The Uniform CPA Examination Blueprint offers insights into noteworthy changes to the exam's structure, content, and format. We'll delve into the details of the current blueprint below.
CPA Exam Structure
| Section | Section time | Multiple-Choice Questions (MCQs) | Task-Based Simulations (TBSs) |
|---|---|---|---|
| AUD - Core | 4 hours | 78 | 7 |
| FAR - Core | 4 hours | 50 | 7 |
| REG - Core | 4 hours | 72 | 8 |
| BAR - Discipline | 4 hours | 50 | 7 |
| ISC - Discipline | 4 hours | 82 | 6 |
| TCP - Discipline | 4 hours | 68 | 7 |
The current format of the CPA Exam, launched in January 2024, has three core sections: Auditing and Attestation (AUD), Financial Accounting and Reporting (FAR), and Taxation and Regulation (REG). BEC is no longer on the CPA Exam. However, a large amount of BEC content is still tested, as it has been distributed among several of the core and discipline sections.
Candidates must choose one discipline section in addition to the three core sections: Business Analysis and Reporting (BAR), Information Systems and Controls (ISC), or Tax Compliance and Planning (TCP). Each discipline is an expansion of one of the core sections, allowing applicants to focus more deeply on a subject that suits their interests and areas of expertise.
The core and discipline sections are each four (4) hours long and have multiple-choice questions (MCQs) and task-based simulations (TBSs). Written communication (WC) questions are no longer included on the CPA Exam.
Score Weighting by Question Type
Most of the core and discipline sections have equal score weighting for MCQs and TBSs (50% for each). In ISC, however, the score weight is 60% for MCQs and 40% for TBSs.
| Score Weighting | ||
|---|---|---|
| Section | Multiple-Choice Questions (MCQs) | Task-Based Simulations (TBSs) |
| AUD - Core | 50% | 50% |
| FAR - Core | 50% | 50% |
| REG - Core | 50% | 50% |
| BAR - Discipline | 50% | 50% |
| ISC - Discipline | 60% | 40% |
| TCP - Discipline | 50% | 50% |
Score Weighting by Skill Level
The skill level weighting across all core and discipline sections is as follows:
| Section | Remembering and Understanding |
Application | Analysis | Evaluation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AUD - Core | 30-40% | 30-40% | 15-25% | 5-15% |
| FAR - Core | 5-15% | 45-55% | 35-45% | - |
| REG - Core | 25-35% | 35-45% | 25-35% | - |
| BAR - Discipline | 10-20% | 45-55% | 30-40% | - |
| ISC - Discipline | 55-65% | 20-30% | 10-20% | - |
| TCP - Discipline | 5-15% | 55-65% | 25-35% | - |
Score weighting by content area
- Ethics, Independence and Professional Responsibilities
- Professional Skepticism and Professional Judgment
- Nature and Scope
- Terms of Engagement
- Requirements for Engagement Documentation
- Communication With Management and Those Charged with Governance
- Audit and Assurance Quality
- Planning an Engagement
- Understanding an Entity and Its Environment
- Understanding an Entity’s Control Environment and Business Processes, Including Information Technology (It)Systems
- Materiality
- Assessing and Responding to Risks Of Material Misstatement, Whether Due to Fraud or Error
- Planning for And Using The Work of Others
- Specific Areas of Engagement Risk
- Use of Data and Information
- Sufficient Appropriate Evidence
- Sampling Techniques
- Procedures to Obtain Sufficient Appropriate Evidence
- Specific Matters that Require Special Consideration
- Misstatements and Internal Control Deficiencies
- Written Representations
- Subsequent Events and Subsequently Discovered Facts
- Reports on Auditing Engagements
- Reports on Attestation Engagements
- Accounting and Review Service Engagements
- Reporting on Compliance
- Other Reporting Considerations
Score Weighting by Skill Level
- Remembering and Understanding (30-40%) : Areas I and IV are mostly focused on remembering andunderstanding. Area I covers a lot of the general auditing knowledge and Area IV covers reporting tasks.
- Application (30-40%) and Evaluation (5-15%): application skills are tested in all four AUDcontent areas. Candidates are evaluated based on tasks linked to their professional duties, documentation, andeveryday responsibilities.
- Analysis (15-25%): The majority of analysis and evaluation level skills are tested in Areas IIand III. These two areas require a deeper capacity for observation and comprehension.
Sample topics by area
Area I – Ethics, Professional Responsibilities and General Principles
| Skill | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Content group/topic | Remembering & Understanding | Application | Analysis | Evaluation | Representative Task |
| A. Ethics, independence and professional responsibilities(continued) | |||||
3. Requirements of the Government Accountability Office andthe Department of Labor (continued) | Apply the ethical requirements and independence rules of theGovernment Accountability Office Government Auditing Standards to situations that couldpresent threats to compliance during an audit of, or attestation engagement for, agovernment entity or an entity receiving federal awards | ||||
| Apply the independence rules of the Department of Labor tosituations when an accountant would not be considered independent during an audit ofemployee benefit plans. | |||||
| B. Professional skepticism and professional judgment | |||||
| Understand the concepts of professional skepticism andprofessional judgment. | |||||
| Understand unconscious auditor biases and other impediments toacting with professional skepticism, including threats, incentives and judgment-makingshortcuts. | |||||
Sample topics by area
A. Ethics, independence and professional responsibilities (continued)
Content group/topic
Requirements of the Government Accountability Office and the Department ofLabor (continued)
Representative task
Apply the ethical requirements and independence rules of theGovernment Accountability Office Government Auditing Standards to situations that could presentthreats to compliance during an audit of, or attestation engagement for, a government entity or anentity receiving federal awards
Remembering & Understanding
–
Application
Analysis
–
Evaluation
–
Representative task
Apply the independence rules of the Department of Labor tosituations when an accountant would not be considered independent during an audit of employeebenefit plans.
Remembering & Understanding–
Application
Analysis
–
Evaluation
–
B. Professional skepticism and professional judgment
Representative task
Understand the concepts of professional skepticism and professionaljudgment.
Remembering & Understanding
Application
–
Analysis
–
Evaluation
–
Representative task
Understand unconscious auditor biases and other impediments to acting withprofessional skepticism, including threats, incentives and judgment-making shortcuts.
Remembering & Understanding
Application
–
Analysis
–
Evaluation
–
Score weighting by content area
- General-Purpose Financial Reporting: For-Profit Business Entities
- General-Purpose Financial Reporting: Nongovernmental Not-for-Profit Entities
- State and Local Government Concepts
- Public Company Reporting Topics
- Special Purpose Frameworks
- Financial Statement Ratios and Performance Metrics
- Cash and cash equivalents
- Trade receivables
- Inventory
- Property, plant and equipment
- Investments
- Intangible assets
- Payables and accrued liabilities
- Debt (financial liabilities)
- Equity
- Accounting changes and error corrections
- Contingencies and commitments
- Revenue recognition
- Accounting for income taxes
- Fair value measurements
- Lessee accounting
- Subsequent events
Score weighting by skill levels
The FAR Exam will continue to follow the same skill sets for the new format. However, skill weighting has been revised to the following:
| Skill allocation | Weight |
|---|---|
| Evaluation | – |
| Analysis | 35-45% |
| Application | 45-55% |
| Remembering and Understanding | 5–15% |
Sample topics by area
Area I – Financial Reporting
| Skill | |||||
| Content group/topic | Remembering & Understanding | Application | Analysis | Evaluation | Representative Task |
| A. General-Purpose Financial Reporting: For-Profit Business Entities | |||||
|
1.
Balance sheet/Statement
of financial position
|
Prepare a classified balance sheet from a trial balance and supporting documentation. | ||||
| Adjust the balance sheet to correct identified errors | |||||
| Detect, investigate and correct discrepancies while agreeing the balance sheet amounts to supporting documentation, including the source data. | |||||
|
2.
Income statement/Statement
of profit or loss
|
Prepare a single-step or multi-step income statement (e.g., operating, nonoperating, discontinued operations) from a trial balance and supporting documentation. | ||||
| Adjust the income statement to correct identified errors. | |||||
| Calculate transaction gains or losses recognized from monetary transactions denominated in a foreign currency. | |||||
| Detect, investigate and correct discrepancies while agreeing the income statement amounts to supporting documentation, including the source data. | |||||
Sample topics by area
Area I – Financial Reporting
A. General-Purpose Financial Reporting: For-Profit Business Entities
Content group/topic
Balance sheet/Statement of financial position
Representative task
Prepare a classified balance sheet from a trial balance and
supporting documentation.
Remembering & Understanding
Application
–
Analysis
–
Evaluation
–
Representative task
Adjust the balance sheet to correct identified errors
Remembering & Understanding
Application
–
Analysis
–
Evaluation
–
Representative task
Detect, investigate and correct discrepancies while agreeing the
balance sheet amounts to supporting documentation, including the source data.
Remembering & Understanding
–
Application
–
Analysis
Evaluation
–
Income statement/Statement of profit or loss
Representative task
Prepare a single-step or multi-step income statement (e.g.,
operating, nonoperating, discontinued operations) from a trial balance and supporting
documentation.
Remembering & Understanding
Application
–
Analysis
–
Evaluation
–
Representative task
Adjust the income statement to correct identified errors.
Remembering & Understanding
Application
–
Analysis
–
Evaluation
–
Representative task
Calculate transaction gains or losses recognized from monetary transactions denominated in a foreign currency.
Remembering & Understanding
Application
–
Analysis
–
Evaluation
–
Representative task
Detect, investigate and correct discrepancies while agreeing the
income statement amounts to supporting documentation, including the source data.
Remembering & Understanding
Application
–
Analysis
Evaluation
–
Score weighting by content area
- Ethics and responsibilities in tax practice
- Licensing and disciplinary systems
- Federal tax procedures
- Legal duties and responsibilities
- Agency
- Contracts
- Debtor-creditor relationships
- Federal laws and regulations (employment tax, qualified health plans, bankruptcy, worker classifications and anti-bribery)
- Business structure
- Basis of assets
- Cost recovery (depreciation and amortization)
- Gross income (inclusions and exclusions)
- Reporting of items from pass-through entities
- Adjustments and deductions to arrive at adjusted gross income and taxable income
- Loss limitations
- Filing status
- Computation of tax and credits
- Differences between book and tax income (loss)
- C corporations
- S corporations
- Partnerships
- Limited liability companies
- Tax-exempt organizations
Score weighting by skill levels
The CPA Exam will continue to utilize the revised Bloom’s Taxonomy of Educational Objectives. It describes numerous sets of skills.
- In Areas III, IV, and V application and analysis abilities are assessed extensively. These three areas pertain to the daily duties of a CPA.
| Skill allocation | Weight |
|---|---|
| Evaluation | – |
| Analysis | 25–35% |
| Application | 35-45% |
| Remembering and Understanding | 25-35% |
Sample topics by area
Area I – Ethics, Professional Responsibilities and Federal Tax Procedures
| Skill | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Content group/topic | Remembering & Understanding | Application | Analysis | Evaluation | Representative Task |
| A. Ethics and responsibilities in tax practice | |||||
1. Regulations governing practice before the Internal Revenue Service | Recall the regulations governing practice before the Internal Revenue Service. | ||||
| Apply the regulations governing practice before the Internal Revenue Service given a specific scenario. | |||||
2. Internal Revenue Code andRegulations related to taxreturn preparers | Recall who is a tax return preparer. | ||||
| Recall situations that would result in tax return preparer penalties. | |||||
| Apply potential tax return preparer penalties given a specific scenario. | |||||
Sample topics by area
Area I – Ethics, Professional Responsibilities and Federal Tax Procedures
A. Conceptual framework and standard-setting for business and nonbusiness entities
Content group/topic
Regulations governing practice before the Internal Revenue Service
Representative task
Recall the regulations governing practice before the Internal Revenue Service.
Remembering & Understanding
Application
–
Analysis
–
Evaluation
–
Representative task
Apply the regulations governing practice before the Internal Revenue Service given a specific scenario.
Remembering & Understanding
–
Application
Analysis
–
Evaluation
–
Internal Revenue Code and Regulations related to tax return preparers
Representative task
Recall who is a tax return preparer.
Remembering & Understanding
Application
–
Analysis
–
Evaluation
–
Representative task
Recall situations that would result in federal tax return preparer penalties.
Remembering & Understanding
Application
–
Analysis
–
Evaluation
–
Representative task
Apply potential federal tax return preparer penalties given a specific scenario.
Remembering & Understanding
–
Application
Analysis
–
Evaluation
–
The detailed list of REG content groups and topics in accordance with the skills and representative tasks can be accessed from the AICPA website.
The Business Analysis and Reporting (BAR) CPA Exam is a newly introduced discipline section of the Uniform CPA Exam. It covers business combinations, accounting for derivatives and hedges, data analytics, employee benefit schemes, etc.
Score weighting by content area
- Current period/historical analysis, including the use of data.
- Prospective analysis, including the use of data
- Indefinite-lived intangible assets, including goodwill
- Internally developed software
- Revenue recognition
- Stock compensation (share-based payments).
- Research and development costs
- Business combinations
- Consolidated financial statements
- Derivatives and hedge accounting
- Leases
- Public company reporting topics
- Financial statements of employee benefit plans
- Format and content of the financial section of the annual comprehensive financial report
- Deriving government-wide financial statements and reconciliation requirements
- Typical items and specific types of transactions and events: measurement, valuation, calculation andpresentation in governmental entity financial statements
Score weighting by skill levels
The BAR section of the CPA Exam tests candidates’ skill level at the following three levelsof Bloom’s taxonomy:
- Remembering and understanding abilities are examined in all three areas of the BAR CPA Exam.
- Similarly, application skills are tested in all three areas.
- Areas I and II of the BAR Exam evaluate analytical skills.
| Skill allocation | Weight |
|---|---|
| Evaluation | – |
| Analysis | 30-40% |
| Application | 45-55% |
| Remembering and Understanding | 10-20% |
Sample topics by area
Area I – Business Analysis
| Skill | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Content group/topic | Remembering & Understanding | Application | Analysis | Evaluation | Representative Task |
| A. Current period/historical analysis, including the use of data | |||||
1. Financial statement analysis | Determine attribute structures, format and sources of data needed to prepare financial statement analysis. | ||||
| Compare current period financial statement accounts to prior periods or budget and explain variances. | |||||
| Interpret financial statement fluctuations and ratios (e.g., profitability, liquidity, solvency, performance). | |||||
| Use outputs (e.g., reports, visualizations) from data analytic techniques to identify patterns, trends and correlations to explain an entity’s results. | |||||
| Derive the impact of transactions on the financial statements and notes to the financial statements. | |||||
2. Non-financial and non-GAAP measures of performance | Identify relevant non-financial and non-GAAP measures used to analyze an entity’s performance | ||||
| Identify and apply internal and external benchmarking (e.g., competitor analysis) techniques to measure an entity’s performance. | |||||
| Use a balanced scorecard approach to measure an entity’s performance. | |||||
| Interpret non-financial (e.g., customer retention rate, employee turnover, labor productivity rate, ticket response time) and non-GAAP (e.g., EBITDA, free cash flow, core earnings, adjusted net income for non-recurring expenses) measures and analyze specific aspects of an entity’s performance and risk profile. | |||||
3. Managerial and cost accounting | Calculate fixed, variable and mixed costs. | ||||
| Describe and use the different costing methods including absorption, variable, activity-based, process and job order costing. | |||||
Sample topics by area
A. Current period/historical analysis, including the use of data
Content group/topic
Financial statement analysis
Representative task
Determine attribute structures, format and sources of data needed to prepare financial statement analysis.
Remembering & Understanding
Application
–
Analysis
–
Evaluation
–
Representative task
Compare current period financial statement accounts to prior periods or budget and explain variances.
Remembering & Understanding
–
Application
Analysis
–
Evaluation
–
Representative task
Interpret financial statement fluctuations and ratios (e.g., profitability, liquidity, solvency, performance).
Remembering & Understanding
–
Application
Analysis
–
Evaluation
–
Representative task
Use outputs (e.g., reports, visualizations) from data analytic techniques to identify patterns, trends and correlations to explain an entity’s results.
Remembering & Understanding
–
Application
–
Analysis
Evaluation
–
Representative task
Derive the impact of transactions on the financial statements and notes to the financial statements.
Remembering & Understanding
–
Application
–
Analysis
Evaluation
–
Non-financial and non-GAAP measures of performance
Representative task
Identify relevant non-financial and non-GAAP measures used to analyze an entity’s performance
Remembering & Understanding
Application
–
Analysis
–
Evaluation
–
Representative task
Identify and apply internal and external benchmarking (e.g., competitor analysis) techniques to measure an entity’s performance.
Remembering & Understanding
–
Application
Analysis
–
Evaluation
–
Representative task
Use a balanced scorecard approach to measure an entity’s performance.
Remembering & Understanding
–
Application
Analysis
–
Evaluation
–
Representative task
Interpret non-financial (e.g., customer retention rate, employee turnover, labor productivity rate, ticket response time) and non-GAAP (e.g., EBITDA, free cash flow, core earnings, adjusted net income for non-recurring expenses) measures and analyze specific aspects of an entity’s performance and risk profile.
Remembering & Understanding
–
Application
–
Analysis
Evaluation
–
Representative task
Managerial and cost accounting
Remembering & Understanding
–
Application
Analysis
–
Evaluation
–
Representative task
Describe and use the different costing methods including absorption, variable, activity-based, process and job order costing.
Remembering & Understanding
–
Application
Analysis
–
Evaluation
–
The Information Systems and Controls (ISC) discipline adds to the exam new material on the fusion of auditing and IT. ISC takes a deeper dive into new technologies and threats as well as into the controls needed for data-driven modern business.
Score weighting by content area
- Information systems
- Data management
- Regulations, standards, and frameworks
- Security
- Confidentiality and privacy
- Incident response
- Considerations specific to planning and performing a SOC engagement
- Considerations specific to reporting on a SOC engagement
Score weighting by skill levels
- All sections of the ISC assess remembering and understanding skills.
- Application skills are also tested in all areas
- Analytic skills are only assessed in Areas I and II.
| Skill allocation | Weight |
|---|---|
| Evaluation | – |
| Analysis | 10-20% |
| Application | 20-30% |
| Remembering and Understanding | 55-65% |
Sample topics by area
Area III – Considerations for System and Organization Controls (SOC) Engagements
| Skill | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Content group/topic | Remembering & Understanding | Application | Analysis | Evaluation | Representative Task |
| A. Considerations specific to planning and performing a SOC engagement | |||||
|
1.
Financial statement analysis
|
Explain the purpose of the Trust Services Criteria and its organization (e.g., alignment with the COSO Internal Control – Integrated Framework, supplemental criteria, common criteria and additional specific criteria). | ||||
| Recall the types of subject matters a practitioner may be engaged to report on using the Trust Services Criteria. | |||||
| Identify management assertions specific to the different categories and types (Type 1 and Type 2) of SOC engagements (SOC 1®, SOC 2®, SOC 3®). | |||||
| Recall the intended users of SOC 1®, SOC 2® and SOC 3® reports. | |||||
| Summarize the independence considerations between the service auditor, service organization and subservice organizations. | |||||
| Explain how materiality is determined and used in performing a SOC engagement (SOC 1®, SOC 2®). | |||||
| Identify the risk assessment requirements for a service organization and the service auditor. | |||||
| Summarize the criteria for a vendor to be considered a subservice organization. | |||||
| Explain the considerations for deciding between, and use of, the inclusive and carve-out method for subservice organizations and complementary subservice organization controls (CSOCs). | |||||
| Define service commitments and system requirements in a SOC 2® engagement and how they correspond to an entity’s objectives referred to in the Trust Services Criteria. | |||||
Sample topics by area
Area III – Considerations for System and Organization Controls (SOC) Engagements
A. Considerations specific to planning and performing a SOC engagement
Content group/topic
Financial statement analysis
Representative task
Explain the purpose of the Trust Services Criteria and its organization (e.g., alignment with the COSO Internal Control – Integrated Framework, supplemental criteria, common criteria and additional specific criteria).
Remembering & Understanding
Application
–
Analysis
–
Evaluation
–
Representative task
Recall the types of subject matters a practitioner may be engaged to report on using the Trust Services Criteria.
Remembering & Understanding
Application
–
Analysis
–
Evaluation
–
Representative task
Identify management assertions specific to the different categories and types (Type 1 and Type 2) of SOC engagements (SOC 1®, SOC 2®, SOC 3®).
Remembering & Understanding
Application
–
Analysis
–
Evaluation
–
Representative task
Recall the intended users of SOC 1®, SOC 2® and SOC 3® reports.
Remembering & Understanding
Application
–
Analysis
–
Evaluation
–
Representative task
Summarize the independence considerations between the service auditor, service organization and subservice organizations.
Remembering & Understanding
Application
–
Analysis
–
Evaluation
–
Representative task
Explain how materiality is determined and used in performing a SOC engagement (SOC 1®, SOC 2®).
Remembering & Understanding
Application
–
Analysis
–
Evaluation
–
Representative task
Identify the risk assessment requirements for a service organization and the service auditor.
Remembering & Understanding
Application
–
Analysis
–
Evaluation
–
Representative task
Summarize the criteria for a vendor to be considered a subservice organization.
Remembering & Understanding
Application
–
Analysis
–
Evaluation
–
Representative task
Explain the considerations for deciding between, and use of, the inclusive and carve-out method for subservice organizations and complementary subservice organization controls (CSOCs).
Remembering & Understanding
Application
–
Analysis
–
Evaluation
–
Representative task
Define service commitments and system requirements in a SOC 2® engagement and how they correspond to an entity’s objectives referred to in the Trust Services Criteria.
Remembering & Understanding
Application
–
Analysis
–
Evaluation
–
The Tax Compliance & Planning (TCP) discipline is an extended version of the core REG section. It assesses applicants’ understanding of individual and business tax compliance as well as personal and business financial planning.
Score weighting by content area
- Individual compliance and tax planning considerations for gross income, adjusted gross income, taxable income and estimated taxes
- Compliance for passive activity and at-risk loss limitations (excluding tax credit implications)
- Gift taxation compliance and planning
- Personal financial planning for individuals
- C corporations
- S corporations
- Partnerships
- Trusts
- Tax-exempt organizations
- Formation and liquidation of business entities
- Tax planning for C corporations
- Tax planning for S corporations
- Tax planning for partnerships
- Nontaxable disposition of assets
- Amount and character of gains and losses on asset disposition and netting process
- Related party transactions, including imputed interest
Score weighting by skill levels
The table below depicts the weighting of skill levels tested on the TCP Exam.
- The majority of Remembering and Understanding is centered in Areas I and II.
- Application and Analysis skills are examined in all areas.
| Skill allocation | Weight |
|---|---|
| Evaluation | – |
| Analysis | 25-35% |
| Application | 55-65% |
| Remembering and Understanding | 5-15% |
Sample topics by area
Area I – Tax Compliance and Planning for Individuals and Personal Financial Planning
| Skill | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Content group/topic | Remembering & Understanding | Application | Analysis | Evaluation | Representative Task |
| A. Individual compliance and tax planning considerations for gross income, adjusted gross income, taxable income and estimated taxes | |||||
|
|
Recall the impact of equity compensation awards on taxable income. | ||||
| Recall items included in determination and computation of Alternative Minimum Taxable income. | |||||
| Consider the impact to an individual’s taxable income for certain items of grossincome, including imputed interest on below-market rate loan and compensation earned while employed outside the U.S | |||||
| Calculate the tax on a child’s investment and other unearned income. | |||||
| Consider the effect of changing tax rates and legislation on the timing of income and expense items for planning purposes given a specific scenario. | |||||
| Identify projected tax savings through utilization of flexible spending accounts(FSAs) and qualified health savings accounts (HSAs) for planning purposes given a specific scenario. | |||||
| Consider the impact of using either itemized deductions or the standard deduction for planning purposes given a specific scenario. | |||||
| Calculate estimated tax payments required for an individual to avoid underpayment penalties given a specific planning scenario | |||||
| Calculate the potential tax savings when donating noncash property to a charitable organization given a specific planning scenario, including identification of the property to be donated to minimize the individual’s current-year tax liability. | |||||
| Review an individual’s projected income and expenses prior to year end to determine the tax implications, and provide options to minimize tax liability given a specific planning scenario. | |||||
Sample topics by area
Area I – Tax Compliance and Planning for Individuals and Personal Financial Planning
A. Individual compliance and tax planning considerations for gross income, adjusted gross income, taxable income and estimated taxes
Content group/topic
Financial statement analysis
Representative task
Recall the impact of equity compensation awards on taxable income.
Remembering & Understanding
Application
–
Analysis
–
Evaluation
–
Representative task
Recall items included in dermination and computation of Alternative
Minimum
Taxable income.
Remembering & Understanding
Application
–
Analysis
–
Evaluation
–
Representative task
Consider the impact to an individual’s taxable income for certain
items of gross
income, including imputed interest on below-market rate loan and compensation
earned while employed outside the U.S
Remembering & Understanding
–
Application
Analysis
–
Evaluation
–
Representative task
Calculate the tax on a child’s investment and other unearned income.
Remembering & Understanding
–
Application
Analysis
–
Evaluation
–
Representative task
Consider the effect of changing tax rates and legislation on the
timing of income
and expense items for planning purposes given a specific scenario.
Remembering & Understanding
–
Application
Analysis
–
Evaluation
–
Representative task
Consider the impact of using either itemized deductions or the
standard deduction for planning purposes given a specific scenario.
Remembering & Understanding
–
Application
Analysis
–
Evaluation
–
Representative task
Calculate estimated tax payments required for an individual to avoid
underpayment penalties given a specific planning scenario
Remembering & Understanding
–
Application
Analysis
–
Evaluation
–
Representative task
Calculate the potential tax savings when donating noncash property
to a
charitable organization given a specific planning scenario, including identification
of the property to be donated to minimize the individual’s current-year tax liability.
Remembering & Understanding
–
Application
Analysis
–
Evaluation
–
Representative task
Review an individual’s projected income and expenses prior to year
end to
determine the tax implications, and provide options to minimize tax liability
given a specific planning scenario.
Remembering & Understanding
–
Application
–
Analysis
Evaluation
–
How Do I Use the CPA Exam Blueprints?
The CPA Exam Blueprints lay out the rules and regulations candidates need to know when preparing for the CPA Exam. The AICPA describes the blueprints as “a brief explanation of what the exam will test you on with a correlation to the skill that is being tested.”
- Candidates can use the blueprints to do a lot more than just check the quantity of content that needs to be covered. The blueprints help you to plan your exam preparation, make your own study schedule, and prepare yourself so there are no surprises on exam day.
- Plan one section at a time, as opposed to all four sections at once. This will help you concentrate your study efforts. You should also change the schedule as you hone in on your study habits. Our recommendation would be to prepare for difficult topics first, as it is a time intensive process.
- You can save a lot of time by focusing on content topics in accordance with the score weighting and representative tasks laid out in the blueprints. Give importance to topics which carry more weighting. This in turn, will enable you to dedicate an appropriate amount of time to each topic.
- You should also remember that you cannot solely rely on the blueprints. Studying with a strong, comprehensive review course is key to CPA Exam success. A CPA Review course might seem costly, but studies show that candidates who take a CPA review have higher pass rates than those who do not. Ultimately, the investment is well worth the money and effort.
