Exams tend to be one of those things that creep up on you. When you look in your calendar, it always seems like you have ages to prepare, right up to the point where the exam is suddenly only two days away. This is doubly true if you’re working a full-time job and have to juggle additional obligations.

An Enrolled Agent is a tax specialist who has been federally authorized to represent taxpayers before all levels of the IRS. Unlike CPAs, enrolled agents are eligible to practice in all states without additional licensing requirements.

f you enjoy crunching numbers or preparing your own income taxes, then you should consider a career as an enrolled agent (EA). When it comes to jobs in accounting and finance, many people consider becoming CPAs, while few think about the option of becoming enrolled agents. With an increasing need for EAs across the nation, choosing to follow this career path can be both satisfying and lucrative.

Part 1 of the enrolled agent exam, also known as the IRS Special Enrollment Exam (SEE), covers tax topics related to individuals. The exam contains 100 questions, including 85 questions that are scored and 15 questions that are experimental and therefore not scored. The exam consists of 5 separate sections and candidates have 3.5 hours to complete it.