ACNT 1393 SPECIAL TOPICS IN TAXATION: TAX RESEARCH
Section 001, 33060
Term: Fall 2011
INSTRUCTOR AND COURSE INFORMATION
Instructor: Tracie
Nobles, CPA (CO), Associate Professor
E-Mail: tnobles@austincc.edu
Instructor Website: http://www.austincc.edu/tnobles
Work Phone: 223-0182
Office Location: Round Rock,
2232.20
Office
Hours: Monday, 9:30 am – 10:30 am, 12 noon – 4
pm
Wednesday,
9:30 am – 10:30 am, 1 pm – 4 pm
Thursday,
3 pm – 7 pm
Or,
By Appointment
Arranging Conference/Appointments: Please email the instructor to arrange conferences/appointments.
Course Dates and Times: Online
Course Location: Online
Credits: 3
Prerequisites: Before enrolling in ACNT 1393, you must have completed ACNT 1331 (Individual
Income Tax) AND ACNT 1347 (Taxation for Partnerships and Corporations) or a tax
course that provides knowledge of both entity and individual taxation with a C
or better grade. Basic computer skills utilizing internet, word processing, and
spreadsheet (Excel) software are recommended for all accounting courses. If you
have any questions, consult with an accounting advisor.
Required Textbook/Materials:
1.
Contemporary Tax
Practice: Research, Planning, and Strategies, 2nd edition, John O. Everett, Cherie Henning, and
Nancy Nichols, Publisher: CCH, ISBN: 978-0-8080-2379-1.
Computer
hardware and software requirements: This course will
utilize Blackboard. This course requires that you
have high-speed internet access. You must be able to view audio and video files
in flash. Your computer will need to have a sound-card or speakers. You must
have access to Excel and word processing (save documents as doc, docx, pdf,
xls, xlsx, or rtf files). You will also need to access the CCH Tax
Database and/or RIA Tax Database. You will be provided with an access code to
the database via your ACC gmail account.
If you do not have a dependable computer or access to
Microsoft Office, you can work at any ACC Library computer lab. It is
critical that you log into Blackboard site at least 2 times per week. If
you cannot make this type of commitment, this is not the right course for you.
Course Description: A course
in development of effective and efficient, 'hands-on' tax research skills,
using the CCH Tax Database and/or RIA Tax Database. The course is a continuation of the
fundamentals of Federal income tax law.
Objectives include identifying tax issues and locating, understanding,
analyzing, and evaluating authoritative and nonauthoritative tax sources and
communicating the results in an efficient and understandable manner.
Course Objectives and Outcomes:
- Understand the tax research environment,
- Become familiar with the primary sources of
federal tax law,
- Understand the various research tools, and
- Know how to implement the research tools.
Course Rationale: The goals and objectives of this course prepare students for (1)
completing degree requirements; (2) obtaining or improving job skills; (3)
qualifying for a business or accounting job; (4) working as an entrepreneur;
(5) fulfilling personal goals; and/or (6) understanding individual income tax
returns and the federal income tax law.
SCANS (Secretary’s Commission on achieving necessary skills): Please go to http://www.austincc.edu/mkt/scans.htm#whatis for complete definitions and explanation of
SCANS. This list summarizes the SCANS
competencies addressed in this particular course.
- Organize Information:
Organizes, processes, and maintains written or computerized records or
other forms of information in a systematic fashion. Competently performing
the tasks of organizing information includes understanding and organizing
information from computer, visual, oral, and physical sources in readily
accusable formats, such as computerized databases, spreadsheets, etc.
2. Use Problem Solving Skills: Recognizes
that a problem exists (i.e. there is a discrepancy between what is and what
should or could be); identifies possible reason for the discrepancy, devises
and implements a plan of action to resolve it; evaluates and monitors progress;
revises plan as indicated based on findings.
3. Apply Technology: Understands the overall
intent and the proper procedures for setting up and operating machines,
including computers and their programming systems. Demonstrating competence in
how to apply technology to tasks includes understanding and using various
software products (e.g. RIA tax service on the internet).
Texas State
Board of Public Accountancy: Austin Community College has received the
designation of Qualifying Educational Credit for CPA Examination by the Texas
State Board of Public Accountancy (Board). This course qualifies as one
of the 30 required upper-level accounting courses and counts towards the research requirement. In
order for this course to be counted, the student MUST have completed a bachelor's degree
PRIOR to taking this course. If this course is completed before
a bachelor's degree is awarded, the Texas State Board of Public Accountancy
will not accept it.
Please review the information on our web site http://www.austincc.edu/accting/cpainfo.php. It is the responsibility of the student to understand and comply with
the requirements of the Texas State Board of Public Accountancy.
Pursuant to Rule §511.57(a)(1)(c) from the Texas
Administrative Code, an individual completing accounting course requirements
for the CPA exam shall have no more than 15 hours of online instruction. This limit applies only to the 30 upper level accounting hours.
It is very important that you enroll in the
Professional Accountant - Advanced Technical Certificate and that you see an
advisor at the start of your program. Please be aware of enforcement of
prerequisites. If you do not have the necessary prerequisites for this course,
I will withdraw you from the course.
GRADING POLICIES
Your
grade will be based on the following:
|
Exams |
30 % |
|
Quizzes |
20 % |
|
Major
Writing Assignments Deloitte Case Study Scholarly Journals Review Case Brief Memo to File Letter to Client |
30 % |
|
Homework |
20 % |
|
Total |
100 % |
GRADING SCALE: 90% - 100% A
80% - 89% B
70% - 79% C
60% - 69% D
Below 60% F
How to calculate your grade:
In a simple weighted scheme here is how
Blackboard would calculate weighted grades:
For Student A, in a course in which there are
four categories with the following point totals and weights:
|
Total Points |
Earned Points
by Student A |
Percentage of
Grade |
|
|
Quizzes |
25
points |
22
points |
20% |
|
Exams |
40
points |
37
points |
30% |
|
Writing
Assignments |
25
points |
22
points |
30% |
|
Homework |
60
points |
58
points |
20% |
|
Total Possible
Points |
150
points |
139
points |
100% |
Blackboard’s formula for calculating the Weighted
Total is as follows:
[(Earned points on item1/total points possible
for item1) X (weight of item1)]+ [(Earned points on item2/total points possible
for item2) X (weight of item2)] + [(Earned points on item3/total points
possible for item3) X (weight of item3)] + [(Earned points on item4/total
points possible for item4) X (weight of item4)]
= ((22/25)*.20) + ((37/40)*.30) + ((22/25)*.30) +
((58/60)*.20) =.9105 or 91.05%
INSTRUCTIONAL METHODOLOGY
Blackboard: You will
access all course content through Blackboard. If you have not previously taken
a course utilizing Blackboard, you will find a link to the login procedures on
the Blackboard login page: http://acconline.austincc.edu.
Otherwise, the login username and password you previously used will still work.
You must have an activated ACC eID number to log
into blackboard. For information on how to activate your ACC eID please refer
to http://www.austincc.edu/acceid/.
To use Blackboard, you do not have to have Internet
access at home. You can work with this
system in our ACC open lab or at any LRS computer.
RIA Checkpoint Software: We will be using RIA Checkpoint software in this course. Austin Community
College has purchased a license to the RIA Checkpoint software. This is
accessible through the library website at http://library.austincc.edu/. To access the software click on Find Articles and Research Information;
the link is listed under the Business & Economics area.
H&R Block Tax Cut: We will be using H&R Block Tax Cut software throughout this course.
This software comes free with the purchase of a new book. If you do not have
this software, you can complete the tax returns by hand and submit
electronically.
Homework: All
students are expected to complete homework when assigned. Please arrange your outside commitments and
personal situation to allow yourself to devote the necessary time to be
successful in this class.
Aplia: Homework will
be completed using Aplia. More information will be provided in the blackboard
course.
Chapter Quizzes: Quizzes will be given in blackboard. You may
use your notes and book to complete the quiz. No late quizzes will be
accepted.
Exams: Exam 2
will be completed in the testing center; Exam 1 & 3 will be completed in
the classroom. Testing Center exams will be administered using an online
program called Respondus. This program can only be administered at secure testing
locations. You must test at any of the following eight testing center
locations: Northridge, Cypress Creek, Eastview, Pinnacle, Riverside, Rio
Grande, Round Rock, and South Austin.
Make up exams will not be given. If you do not complete an exam by the
required date, your grade for that exam will be a zero (“0”).
Please review the student guidelines on the
testing center website http://www.austincc.edu/testctr/ prior to taking your first exam.
Course Procedures: This course
includes a lecture component. Material will be presented in the classroom and
additional material and assignments will be presented online. For each chapter,
I will assign a variety of assignments. The purpose of these assignments is to
increase your understanding and retention of the tax topics. A good faith
effort to master the materials early in the course should pay substantial
dividends later in the course.
Deadlines: Odd things happen in cyberspace—emails get lost, servers disconnect
temporarily, and logins fail. Do not wait until the last minute to do
your work. Allow time to meet deadlines. Reply and check for
replies on every e-mail sent and received. You are responsible for
getting the work in on time. Please notify me – ahead of time, if
possible – of any extenuating circumstances that will prevent you from
participating in discussions or turning work in on time.
Where to go if you have questions: If you have a question that you would like to discuss with me, my preferred
contact method is email.
If you
would like to contact me in person you do not need an appointment to come to my
office during office hours. Please feel free to call or drop by anytime during
my office hours. If I am involved in another matter, I will appreciate your
understanding in setting up an appointment for a more convenient time.
If you contact
me via email, you will receive a reply from me within 48 hours (during the
weekdays) and by Tuesday at 5:00 pm (for questions posed on the weekend). I usually do not answer email questions over the weekend.
Where to go if you have complaints: You may review the complaint and grievance
policy online: http://www.austincc.edu/handbook/policies2.php. Please attempt to resolve the complaint immediately with me directly. If
the complaint cannot be resolved, then my immediate supervisor is Dr. Reed Peoples.
COURSE POLICIES
Attendance/Class Participation: Regular
and punctual class and laboratory attendance is expected of all students. If attendance or compliance with other course
policies is unsatisfactory, the instructor may withdraw students from the
class.
Withdrawal Policy: It is the
responsibility of each student to ensure that his or her name is removed from
the roll should he or she decide to withdraw from the class. The instructor does, however, reserve the
right to drop a student should he or she feel it is necessary. If a student decides to withdraw, he or she
should also verify that the withdrawal is submitted before the Final
Withdrawal Date. The student is also
strongly encouraged to retain their copy of the withdrawal form for their
records.
Students who enroll for the third or subsequent time in a course taken
since Fall, 2002, may be charged a higher tuition rate, for that course.
State law permits students to withdraw from no more than six courses
during their entire undergraduate career at Texas public colleges or
universities. With certain exceptions,
all course withdrawals automatically count towards this limit. Details regarding this policy can be found in
the ACC college catalog.
___________ is the last day to withdraw from this class and
receive a grade of “W”. If you wish to
withdraw, it is your responsibility
to do so. DO NOT ASSUME THAT I WILL
WITHDRAW YOU. I have no obligation to do so.
Late Homework/Quizzes Policy: Late work will NOT be accepted.
Incompletes: An instructor may award a
grade of “I” (Incomplete) if a student was unable to complete all of the
objectives for the passing grade in a course.
An incomplete grade cannot be carried beyond the established date in the
following semester. The completion date is determined by the instructor but may
not be later than the final deadline for withdrawal in the subsequent semester.
Statement on Scholastic Dishonesty: A student attending ACC assumes responsibility for conduct compatible with the mission of the college as an educational institution. Students have the responsibility to submit coursework that is the result of their own thought, research, or self-expression. Students must follow all instructions given by faculty or designated college representatives when taking examinations, placement assessments, tests, quizzes, and evaluations. Actions constituting scholastic dishonesty include, but are not limited to, plagiarism, cheating, fabrication, collusion, and falsifying documents. Penalties for scholastic dishonesty will depend upon the nature of the violation and may range from lowering a grade on one assignment to an “F” in the course and/or expulsion from the college. See the Student Standards of Conduct and Disciplinary Process and other policies at http://www.austincc.edu/current/needtoknow
Student Rights and Responsibilities: Students at the college have the rights accorded by the U.S. Constitution to freedom of speech, peaceful assembly, petition, and association. These rights carry with them the responsibility to accord the same rights to others in the college community and not to interfere with or disrupt the educational process. Opportunity for students to examine and question pertinent data and assumptions of a given discipline, guided by the evidence of scholarly research, is appropriate in a learning environment. This concept is accompanied by an equally demanding concept of responsibility on the part of the student. As willing partners in learning, students must comply with college rules and procedures.
Statement on Students with Disabilities: Each ACC campus offers support services for students with documented disabilities. Students with disabilities who need classroom, academic or other accommodations must request them through the Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD). Students are encouraged to request accommodations when they register for courses or at least three weeks before the start of the semester, otherwise the provision of accommodations may be delayed.
Students who have received approval for accommodations
from OSD for this course must provide the instructor with the ‘Notice of
Approved Accommodations’ from OSD before accommodations will be provided.
Arrangements for academic accommodations can only be made after the
instructor receives the ‘Notice of Approved Accommodations’ from the student.
Students with approved accommodations are encouraged to
submit the ‘Notice of Approved Accommodations’ to the instructor at the
beginning of the semester because a reasonable amount of time may be needed to
prepare and arrange for the accommodations.
Additional information about the Office for Students with
Disabilities is available at http://www.austincc.edu/support/osd/
Safety
Statement: Austin Community College
is committed to providing a safe and healthy environment for study and work.
You are expected to learn and comply with ACC environmental, health and safety
procedures and agree to follow ACC safety policies. Additional information on
these can be found at http://www.austincc.edu/ehs.
Because some health and safety circumstances are beyond our control, we ask
that you become familiar with the Emergency Procedures poster and Campus Safety
Plan map in each classroom. Additional information about emergency procedures
and how to sign up for ACC Emergency Alerts to be notified in the event of a
serious emergency can be found at http://www.austincc.edu/emergency/.
Please note, you are expected to conduct yourself
professionally with respect and courtesy to all. Anyone who thoughtlessly or
intentionally jeopardizes the health or safety of another individual will be
dismissed from the day’s activity, may be withdrawn from the class, and/or
barred from attending future activities.
You are expected to conduct yourself professionally with
respect and courtesy to all. Anyone who thoughtlessly or intentionally
jeopardizes the health or safety of another individual will be immediately
dismissed from the day’s activity, may be withdrawn from the class, and/or
barred from attending future activities.
Use of ACC email: All College e-mail communication to students will be sent solely to the student’s ACCmail account, with the expectation that such communications will be read in a timely fashion. ACC will send important information and will notify you of any college related emergencies using this account. Students should only expect to receive email communication from their instructor using this account. Likewise, students should use their ACCmail account when communicating with instructors and staff. Instructions for activating an ACCmail account can be found at http://www.austincc.edu/accmail/index.php.
Testing Center Policy: Under certain circumstances, an instructor may have
students take an examination in a testing center. Students using
the Academic Testing Center must govern themselves according to the Student
Guide for Use of ACC Testing Centers and should read the entire guide before
going to take the exam. To request an
exam, one must have:
- ACC Photo ID
- Course Abbreviation (e.g., ENGL)
- Course Number (e.g.,1301)
- Course Synonym (e.g., 10123)
- Course Section (e.g., 005)
- Instructor's Name
Do NOT
bring cell phones to the Testing Center.
Having your cell phone in the testing room, regardless of whether it is on or off, will revoke your testing
privileges for the remainder of the semester.
ACC Testing Center policies can be found at
http://www.austincc.edu/testctr/
Student And Instructional Services: ACC strives to provide exemplary support to its students
and offers a broad variety of opportunities and services. Information on these services and support
systems is available at: http://www.austincc.edu/s4/
Links
to many student services and other information can be found at: http://www.austincc.edu/current/
ACC Learning Labs provide free tutoring services to all ACC
students currently enrolled in the course to be tutored. The tutor schedule for each Learning Lab may
be found at: http://www.autincc.edu/tutor/students/tutoring.php
For help setting up your ACCeID, ACC Gmail, or ACC Blackboard, see
a Learning Lab Technician at any ACC Learning Lab.
Scholastic
Dishonesty: Acts prohibited by the college for
which discipline may be administered include scholastic dishonesty, including
but not limited to cheating on an exam or quiz, plagiarizing, unauthorized
collaboration with another in preparing outside work. Academic work submitted
by students shall be the result of their thought, research or self-expression.
Academic work is defined as, but not limited to tests, quizzes, whether taken
electronically or on paper; projects, either individual or group; classroom
presentations, and homework. Electronic devices may not be used for
exams unless specifically authorized by the instructor. Penalties for scholastic dishonesty will
depend upon the nature of the violation and may range from lowering a grade on
one assignment to an F in the course and/or expulsion from this institution.
See Student
Handbook: www.austincc.edu/handbook
Plagiarism: Plagiarism is taken very seriously
in this class. Plagiarism is considered to be copying of another’s work
including another students, internet, or research source. Any phrase, sentence,
paragraph, etc. that is take from another’s work must be cited appropriately. All
written assignments submitted in this course are run through a comprehensive
plagiarism checker. The first instance of plagiarism will result in a required
student/faculty meeting and a grade of zero on that assignment. The second
instance of plagiarism will result in a referral to the college dean of student
services and a grade of F in the course.
ACNT 1393– SPECIAL TOPICS IN TAXATION: TAX RESEARCH
Term:
TENTATIVE SCHEDULE & ASSIGNMENTS
|
TOPIC |
Assignments to Complete * |
Due Date (CST) |
|
|
UNIT 1 – Introduction |
|||
|
Orientation |
Orientation Quiz (Q) |
|
|
|
Introduction to Tax Research & Writing |
Tax Research – The Foundation Every Tax
Professional Builds On Dbrief (H) Effective Writing – What, When, and How to Say It
Electronically Dbrief (H) |
|
|
|
Introduction to Library Resources |
Know How Research Skills: Plagiarism & Citing
Skills (H) Know How Research Skills: Finding Periodical Articles (H) |
|
|
|
Scholarly Journal Paper |
Scholarly Journal Paper (W) |
|
|
|
UNIT 2 – Tax Research |
|||
|
Chapter 4: Tax Research – Locating and Assessing
Tax Authority |
Review Questions for Chapter 4 Scavenger Hunt (H) Primary vs. Secondary Source (H) The Tax Legislative Process – A Little Knowledge
Goes a Long Way Dbrief (H) Chapter 4 Quiz (Q) |
|
|
|
Chapter 1: Legislative Sources of Authority |
Review Questions for Chapter 1 Types of Tax Authority (H) Codification (H) Chapter 1 Quiz (Q) Assign Deloitte Case Study – See dues dates below |
|
|
|
Chapter 2: Administrative Sources of Authority |
Review Questions for Chapter 2 Locating Revenue Procedure, TAM, & PLR (H) Authority & Locating of IRS Publications (H) Chapter 2 Quiz (Q) |
|
|
|
Chapter 3: Judicial Sources of Authority |
Review Questions for Chapter 3 Citations (H) Case Brief (W) Chapter 3 Quiz (Q) |
|
|
|
Exam – Chapters 1 – 4 (E) |
|
|
|
Deloitte Case Study – Continuing Problem (W) |
|
|
|
UNIT 3 – Tax Practice |
||
|
Chapter 9: Tax Practice – Procedures,
Administration and Sanctions |
Review Questions for Chapter 9 Violations of Circular 230 (H) AICPA SSTS (H) Chpt 9 Quiz (Q) |
|
|
Chapter 10: Tax Communications Between the
Client, Tax Preparer and the IRS |
Review Questions for Chapter 10 Memo to File (W) Chpt 10 Quiz (Q) |
|
|
Exam – Chapters 9 – 10 (E) |
|
|
|
UNIT 4 – Tax Planning |
||
|
Chapter 11: Tax Planning for Individuals |
Review Questions for Chapter 11 Alternative Minimum Tax – The Least Understood
Issue in Individual Taxation Today Dbrief (H) Letter to Sophisticated Client (W) Chpt 11 Quiz (Q) |
|
|
Chapter 15: Business
Planning – Choice of Entity |
Review Questions for Chapter 15 The Art and Science of Entity Choices Dbrief (H) Chpt 15 Quiz (Q) |
|
|
Deloitte Case Study – Continuing Problem (W) |
|
|
Grading Categories:
H
– Homework (20%)
Q
– Quizzes (20%)
E
– Exams (30%)
W
– Major Writing Assignments (30%)