORATIONS AND SHAREHOLDERS
CREDIT: ( 39.5 CPE Hours, 33 CLE Hours; 3 Semester Units)

DESCRIPTION: Corporate characteristics, corporate deductions, transfers to corporations, losses on small business stock, dividends, earnings and profits, the accumulated earnings tax, stock redemptions and partial liquidations, preferred stock bail-outs, complete liquidations, taxable purchases of stock, reorganizations, carryover of tax attributes in corporate acquisitions, acquisitive reorganizations, corporations, collapsible corporations, personal holding companies, multiple corporations, and controlled groups, and consolidated returns.
FORMAT: DVD

REQUIRED TEXT:

Thomson RIA

IIT- Federal Income Taxation of Corporations and Shareholders, 7th edition.

BES: 0791341011

  • Contact Will Williamson at 1-888-613-2241 or direct 1-734-205-2895 or e-mail william.williamson@thomsonreuters.com. for the student edition (Reg. $105, with discount, $84.00)
  • Students from Washington Institute for Graduate Studies receive an additional 20% discount.
INSTRUCTOR: Ryan Pace
EXAM OPTIONS: Final On-Line Exam. The On-Line Exam is the only exam option acceptable for this course. To download the instructions, please go to the Exams webpage in the Student Area.


TAX 606 - COMPENSATION, BENEFITS AND RETIREMENT PLANNING
CREDIT: ( 25 CPE Hours, 21 CLE Hours; 2 Semester Units)

DESCRIPTION: This course provides a comprehensive introduction to the laws governing the operation and administration of employee benefit plans. We explore the Internal Revenue Code (“Code”) tax-qualification rules applicable to retirement plans, as well as those provisions of the Code which govern health and welfare arrangements, COBRA, HIPAA and other laws. The course also provides a comprehensive review of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, including employee benefit plan reporting and disclosure, fiduciary duties and prohibited transactions, employer withdrawal liability, the defined benefit plan termination process and regulatory investigations. The course covers issues relating to deferred compensation arrangements, stock options, fringe benefits, nondiscrimination rules, employee welfare benefits plans, medical plans, life insurance and death benefits, cafeteria plans, beneficiary associations, defined contribution plans, defined benefit plans, general plan qualifications, accrued benefits, vesting, top-heavy rules, integration, funding, limitations on benefits and contributions, distributions, and benefits issues in mergers and acquisitions.
FORMAT: Interactive Flash DVD for playback on Mac or PC computers

REQUIRED TEXT:

BNA

Erisa, The Law & Code Dec. 08

  • To order, please call 1-800-960-1220 or e-mailbnabooks@bna.com($85)Ask for the student discount.

REQUIRED TEXT:

Thomson West Foundation Press

Pension and Employee Benefit Law, 4th (University Casebook Series) Langbein and Wolk

ISBN-13: 9781599410432

INSTRUCTOR: Bonita Hatchett EXAM OPTIONS: Final On-Line Exam. The On-Line Exam is the only exam option acceptable for this course. To download the instructions, please go to the Exams webpage in the Student Area.


TAX 607 - ESTATE TAXES, GIFT TAXES, TRUST TAXATION AND ESTATE PLANNING
CREDIT: ( 21 CPE Hours, 18 CLE Hours; 2 Semester Units)

DESCRIPTION: Generation-skipping transfer tax, gifts, gift tax exclusions, gift-splitting, gifts to minors, gross estate, lifetime estate transfers, powers of appointment, jointly held property, community property, valuation, administrative deductions, marital deduction, charitable deduction, estate tax credits, basis of property from decedent, income taxation of trusts, estates and beneficiaries, income in respect of a decedent, deductions and credits, distributable net income, simple trusts, complex trusts, throwback rules, grantor trust rules, and powers retained by granter.
FORMAT: DVD

REQUIRED TEXT:

Thomson West Foundation Press

McDaniel, Repetti and Caron's Federal Wealth Transfer Taxation, 6th (University Casebook Series®)

ISBN: 1587783819

REQUIRED TEXT:

Thomson West Foundation Press

McDaniel, Repetti's Study Problems Federal Wealth Transfer Taxation Problems, 6th (University Casebook Series®)

ISBN: 9781587783814

INSTRUCTORS: David Kerzner & Kevin Kyle

INSTRUCTOR BIOS: David Kerzner & Kevin Kyle
EXAM OPTIONS: Questions and Answers OR Outline

TAX 608 - TAXATION OF EXEMPT ORGANIZATIONS * this course is currently unavailable*
CREDIT: ( 9 CPE/CLE Hours;1 Semester Units)
COURSE CURRENTLY UNAVAILABLE - SCHEDULED FORUPDATE
DESCRIPTION: Charitable, religious, scientific, literary or educational organizations, prohibited activities, acquiring and maintaining tax-exempt status, business activities and tax on unrelated business income, unrelated debt-financed income, private foundations, private foundation taxes, and termination of private foundation status. FORMAT: DVD

REQUIRED TEXT:

Kleinrock- Includes TaxExpert Quarterly CD-ROM, Bi-weekly Printed Newsletters & access to Kleinrock's website.

  • To order contact Don Lee at: 1-888-821-2665; or e-mail at: don.lee@atxinc.com($508) Be sure to mention you are a student for a discounted rate.

INSTRUCTOR: Bruce Olsen

EXAM OPTIONS: Questions and Answers OR Outline


TAX 611 - FEDERAL TAX PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE
CREDIT: ( 37 CPE Hours, 31 CLE Hours; 3 Semester Units)
COURSE WILL BE UPDATED WINTER, 2009.
DESCRIPTION: Organization of the IRS, practice before the IRS, filing requirements, other return requirements, time for filing returns, tax payments, return preparers, disclosure of information, regulations, and rulings, examinations, administrative summons, administrative tax appeals, deficiencies and assessments, refunds, closing agreements, compromises, interest, penalties, collection of taxes, tax liens, levy and distrait, jeopardy assessments, bankruptcy, fiduciary liability, criminal investigations, fraud, tax crimes, tax court litigation, and district court refund litigation.
FORMAT: DVD

REQUIRED TEXT:

Thomson RIA

IIT- IRS Practice & Procedure -Revised 2nd Edition, by Michael Saltzman.

IRX: 0791347091

INSTRUCTOR: Kevin Jackson

INSTRUCTOR BIO: Kevin Jackson

EXAM OPTIONS: Final On-Line Exam. The On-Line Exam is the only exam option acceptable for this course. To download the instructions, please go to the Exams webpage in the Student Area.


TAX 619 - TAX PLANNING STRATEGIES
CREDIT: ( 33.5 CPE Hours; 3 Semester Units)

DESCRIPTION: Overview course, which presents the major tax planning strategies involved in personal and business tax planning. Most of the tax techniques that are presented in-depth in the other graduate tax subjects are spotlighted here. This is the most popular of the tax subjects because it allows for an overview of advanced taxation techniques within a short period of time, thus clarifying and expanding the student's understanding, evaluation and implementation of those techniques. This course requires a separate set of books.

FORMAT: DVD

REQUIRED TEXT:

Practitioners Publishing Company (PPC)

Guide to Tax Planning Strategies, available in both CD-Rom and hard copy

Code TXP

  • To order contact Will Williamson at 1-888-613-2241 or direct 1-734-205-2895 or e-mail william.williamson@thomsonreuters.com Students from Washington Institute for Graduate Studies receive an additional 20% discount. (Reg. $215, with discount $172) Price subject to change
INSTRUCTOR: Various Instructors

EXAM OPTIONS: Questions and Answers OR Outline


TAX 709 - INTERNATIONAL TAX
CREDIT: ( 32 CPE Hours, 27 CLE Hours; 3 Semester Units)

DESCRIPTION: KEY SEGMENTS UPDATED FALL, 2007. The tax definition of resident; the distinction between domestic and foreign entities; taxation of business income and non-business income of foreign persons and foreign corporations; branch profits rules; special rules on investments in U.S. real property interests; the foreign tax credit; special rules on controlled foreign corporations; cross-border non recognition transactions; international tax treaties; and transfer pricing rules.

FORMAT: DVD

REQUIRED TEXT:

Aspen Publishers, Inc.

Introduction To US International Taxation McDaniel, Ault, and Repetti. Fifth Edition, June 2005.

Hard cover ISBN: 0735557322

Soft Cover/Paperback ISBN13: 9780735557321

  • Available by calling customer service, at 1-800-638-8437.Hardcover ($187). Soft Cover/Paperback ($40). Prepaid orders receive free shipping & handling.Ask about 10% discount for students of Washington Institute for Graduate Studies.

INSTRUCTOR: David Kerzner

INSTRUCTOR BIO: David Kerzner
EXAM OPTIONS: Review/Final On-Line Exams. The Review Exam is not mandatory or graded but is designed to provide valuable feedback in preparation for the Final Exam. To download the instructions, please go to the Exams webpage.

Handouts for this course are to be used exclusively for the purposes of the course, and may not otherwise be distributed.


TAX 710 - SALES EXCHANGES AND REAL ESTATE TAXATION
CREDIT: ( 31.5 CPE Hours, 26 CLE Hours; 3 Semester Units)

DESCRIPTION:
Sales and exchanges, basis, gain or loss, discharge of indebtedness, capital
Introduction to Real Estate Taxation, Property Transaction Formula, Classification of Property, Holding of Property, Discharge of Indebtedness Amount Realized and Adjusted Basis, Gain or Loss, Like-kind Exchanges, Involuntary Conversions, Principal Residence, Capital Gains and Losses Section 1231 Assets, Passive Activities, Installment Sales.

FORMAT: Interactive Flash DVD for playback on Mac or PC computers

REQUIRED TEXT:

South-Western Publishing Company

West Federal Taxation 2009: Individual Income Taxes, Hoffman & Smith

ISBN: 0-324-61113-7, (Make sure it includes the 6 month free access code to RIA)

INSTRUCTOR: Richard Edmunds

EXAM OPTIONS: Newly Updated L710,(Richard Edmunds) Review and Final On-Line Exam. The On-Line Examis the only exam option acceptable for the newest L710 course.To download the instructions, please go to the Exams webpage in the Student Area.

Older K710, (John Riley) Questions and Answers OR Outline



TAX 716 & 717 COMBINED - TAX COURT LITIGATION AND REFUND LITIGATION *this course is currently unavailable*
CREDIT: ( 43 CPE Hours, 36 CLE Hours; 3 Semester Units)

DESCRIPTION: An introduction to litigation that can be filed in the U.S. Tax Court. The Course will cover several important areas such as: (i) the Court's subject matter jurisdiction; (ii) the location of the Court; (iii) common pleadings used in resolving Tax Court cases; (iv) judgments and the types of decisions which can be entered; (v) the effect of res judicata and collateral estoppel as applied in the U.S. Tax Court; (vi) small tax case proceedings; (vii) composition of the Court; (viii) trials and post-trial pleadings; (ix) the statutory notice of deficiency; (x) trial preparation; (xi) the Court required Stipulation of the parties; (xii) motion matters; (xiii) trial location; (xiv) admission to practice before the Court; and (xv) burden of proof.

FEDERAL TAX REFUND LITIGATION Introductory course dealing with the federal laws and civil procedures relating to the filing of refund suits in the refund courts in order to adjudicate a taxpayer's tax liability. The Course topics including the following: (i) refund procedures; (ii) administrative refund claims; (iii) time limits for filing refund claims; (iv) time limits for filing refund suits; (v) subject matter jurisdiction of the Court; (vi) subject matter jurisdiction of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court as it relates to tax litigation; (vii) judgment for liability; (viii) the requirement of an overpayment; (ix) the recover of attorney's fees; (x) important case law; (xi) burden of proof on issues; (xii) appeals; (xiii) consequences of other proceedings involved in tax matters as it relates to refund claims; (xiv) computation of tax refund and claims for credit for funds paid by third parties.

FORMAT: DVD

REQUIRED TEXT: Thomson RIA's IIT- Litigation of Federal Civil Tax Controversies by Warren, Gorham & Lamont. ISBN: 9780791353066

This course and text will discuss the process involved in successfully litigating federal tax controversies. Any practitioner confronted with a possible civil tax controversy should find this course and book useful.

INSTRUCTOR: Kevin Jackson

INSTRUCTOR BIO: Kevin Jackson

EXAM OPTIONS: Final On-Line Exam. The On-Line Exam is the only exam option acceptable for this course. To download the instructions, please go to the Exams webpage in the Student Area.


TAX 718 - BANKRUPTCY TAX PLANNING *this course is currently unavailable*
CREDIT: ( 12 CPE/CLE Hours; 1 Semester Units)

DESCRIPTION: Introductory course as to the treatment of federal taxes in a bankruptcy proceeding. Course includes topics such as: (i) types of bankruptcy proceedings; (ii) the treatment of the government's tax claim as a priority claim, secured claim, or nonpriority claim; (iv) eligibility of state and federal taxes to be discharged as part of a bankruptcy proceeding; (v) planning for nondischargeable taxes; (vi) the status of the federal tax lien; (vii) minimizing tax collection in any post-bankruptcy proceeding; (viii) alternatives to bankruptcy proceedings, (ix) the effect of the automatic stay; (x) the discharge order and its affect on tax collections; (xi) collection of attorney's fee for violations of the automatic stay and the Bankruptcy Discharge Order; and (xii) short tax years for a Debtor. This is not an accounting course for the income tax liability of the bankruptcy estate as a separate legal entity.
FORMAT: DVD

REQUIRED TEXT:

Kleinrock- Includes TaxExpert Quarterly CD-ROM, Bi-weekly Printed Newsletters & access to Kleinrock's website.

  • To order contact Don Lee at: 1-888-821-2665; or e-mail at: don.lee@atxinc.com($508) Be sure to mention you are a student for a discounted rate.

INSTRUCTOR: Kevin Jackson

INSTRUCTOR BIO: Kevin Jackson

EXAM OPTIONS: Questions and Answers OR Outline