[Linda]

Has anyone taken or heard anything about the courses offered by The Knowledge Bureau? http://www.knowledge...om/HomePage.asp

Are they any good? I am considering the corporate income tax course.
TIA

[spenceh]

Linda, on Dec 6 2008, 10:18 PM, said:

Has anyone taken or heard anything about the courses offered by The Knowledge Bureau? http://www.knowledge...om/HomePage.asp

Are they any good? I am considering the corporate income tax course.
TIA

I have taken a half day session with Evelyn Jacks which proved to be line by line matching of slips and income. T4's go on on line 101; T5's on Line 121. It was a waste of money.

[D.F. (Nick) Lapenna]

I completed that course, plus some others with The Knowledge Bureau.

The courses are OK if you just want to fill in the blanks and let the software "do" the tax returns.

In my opinion, on a scale of 1 to 10, I would rate it 6.5.

My suggestion is to look at other alternatives.

Ciao!

[Norine Harty]

spenceh, on Dec 7 2008, 07:33 AM, said:

I have taken a half day session with Evelyn Jacks which proved to be line by line matching of slips and income. T4's go on on line 101; T5's on Line 121. It was a waste of money.

As part of The Knowledge Bureau team, I was sorry to read Ms. Spence’s posting. I have personally contacted Ms. Spence to find out how we could have made her experience better.

Regarding our semi-annual professional updating workshops, our goal is to provide practical, relevant and immediate training for professionals and their team members. We are very responsive to their suggestions for specific content and improvement. Our students find the workshops informative and the presenters polished and engaging. To read recent comments, go to http://www.knowledge...ourse=Workshops. We are also proud of the fact that many experts including journalists and other educational organizations do attend our seminars and workshops and report on them to their constituencies.

Our National Workshop Tour presenters include noted and experienced writers, educators, and professionals from many industry ranks including CAs, CGA’s, CFPs, CLU’s and trust and estate lawyers who provide cutting edge information on a number of topics including tax preparation and tax planning for individuals and corporate owner-managers, real wealth management, retirement and investment income planning and debt management. These events are also excellent ones for business networking and sharing of knowledge-specific experiences.

The Knowledge Bureau Self Study Courses offer certificate training in several specialties including Personal and Corporate tax preparation and planning, Basic and Advanced Bookkeeping, Retirement, Investment, and Estate Planning. Our courses are backed by a Money Back Guarantee and we offer personalized services to help students make the best educational decision for their time and money. We are happy to provide a Personal Professional Development Consultation free of charge, and invite those who are interested to contact us by phone toll free at 1-866-953-4769.

Norine Harty
General Manager
The Knowledge Bureau

[spenceh]

Norine Harty, on Dec 16 2008, 08:05 AM, said:

As part of The Knowledge Bureau team, I was sorry to read Ms. Spence’s posting. I have personally contacted Ms. Spence to find out how we could have made her experience better.

Norine Harty
General Manager
The Knowledge Bureau

I was indeed contacted and offered an opportunity to take the current line by line course. If it was a waste of my time then, I don't see why I would want to take it again.... :wacko:

[MaryMadsen]

Linda, on Dec 6 2008, 09:18 PM, said:

Has anyone taken or heard anything about the courses offered by The Knowledge Bureau? http://www.knowledge...om/HomePage.asp

Are they any good? I am considering the corporate income tax course.
TIA

I have taken 6 courses with the Knowledge Bureau and attained DFA certification as a Bookkeeping Specialist. I found this course to be very informative. There is a lot more involved than filling in the blanks and letting the software do the work. This course teaches the rules, regulations, and theory behind preparing a corporate tax return, in a variety of scenarios. I have been able to take what I learned in this course and prepare corporate returns without using software. To me that is the mark of a good course!

Mary Madsen, DFA

[spenceh]

MaryMadsen, on Dec 16 2008, 06:38 PM, said:

I have taken 6 courses with the Knowledge Bureau and attained DFA certification as a Bookkeeping Specialist. I found this course to be very informative. There is a lot more involved than filling in the blanks and letting the software do the work. This course teaches the rules, regulations, and theory behind preparing a corporate tax return, in a variety of scenarios. I have been able to take what I learned in this course and prepare corporate returns without using software. To me that is the mark of a good course!

Mary Madsen, DFA

My course was a T1 course where T4's end up on line 101, T5's - line 121, etc.

[D.F. (Nick) Lapenna]

spenceh, on Dec 16 2008, 09:36 PM, said:

My course was a T1 course where T4's end up on line 101, T5's - line 121, etc.

I have taken the six courses and attained DFA certification also.

My take on this discussion, and the different opinions offered is as follows;

"It depends on your starting point and experience."

I was an experienced tax preparer before I took the courses, consequently, I give them a low rating.

I have taken the "line by line", one day seminars, a couple of times because they occur during January when I am not at all busy. It is an opportunity to meet my peers, and, "shake out the cobwebs" (quote) before the season starts. As a learning experience, solely, I would give it a low rating also.

The Knowledge Bureau receives very high marks from me if offering the relevent courses to a novice.......but a seasoned Tax Preparer is better armed with a copy of the current "CCH Preparing Your Income Tax Returns".

The Knowledge Bureau is a well run and respected organization. Evelyn Jacks is tops in her field. I have never met nor heard of anyone else (single person) more versed and fluent in Canadian Tax matters.

I know Linda, who started this thread, is a seasoned Tax Preparer. That is why I suggested she explore alternatives.

There is no shoe that fits everybody!

Ciao!

[TAP]

Hi Linda;

I find it amazing how your question regarding the Knowledge Bureau Corporate Tax Course has as yet to be answered. I will answer this question as it appears that the majority of responses address everything but.

The corporate tax course offered through the Knowledge Bureau is an in-depth analysis of the theory and application of the Income Tax Act, dealing with the various issues specific to corporations. The course is progressive, which means by the time you complete it, you will have the knowledge and information available to you to complete probably 95% of the T2 returns required for Canadian Controlled Private Corporations. If you are looking for a "how to fill in the blanks" course, this is not for you. Software is used, but in no way prepares a return for you. The course teaches you to think and apply the options available within the structure of the ITA to achieve the return to the best overall advantage of the client.

Additionally, you will require a working knowledge of financial statements and corporate structures or you will find the course difficult. The Knowledge Bureau also offers bookkeeping courses that deal with financial statements.

From a personal prospective, I have been doing this more than 30 years, structure and file ~275 corporate returns and 1,400 plus personal returns annually. College and University courses that I have encountered do not come close to creating the level of thought required in the KB courses, which is why my entire staff is trained through the Knowledge Bureau; after their formal educations.

Hope this helps ... if you require any additional input, I can be reached through http://www.theaccountingplace.net

Alan Rowell, DFA
The Accounting Place

[JohnNP]

TAP, on Dec 24 2008, 01:30 PM, said:

The corporate tax course offered through the Knowledge Bureau is an in-depth analysis of the theory and application of the Income Tax Act, dealing with the various issues specific to corporations. The course is progressive, which means by the time you complete it, you will have the knowledge and information available to you to complete probably 95% of the T2 returns required for Canadian Controlled Private Corporations. If you are looking for a "how to fill in the blanks" course, this is not for you. Software is used, but in no way prepares a return for you. The course teaches you to think and apply the options available within the structure of the ITA to achieve the return to the best overall advantage of the client.
Alan Rowell, DFA

ONE little 30 hour course gives a person "in-depth analysis of the theory and application of the Income Tax Act" ?

way too much rum & eggnog too soon this christmas season, alan

[Linda]

Thanks for the replies Nick & Spenceh. I thought I was tracking this thread, but I never got the emails and I just found the replies.

I'm quite amused by the number of people who joined to make one post. :blink:

I'm actually not very experienced in corporate returns. I probably will sign up for the course when I have a spare 30 hours. I couldn't find anything else on the 'net.

[Gordon Wiber]

Consider the CICA in depth tax course, not a better course out there to learn the mechanics of the ITA and learn multiple planning strategies, not a line by line course.

http://www.cica.ca/1.../2/index1.shtml

[Linda]

Gordon Wiber, on Mar 11 2009, 03:59 PM, said:

Consider the CICA in depth tax course, not a better course out there to learn the mechanics of the ITA and learn multiple planning strategies, not a line by line course.

http://www.cica.ca/1.../2/index1.shtml

Thanks for the suggestion. I'm not a CA, so I didn't know about that. But, the tuition is way out of my league.

[spenceh]

Gordon Wiber, on Mar 11 2009, 08:59 AM, said:

Consider the CICA in depth tax course, not a better course out there to learn the mechanics of the ITA and learn multiple planning strategies, not a line by line course.

http://www.cica.ca/1.../2/index1.shtml

I note this course has restrictions regarding those who can take. it. :(

I took a CA course a couple of years ago on Corporate Tax issues and am VERY glad I did. In some areas I knew more that others in the class and in other areas I was presented with information that was new to me or long forgotten. It was a good refresher and update class.

I would actually be interested in the course you suggested but it appears as an RPA, I may well be excluded.

[unknown]

Have wanted to take this course for years....

If only I could find the time...

Perhaps I should yet set aside the time...

[dunner]

spenceh, on Mar 11 2009, 04:51 PM, said:

I note this course has restrictions regarding those who can take. it. :(
I would actually be interested in the course you suggested but it appears as an RPA, I may well be excluded.

I took the Indepth Tax Course (early '90's) and at that time it wasn't restricted in terms of prof membership because I attended with a CGA who I worked with at that time. It was an excellent course and gives you a very good grounding in tax. It's expensive, though.

[Reg]

I also took the in-depth course many years ago (more than I want to think about). Costly, but worth every penny

[Dan Reynen]

Consider taking it through Athabasca. I believe they use the same text book as the CICA and they are a long time distance education University. The text book itself is available by Byrd and Chen and is a great read even for old timers who have been doing this since 1980. Good refresher. I also like Income Taxation in Canada as well as the CCH Preparing Your Income Tax, Personal and Corporate.

[Cleom]

Linda, on 07 December 2008 - 12:18 AM, said:

Has anyone taken or heard anything about the courses offered by The Knowledge Bureau? http://www.knowledge...om/HomePage.asp

Are they any good? I am considering the corporate income tax course.
TIA

I took the corporate tax course through the knowledge bureau and it was not worth it.