Description
The Surgent Income Tax School Comprehensive Tax Course is a thorough A-to-Z program that gives you the knowledge and practical skills to prepare individual tax returns from start to finish. This is the entry point to the Surgent Income Tax School pathway — designed to take you from no experience to career-ready.
The 2026 edition covers the 2025 tax year in full, including updated IRS guidance and significant legislative changes from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
Who this course is for
This course is built for three types of learners:
- Experienced professionals looking for a flexible second career or additional income stream. Tax preparation offers seasonal work, independent client relationships, and the ability to set your own schedule.
- Young professionals and entrepreneurs who want a practical, in-demand skill that can generate supplemental income or serve as the foundation for a tax preparation business.
- College students and recent graduates seeking career-focused credentials with immediate earning potential. Tax preparation experience builds financial literacy and creates part-time, seasonal, or long-term employment opportunities.
How the course works
Our structured, scaffolded approach breaks tax law and tax code concepts into manageable lessons that build on one another. You won’t be dropped into dense material — each module builds on the last, reinforced by assessments that help ensure mastery before you move on.
The course includes a series of video lectures covering more complex tax concepts, including:
- Filing status
- Employee compensation
- Business income
- Earned Income Credit
- Retirement income — pensions and annuities
- Capital assets
- Rental of vacation homes and other dwelling units
- Unemployment compensation (Form 1099-G)
- Who should itemize
- Preparer responsibilities and avoiding penalties
Hands-on activities use real-world examples and scenarios to prepare you for situations you’ll encounter as a working tax professional. The goal isn’t just to teach you what to do — it’s to help you understand why, so you can apply your skills with confidence from day one.
What’s new in the 2026 edition
This edition covers the 2025 tax year and includes all relevant legislative and IRS updates, with significant new content from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act:
Permanently extended provisions:
- Lower individual tax rates and widened brackets
- Increased standard deduction (TCJA)
- QBI deduction
- Increased individual AMT exemption amounts
- 100% bonus depreciation for qualified property
- Repeal of the Pease limitation
New and temporarily implemented provisions:
- No tax on qualified tip income
- No tax on qualified overtime income
- Enhanced deduction for seniors 65 and older
- Increased SALT deduction limit
- No tax on car loan interest
- Trump Accounts
- Child and Dependent Care Credit — increased maximum credit rate
- Form 1099-K reporting requirements repealed
Other 2025 updates:
- New Form 1040 — now includes 38 lines
- New Schedule 1A
- New Form 1099-DA for cryptocurrency sales
- Updated filing requirements, standard deduction, Social Security wage base, IRA contribution limits, HSA limits, EITC limits, Section 179 limits, and more
Bonus material included
- Earn a digital badge upon successful completion of the course. Learn more about badges.
- FREE Tax Law Updates as they become available
- FREE Annual Tax Refresher Course (AFTR)
2026 Standard Comprehensive Learning Objectives
2026 California Edition Comprehensive Learning Objectives






