Exam Prep. Course: CA Tax Law Specialist Exam (CA)(Recorded in 2015) – Clearance

Audio program! (check our CLE Programs page for live versions)

If you would like to purchase our 2019 Tax Exam Prep, please click here.

 

Warning: This program does not include information about the 2017 Tax Act.

Pincus Professional Education has been holding Exam Prep courses for the CA Legal Specialist Exam since 2009.  And if you are thinking about taking the exam this fall, we have the only prep course in Tax Law that is available for less than $800.00.

The CA Bar Taxation Law Specialist exam is given every other year in odd years. Here is your chance to prepare for the exam with a former Commissioner of the Certified Specialist Committee that prepares and grades the exams.

At our Exam Prep course, Certified Specialists talk to you about what to expect when you take the exam and will provide an overview of the law in the subject areas listed by the bar as potential topics upon which they may test. Additionally, at least two sample questions from the bar’s published packet will be used as a practice exam and the faculty walks you through the important issues presented by the questions.

The faculty also prepared a few multiple-choice questions for you to take and during the program they discuss the answers. The bar does not release sample multiple-choice practice questions.

By taking this course you can reduce the stress that goes with the unknown when preparing for an exam, you can get a refresher on those areas of the law of which you do not practice on a daily basis (or never handle), and you can get some insight on how to prepare and study for the exam from those that have gone before.

Recorded in 2015, this program is available on CD or for instant download and includes the handouts, PowerPoints, sample questions and all other materials provided to attendees for the program.

 

Please note: Because we cannot know exactly what specific questions and issues the bar will test on, and their “potential topic list” is vast, our program covers most of those topics that the bar lists they might test, but not all. This means that we cannot guarantee every single question or issue that appears on your exam is covered in our course (that would pretty much be impossible). We also strongly recommend you begin studying for the exam early – at least as early as summer. Last minute studying, even with the help of this course, is always a risky proposition when it comes to such a difficult exam covering so many areas of law.

 

Do you want to improve your public speaking skills? Get Faith Pincus’ newly published book Being Heard: Presentation Skills for Attorneys, from the ABA now (ABA members receive 10% off). It is also available on Amazon in Kindle and paperback versions.

What You Will Learn

Warning: This program does not include information about the 2017 Tax Act.

 

Overview and Strategy

  • The exam’s format
  • How the exam is written
  • How the exam is graded, and on what schedule
  • How best to study for the exam, including using old exams
    • Identifying hot button issues
  • Questions we will provide

Professional Responsibility

  • Duties to clients, opposing counsel and the Court
  • Attorney’s fees
  • Circular 230 and standards of practice
  • Fee agreements
  • Conflicts and dual representation
  • Conduct resulting in discipline or sanctions

Taxation Litigation and Procedures

  • Administrative procedures
  • Jurisdiction
  • Choice of forum/appeals
  • Statute of limitations
  • Penalties
  • Refunds – administrative claims and litigation
  • Collection matters
  • Voluntary disclosure programs

International Tax Compliance and Reporting

  • Reporting of foreign assets: FBAR, 8938, 3520 and 3520-A

Individual Income Tax 

  • Exclusion from income
  • Business and personal deductions
  • Characterization of income, gains and losses
  • Determination of basis
  • Loss limitations
  • Charitable donations
  • Grantor trusts
  • Tax rates for income tax, AMT and net investment income tax

Choice of Legal Entity

  • C corporation – basic features
  • S corporation – basic features
  • LLC/LTD partnership – basic features
  • Foreign corporations – basic features

Corporate Income Taxation

  • Formation
  • Operations
  • Non-liquidating Distributions
  • Liquidations
  • Reorganizations and Restructurings

S Corporation and Partnership Income Taxation

  • S Corporations
    • Formation, eligibility and election
    • Operations
    • Non-liquidating distributions
    • Complete liquidations
    • Stock transfers
    • Reorganizations
    • Section 355 divisive reorganizations
  • Partnerships
    • Formation
    • Operations
    • Non-liquidating distributions
    • Liquidations
    • Transfers, reorganizations and restructuring

Real Estate Taxation 

  • Acquisition
  • Development
  • Exchanges, involuntary conversions and dispositions
  • State and local property taxes

Professional Responsibility

  • Duties to clients, opposing counsel and the Court
  • Bases for attorney’s fees
  • Circular 230 and standards of practice
  • Fee agreements
  • Conflicts and dual representation
  • Conduct resulting in discipline or sanctions

Practice Exam

  • Practice Exam – 2 essay questions
  • Practice Exam Question Review and Issue Spotting

Testimonials

“I am appreciative of the materials and approach. I now have a game plan and approach to the exam. All was well done. Excellent!” Thomas Alexander, Esq.

“These instructors are GOOD. Best preparation course for this exam. This is an excellent program. The instructors provided us with tons of information. Thanks!” David Hunter, Esq.

“Andrea Ross was great and organized!” Maryem Muradi, Esq.

“Professor Ross is wonderful, she is extremely knowledgeable and experienced, she was very patient and answered our questions, thank you.”

“Good speakers.” Chris Cooke, Esq.

“Extremely inclusive presentation, program is awesome.” David Hunter, Esq.

“It was useful.” – Francine Ward, Esq.

“Andrea was great!” R. Watson, Esq.

“The program was really well done.”

“The speakers were engaging and helpful.”

“Andrea Kushner Ross was really good at breaking down essays and practice questions. Encouraging.”
“David Rice and Andrea Kushner Ross were the most interesting and clear. Avram Salkin was a great teacher.”
“William Norman was outstanding. Avram Salkin was excellent.”
“Good coverage by William Norman.”

Faculty

 

William Norman, Esq.
Partner
Ord & Norman

William K. Norman is a Partner of the California tax law firm of Ord & Norman. Mr. Norman is a Certified Specialist in Taxation Law. He is admitted to practice law in the states of California and Wyoming. He serves as Chair of his firm’s Private Client and Closely Held Business Structures Department. He is also a senior member of the firm’s Tax Litigation Services Group. He has been practicing tax law for 30 years, including experience as tax staff of a big four accounting firm and tax manager of a major corporation.

In his current practice, he focuses on the counseling of clients in business transactions, cross border trade and investments, and personal wealth transfer planning. Many of his client engagements involve sophisticated choice of entity issues (including use of LLC’s, statutory trusts and IC DISCs) and development of complex restructuring plans. His clients include privately held companies and high net worth individuals especially members of multinational families. Mr. Norman received an A.B. degree in Economics from the University of California at Berkeley in 1962, a J.D. degree from the University of California in 1965 and an LL.M (in Taxation) degree from New York University in 1970. He also attended the Graduate School of Business of the University of California at Berkeley and the Stern Graduate School of Business of New York University.

In June of 2008, he was presented the Dana Latham Award for outstanding contributions to the field of tax law.


Avram Salkin, Esq.
Certified Legal Specialist in Taxation Law
Hochman Salkin Toscher Perez P.C.

 Avram Salkin, a founding member of the firm, is recognized for his unparalleled excellence and integrity in the practice of tax law. He has over forty years of extensive experience in resolving complex Federal and state tax controversies and disputes, in structuring and negotiating complex transactional matters (including the acquisition and disposition of real estate and businesses), family wealth planning, estate planning and probate.

Recognizing a lifetime of achievements and contributions to the field of taxation, in 2003 the Taxation Section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association bestowed its highest honor on Avram Salkin, the Dana Latham Award. Mr. Salkin is a former Member of the Board of Governors for the Beverly Hills Bar Association and was the Chair for the Tax Advisory Commission for the California State Bar Board of Legal Specialization. He is a Past-Chair of both the Business Law Section and the Taxation Section of the Beverly Hills Bar Association and has served on the Executive Committee of the Taxation Section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association. Previously, he served as the Tax Articles Editor of the Los Angeles Lawyer and the Los Angeles County Bar Journal.

Avram Salkin’s many lectures include presentations at the ABA Section of Taxation, the University of Southern California Institute on Federal Taxation; California CPA Education Foundation Conferences (Member, Planning Committee, Pass-Thru Entities Conference); the Los Angeles County and Beverly Hills Bar Associations; programs by the California Continuing Education of the Bar on real estate taxation, professional corporations, partnership taxation, and tax procedure; and the California State University Continuing Education Program in real estate taxation. He has also written extensively on many tax-related subjects, including real estate taxation, S corporations, operating loss carryovers, employment tax issues, attorney-client privilege matters, and partnership tax issues.

Mr. Salkin is admitted to practice before the U.S. Tax Court, the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth and Fifth Circuits, and the U.S. Supreme Court. He received his undergraduate degree, with honors in accounting, from the University of California at Los Angeles and his law degree from the University of California, Berkeley. Avram Salkin holds an "A-V" rating from Martindale-Hubbell and is often referred to as "The Tax Lawyer’s Tax Lawyer."

Avram Salkin’s community activities include serving as Chair of the Board of Trustees of Winward School and serving on the Board of Directors of the Guardians of the Jewish Home for The Aging and American Friends of Tel Aviv University.


David Rice, Esq.
Managing Partner & Founder, Certified Specialist in Taxation
The Law Office of David Lee Rice

Mr. Rice has been in private practice since November 1979 as a tax professional. Prior to law school, Mr. Rice worked for the accounting firm of Coopers & Lybrand. Mr. Rice is the sole proprietor of the law firm of David Lee Rice, APLC, rated AV by Martindale & Hubbell, and is one of Los Angeles Magazine’s Super Lawyers for 2006-2015. Currently, Mr. Rice is in charge of the Tax Program at Cal Poly Pomona. Mr. Rice has taught on the Masters of Taxation Program at California State University at Northridge and Golden Gate University, as well as many courses at the University of West Los Angeles School of Law.

Mr. Rice is a Certified Specialist in Taxation with the State Bar of California and is also a Certified Elder Law Specialist in Elder Law.

Mr. Rice has published numerous articles, which have been published in the Tax Developments Journal, Journal of Tax Practice and Procedure, Journal of Taxation, the Estate Planning Journal, Practicing Law Institute, University of Southern California Tax Institute, UCLA Tax Institute, California Tax Lawyer, Los Angeles Lawyer, Association of Certified Family Law Specialists, the Daily Journal and Tax Notes.

He has drafted numerous papers for presentations to the IRS and Treasury concerning substantive changes to the Tax Code and the Treasury Regulations thereunder and has testified before the IRS, Department of Treasury, House Ways and Means Committee and Senate Finance Committee.

Mr. Rice has also lectured before the Internal Revenue Service, USC Tax Institute, Annual UCLA Tax Institute, American Bar Association, Annual Meeting of the California Tax Bar and California Tax Policy Conference, HELP, South Bay Bar Association, Beverly Hills Bar Association, Loyola Law School, California Society of CPAs, Orange County Society of CPAs, Estate Planning Counsels of Los Angeles, South Bay and San Fernando, Dean Whittier, Jewish Federation Council, Anti-Defamation League, Kaiser Permanente, Miller & Company, California State Bar Educational Institute, Annual California State Bar Meetings, the Los Angeles County Bar Association, COSMA, and before various Elder Care Groups sponsored with the Los Angeles County Bar Association in conjunction with the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors.

Mr. Rice is the former Chair to the Individual and Family Income Tax Section of the American Bar Association, the State Bar Income Tax Committee, the Los Angeles County Bar Association Committee on Procedure and Litigation, and the State Bar Committee on Procedure and Litigation.

He is also the former Commissioner and Chair of the Board of Legal Specialization Committee of the State Bar on Taxation. He is the former Chair of the Tax Section of the Beverly Hills Bar Association, and the Executive Committee of the Los Angeles County Bar Association’s Tax Section. He is a member of the following additional associations: The Planning Committee for the UCLA Tax Institute, the Planning Committee for California State University Polytechnic Pomona Tax Institute, the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, the California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform, the Beverly Hills Bar Association, the Los Angeles County Bar Association, South Bay Bar Association and the South Bay Estate Planning Council. He is the former Director on the Board of Directors of the Fibromyalgia Treatment Center, the Wellness Center in Redondo Beach, CA, and Former Trustee of the Board of Trustees of the University of West Los Angeles Law School.


Andrea Kushner Ross, Esq.
Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust & Probate Law & Taxation Law
Bernstein Private Wealth Management

Andrea Kushner Ross designs customized, multi-generational estate plans for high net worth clients. As her clients’ advocate, Andrea takes the time to understand her clients’ unique family and financial situations, and works with their advisors to craft plans that address her clients’ specific goals and concerns. She approaches each matter with a blend of compassion, creativity and straightforwardness, facilitating clear communication and efficient results.

As a certified specialist in both Taxation Law and Probate, Estate Planning and Trust Law by the California Board of Legal Specialization, Andrea’s knowledge enables her to implement her clients’ goals over the long term, bringing her clients peace of mind through thoughtful estate planning. With an LL.M. in taxation, Andrea is especially adept at tax exempt entity formation, international estate planning and charitable planning.

Andrea is a frequent lecturer on a wide range of topics in estate planning and tax planning, and currently serves as a Vice Chair on the Executive Committee of the Taxation Section of the State Bar of California.

Andrea has been selected for inclusion in "Southern California Super Lawyers" by Super Lawyers in 2013, 2014 and 2015, and has been rated "AV® Preeminent™ 5.0/5.0" on Martindale-Hubbell. She was also selected to the list of "Southern California Rising Stars" by Super Lawyers from 2009-2012.

Certified Specialist – Taxation Law, The State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization.

Certified Specialist – Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law, The State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization.

 


Gregory Zbylut, Esq.
Certified Legal Specialist in Taxation Law
Singer Burke Zimmer, LLP

Gregory Zbylut has been a Tax Manager with Singer Burke Zimmer, LLP since 2018. He is a Certified Public Accountant (IL) and Attorney at Law (IL & CA) with a Certification in Taxation Law (CA). He is a Martindale-Hubbell® AV-Preeminent®-rated attorney who focuses his practice on tax controversy, business transactions (including formations and dissolutions) and business litigation.

Greg’s work has repeatedly been recognized by his peers. He has been listed as a “Rising Star” (a peer-nominated distinction awarded to less than 2% of attorneys nationwide) every year since 2012, and in 2013 and 2014 was named one of Pasadena’s Top Attorneys.

Greg also participates in Bar delegations to Sacramento and Washington D.C., where he works with government officials to discuss current law from a practitioner’s perspective. Legislators have taken notice: in 2014, assembly bill 2244 (AB2244) was introduced in response to his presentation as part of the State Bar of California’s first Sacramento delegation in February 2013 (later published in the July 10, 2013 issue of State Tax Notes magazine, a Tax Analysts® publication). That presentation also led to his being invited to participate in the State Bar’s annual Eagle’s Lodge retreat, an invite-only event consisting of high-level state tax officials and private practitioners whose purpose is find solutions to tax issues affecting California taxpayers. On the federal tax side, he has traveled to Washington D.C. annually since 2012, presenting proposals on the Marketplace Fairness Act, late ‘S’ elections, and cancellation of debt.

One of Greg’s strengths is his ability to help business owners understand complex legal issues, a skill which comes from his extensive accounting background. In addition to being licensed in Illinois as a Certified Public Accountant, he spent 15 years in a variety of accounting positions for companies large and small, including Fortune 500 members Exelon and General Motors. His experience includes developing accounting structures for small companies, migration of the accounting software for a major corporation, cost reduction initiatives, budgeting and forecasting, and financial analysis. He holds an M.B.A. with an emphasis in International Business and Finance from Loyola University of Chicago’s Graduate School of Business.

 


 

Fees

CD INVENTORY CLOSE OUT SALE! 

SELECT CDS REDUCED – 60-94% OFF* 

Audio Course and Materials Package – Download: $650 $200

Audio Course and Materials Package – CD: $650 $100

CDs: plus $8.50 shipping and, in CA, sales tax.

 
*New orders only, while supplies last.

CLE Credit

 

CA General:  This program is approved for 6.25 units of general CLE in California.
CA Certified Legal Specialist:  This program is approved for 6.25 units of Certified Legal Specialist CLE in California in Tax Law as follows:

  • A/1.00; B/1.75; C/.50; D/.75; E/1.00; H/1.00; L/.25

This program is approved for CLE in the states listed above.  Upon request, Pincus Pro Ed will provide any information an attorney needs to support their application for CLE approval in other states other than what is listed above.

 

Terms and Policies

Recording policy: No audio or video recording of any program is permitted.

Seminar Cancellations: Should you be unable to attend for any reason, please inform us in writing no later than 14 days prior to the event and a credit voucher will be issued. If you prefer, a refund, less a $50 non-refundable deposit, will be issued. No refunds or credits will be given for cancellations received within 14 days of an event. However, if you notify us within 14 days of an event, and wish to convert your in-person attendance registration to an Audio CD package (with handout), we can do so. A small additional shipping charge, and sales tax in CA, will be incurred. No shipping charge is incurred for downloads. We will also issue a voucher for the amount paid if you notify us within 14 days and prefer not to have the audio recording.

Substitutions may be made at any time.

Webinars, Tele-seminars and Webcast Cancellations: Once log-in codes and passwords are issued for a webinar, tele-seminars or webcasts, a refund is not possible. If for any reason you cannot attend the event after you have received the codes, we will automatically convert your registration to an instant streaming/instant download or CD format and provide you with the information you need to access the recording after the program concludes and the recording is available.  Conversions to CD require a $8.50 shipping fee, and in CA, 9% sales tax.

Downloads/CDs/DVDs – Refund policy:

Downloads are non-returnable/non-refundable once purchased and received. Tapes, CDs and DVDs are returnable for a full refund or replacement if defective, within 90 days of purchase.

Reminder: The room temperature at hotels and other seminar locations are notoriously hard to control. Please bring a sweater or jacket in case it gets cold and/or layer as if you are going to the movies so you are comfortable.

$100.00$200.00 each

Recorded in 2015.

Clear