Syllabus Fall Semester 2009

Accounting 15: Individual Income Taxes 2009, Chapters 1-16, Accounting 16: Corporate Income Tax 2009, chapters 17-28 Instructor: Dr. Michael Schapa Office location: B220N Telephone: 310-434-4642 E-mail address schapam@roadrunner.com Required text: Title South-Western Federal Taxation 2010: Comprehensive, Volume 3 (with TaxCut Tax Preparation Software CD-ROM and Checkpoint 6-month Printed Access Card), 33rd Edition Willis/Hoffman/Maloney/Raabe ISBN-10:0-324-82861-6 ISBN-13:978-0-324-82861-0 2010 Casebound

Textbook : $190.49 eTextbook: $105.99 eChapters: $6.49 (ea)

You can also purchase the textbook for up to 15% off online at www.ichapters.com Just enter the ISBN 0324828616 and you will have a number of choices to choose from. Free shipping as well!!

Extra handout material: Please check the Doc. Sharing tab for Key Figures the Problems and answers to the Discussion Questions as well as special worksheets and other useful materials. I recommend that you make use of the IRS web site to obtain current and prior years forms. Much of tax work is done for "old" years, consequently some of the problems in the text book and my lectures will require prior year forms. The IRS address is www.irs.gov . This cite also has many excellent IRS publications that are written (believe it or not) in understandable English.

CLASS POLICIES This course is on MOUNTAIN TIME! So, 10pm, our time (PST), is the end of day. All correspond are via email rather than phone messages. If your issue is complicated, send me a brief email and describe you question. There are no office hours for online classes.

All correspondence via email must include: In the Subject line you MUST state Acct. 15 or 16, otherwise you will be blocked by anti Spam software. All emails must be signed with your First Name and Last name. Once the semester begins, I receive between 100-150 emails a day. On top of that, many people use only their screen names assuming that I would somehow know who they are. So to manage the volume of correspondence and block Spasm, I request that you include all the information listed above. Thanks. Dropping the class:
It is your responsibility to drop the course. Late drops or additions are NOT allowed. No Exceptions!!! Exam dates: All exams must be taken on designated dates. There are no makeup exams available. You have one drop exams which can be used for emergencies. More information on that later.

Because I regard this class as I would any job responsibility, I will hold you to strict standards of timeliness and ethics. In this regard, late work is unacceptable. Any assignment that is not submitted by the due date may receive zero points. With regard to ethical conduct, it is my sincere hope that no student in this class submits work which is not his or her own. Any assignment that is not written solely by the student whose name appears on the submission, will automatically receive a grade of zero (0) for the assignment. Similarly, if a student is determined to have cheated on an exam, the student will receive a score of "0" for the exam. Any requests for accommodation during the semester for such things as religious holidays or disability must be presented to the instructor in writing during the first week of the semester. The instructor reserves the right to make changes in this course schedule. Therefore, do not make any vacation or travel plans until the semester is officially over.

Course objective Demonstrate an ability to interpret IRSs rules and regulations. Demonstrate an ability to read and understand the Internal Revenue Code (IRC). Demonstrate an ability to read and interpret Tax Court cases. Analyze and interpret research material and be able to resolve income tax issues of moderate complexity. Gain the skills to pass the IRSs Enrolled Agents Exam and be well on your way in preparing to pass the tax law part of the CPA exam.

Note: This is not a Tax Preparation class. Learning how to fill out tax forms takes place on the job or weekend type seminars.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS When do classes meet? There are no scheduled on-campus or on-line class periods. The entire course is asynchronous and can be accessed at your convenience. Your only requirement is to complete assignments and exams as scheduled on the syllabus. Are the classes different from "on-campus" classes? NO. The content is identical. Only the delivery method differs. Your transcript will NOT identify this course as an online class. Is this method of delivery for everyone? Absolutely NOT. You must be a self-directed student who can plan their schedules to accommodate the deadlines outlined in the syllabus. It is very easy to fall behind in this course. Is an online course right for me? Students who are self-empowered are often successful at surviving the on-line experience and reaching the endpoint of their cyber course. Students who perform at his or her full potential, has high self-esteem, welcomes change and is willing to assume responsibility, make decisions, and express opinions, are successful cyber learners. What are some potential problems? Avoid traps. Don't set yourself up for doom by procrastinating, blaming others, mismanaging time or technology. Cyber students are often in multiple life roles and time is a valuable commodity. What are threaded discussions? (DUE TO MASSIVE WORKLOAD WE SKIP

THIS ASSIGNMENT IN ACCOUNTING 15 AND 16).

They are asynchronous class discussions, much like a bulletin board. You can respond to my comments or your classmates comments or questions. Post your responses and comments on the website. Do not email your responses. You participate at your leisure, but must complete them during the assigned time frames. What are the arranged hours? We have no arranged hours for this class. Will we ever meet on campus? No. Do we have to meet online at a specific time? No. How do I take exams? Over the Internet by logging on to your class and locating the tests as described in the test and homework schedule below. The tests consist of both multiple choice and true/false questions. Each test will be about 40 questions. Will I be able to see the correct answers for exam questions and will I be able to know which answers I got wrong?

No. The official policy of the business department is: To maintain the integrity of our
curriculum, please keep in mind that it is the policy of the Business Department not to give to students anything that contains standardized quiz, test, midterm or final exam questions and/or answers as well as answer keys to textbook and practice set problems. This policy also prohibits the placement of past tests in the Library. For accounting classes, the department has agreed that the answers to B questions may be distributed, but not those for A problems.

We all understand how important it is to see the answers to test questions you may have missed. However, since the tests are given online and therefore available for the whole world to see, giving the answers will render all future tests academically useless. If this policy is disagreeable to you, please consider signing up to our Acct. 15 land classes where the answers to the tests are disused at length. At this time we do not offer a land class for Acct. 16. Will I be able to get answers to the homework problems at the end of the chapter? Yes! You will find the answers posted in the Doc. Sharing tab.

Who should I contact if I am experiencing a technical problem on the SMConline website? You should email or call the Help Desk. Contacting me for answers will not solve the problem. I dont have the same administrative rights to view your minute-to-minute activity as they do. However, you can always cc: a copy of your correspondence to me. Tech Support Email: helpdesk@smconline.org Tech Support Phone: 1-303-873-0005 Where do the homework assignments come from? All questions come from the textbook at the end of each chapter. There are two types of assignments, Questions and Problems. Usually, you will complete all questions and every third problem. Do I need to buy the textbook? Yes. See Required Text above. Where do I begin? I am assuming you know how to log into the http://smconline.org. First and foremost, you must read the Course Syllabus thoroughly. Read the information carefully. I receive

many questions from students regarding questions already discussed in the syllabus. For example, "How do I send my homework?"
Read the information carefully. I receive many questions from students regarding issues detailed in the syllabus. For example, "How do I send my homework?" Once I am in the class website what do I do? Once you have entered your course, you will find the chapters listed on the left side of the web page. When you click on any chapter you will find the lecture, the assignments and other study tools such as a practice quiz, power point presentations, summaries etc. Make sure to use as many tools as possible. If I have not entered the site by the first week of school, are there any consequences? YES, you will be dropped. When are homework assignments due and how do I submit the homework to the professor? All homework is submitted in the Dropbox located at the top of the class WebPages at the same location as the Doc. Sharing tab. Homework assignments are due on the same day as your test. So homework assignments for chapters 1.2,3 are due on the date of test 1.

Where do I find my grades?

The Gradebook in the course shell. See the tabs on the top of the page once yo All homework is submitted in the Dropbox located at the top of the class WebPages at the same location as the Doc. Sharing tab. Homework assignments are due on the same day as your test. So homework assignments for chapters 14.15,16 are due on the date of test. If I have sent you email, but you have not responded? You will get a response within 12 hours. However, all correspondence must include your last name and class title such as Acct 15. I receive a large volume of email. Much of it is junk-mail. The only way I can distinguish between my students email and "junk" is by you following this request. Also, I do not respond to anonymous email. That is, people who only include their "email name", such as, "seacastle@aol.com.

How do I get an incomplete?

An Incomplete will be issued ONLY FOR DOCUMANTED MEDICAL REASONS. To get an Incomplete you must provide a copy from your doctor stating that you were unable to complete the class due to an extreme medical emergency. Without such a document an Incomplete will NOT be issued.

Unusual Technical Problem during the test

Some student have reported that during a test, usually in the multiple choice segment, the text appears in weird letters and symbols that looks like Greek letters, I would recommend that you follow the appropriate directions below to clear your browser's cache. Many times clearing your browser's cache files will help clear up issues or errors, such as you may experience. This is also a great process to follow on a daily or weekly basis to help keep your browser operating at an optimal performance level. First, go to a Website other than the online course site and then restart your computer after performing this maintenance. Instructions for PC: Internet Explorer: * Click on "Tools" at the top of the browser window, and choose "Internet Options." * Click on the "Delete Files" button to clear the cache. * Click "OK." Netscape Navigator: * Click on "Edit" at the top of the browser window, and then choose preferences. * Click on the plus sign next to advance. Underneath you will see "Cache." Click on this word. * Next, click the "Clear memory" and "Clear disk" buttons. Firefox:

* Click on "Tools" at the top of the browser window, and then choose Option. * Click the "Privacy" icon, then scroll to the bottom. * Click the "Clear" button to the right of the word "Cache".

With these issues out of the way, your online course should move along smoothly. The occasional Internet hiccups should not prevent you from doing well in the course. Please email me a short biography telling me a bit about yourself. One final note. Everyone comes to the class with different expectations. Let me address one of those expectations. An online course DOES duplicate the content of the traditional course, but NOT the delivery. An online course relies on the self-directed student completing the assignments, readings, and threads on their own time schedule while meeting the posted deadlines. It is very easy to fall behind in an online class. I will periodically send out reminders for exams and assignments.

Homework: In general, your homework will consist of:

Mandatory: Reading the text chapters and completing the practice quizzes. All
practice quizzes come with answers. Mandatory: Submit all the homework listed in the Homework document posted in the Doc Sharing tab. The homework assignments are due on the same day of the test. Thus, Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4 assignments are due on the same day as test #1. Chapters 4, 5, 6,7 assignments are due on the same day as test #2, etc. While the homework assignments are not a part of your total grade, you will loose a full grade for late or incomplete homework. For example, if your final class grade is 82 and your homework is less than satisfactory, your final grade for this class will be 72 or a C instead of a B. Make Sure to keep a record of all your scores!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Course Goals For most of you this will be the first tax course you will be taking. It will be an excellent experience for you in many respects. First and foremost, you will be introduced to an extremely challenging profession that is still above and beyond the comprehension of most people. Even Einstein professed that income taxes are beyond his comprehension. This course will undoubtedly make you smarter. You will learn a topic that most people are intimidated by. To summarize, the goal of this class is to provide you with the necessary skills required to understand the basic tax laws as they apply to individuals, corporations and other business entities. At the end of this course you will be able to prepare a

tax return of average difficulty. This course will also prepare you to take the Enrolled Agent Exam. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) gives this examination. When you pass this exam you will able to represent your tax clients before the IRS. So prepare yourself for a wild cerebral ride! Grading policies There will be a total of four tests. Your grade class will be based on three tests. You will be allowed to drop one test of the first three tests. The final (test #4) is not dropped. Thus your grade will be based on the best two out of three tests plus the final test. Each test is worth 33.3%. There will be about forty questions on each test. Test #4 is NOT cumulative. The grades are as follows: A=90-100 B=80-89 C=70-79 D=60-69 F=59 or less Courtesy Code: All e-correspondence must follow the standard business communications practices. Your emails should start with Dear professor, Mr. or Dr. and always end with a thank you for your help etc. It is not a good idea to call your teachers, or business contacts, by their first name unless specifically invited to do so. You never know how sensitive your contacts may be to be called by their first name. I expect you to follow rules of common courtesy in all your e-mail messages. If I deem any of them to be inappropriate, discourteous or offensive, I will forward that email to the online administrators and appropriate action will be taken, not excluding expulsion from the course. Student Responsibilities: Your primary responsibility is to complete the homework and submit the tests on time. Safeguards: Back up every piece of work you do on a disk. Also make sure that you print all your work. Heavy Internet use occurs during the evening hours of 8-10pm. You may want to log in at other times if possible. E-mail address security: Please be aware that your email address may be available to other students so that you can communicate with each other. If this is a problem for you should change your address after the end of the course. To change personal information or e-mail address: log on to your class in the usual manner. Click on Student Users Profile, and click on the Update with new values button. You can also drop the class using the same web page.

Throughout the semester I may be making changes to the test dates, reading and homework assignments. Make sure that you check your emails on regular basis and check for new announcements. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

TEST DATES AND HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENTS FOR ONLINE CLASSES ALL TESTS WILL BE ON A SATURDAY. FOR LAND CLASSES TEST DATES WILL BE DURING THE USUAL CLASS MEETINGS. CHECK THE TEST SCHEDULE IN THE ANNOUNCEMENT TAB
Note that the test dates may change at the last moment!!!!! All tests are 2.5 hours and consist of approximately 40 questions. All questions will be multiple choice. Online students will take the tests online through e-college. All on-line exams must be submitted by 6 PM LA time You must take the tests on designated dates. There are no alternative test dates. Look in the Announcements tab for test dates and updates.
You MUST save your Exam answers every 15 to 20 minutes. This is to be done by clicking on the SAVE ANSWERS button within the exam. Due to the technical design limitations of the eCollege site, this action on your part is REQUIRED to insure that all of your answers will be submitted without problem. If you do not save your answers every 15 to 20 minutes and have a technical problem, you will receive a grade of zero "0" on the exam. It is imperative that you save your Exam answers every 15 to 20 minutes.

Tests chapters for Acct 15

Test 1: Chapters 1, 2, 3,4. To find this test look under chapter 4 drop box.
Date: Check the Announcements tab. Homework for these chapters are due on test date.

Test 2: Chapters 5, 6,7,8. To find this test look under chapter 8 drop box.
Date: Check the Announcements tab. Homework for these chapters are due on test date.

Test 3: Chapters 9,10,11,12. To find this test look under chapter 12 drop box.
Date: Check the Announcements tab. Homework for these chapters are due on test date.

Test 4: Chapters 13,14,15,16. To find this test look under chapter 16 drop box.
Date: Check the Announcements tab. Homework for these chapters are due on test date.

Tests chapters for Acct 16

Test 1: Chapters 17,18,19. To find this test look under chapter 19 drop box.
Date: Check the Announcements tab. Homework for these chapters are due on test date.

Test 2: Chapters 20,21,22. To find this test look under chapter 22 drop box.
Date: Check the Announcements tab. Homework for these chapters are due on test date.

Test 3: Chapters 23,24,25 . To find this test look under chapter 25 drop box.
Date: Check the Announcements tab. Homework for these chapters are due on test date.

Test 4: Chapters 26,27,28. To find this test look under chapter 28 drop box.
Date: Check the Announcements tab. Homework for these chapters are due on test date.

Instructor information
Name: Dr. Michael Schapa Bio: Professor of Accounting and Income Tax, Santa Monica College, 25 years.

Former Field Exam Manager with the Internal Revenue Service, 8 years. Former Revenue Agent with the Internal Revenue Service, 7 years. MBA, Taxation. Named twice to Whos Who among American Teachers. Doctor of Education in Organizational Leadership. E-mail: schapam@roadrunner.com Office hours: Not available for online students.

CODE OF ACADEMIC CONDUCT AND REPORTING POLICY Santa Monica College, as a community-oriented, open-door, educational institution whose purpose is to educate and enlighten members of the community who seek knowledge, cannot and will not tolerate academic dishonesty. In order to uphold the academic integrity of the institution, all members of the academic community, faculty and students alike, must assume responsibility for providing an educational environment of the highest standards, characterized by a spirit of academic honesty; therefore, given this premise, under no circumstances will academic dishonesty be tolerated at this institution. ACADEMIC CONDUCT DEFINED Santa Monica College defines academic dishonesty as the act of or assistance in deceiving, including fraud or deception, in any academic exercise. This includes, but is not limited to, the following actions not authorized by the instructor or testing officer: Using testing aids such as calculators, tape recorders, or notes on any examination. Allowing another individual to assume ones identity for the purpose of enhancing ones grade in any of the following: testing, field trips, or attendance. Falsifying or attempting to falsify attendance records and/or grade rosters. Representing the words, ideas or work of another as ones own in any academic exercise (plagiarism), including the use of commercial term paper companies. Changing answers on a previously scored test, assignment, or experiment with the intent to defraud. Copying or allowing another student to copy from ones paper or answer sheet during an examination. Inventing information for the purpose of completing a laboratory experiment or case study analysis with the intent to defraud. Giving and/or taking information during an examination by any means including sign language, hand signals, secret codes, or electronic transmission. STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES The ultimate success of this code of academic conduct will depend in large part on the degree to which it is willingly endorsed and supported by students. In order to achieve this support, the following recommendations are made to the students of Santa Monica College. 1. Each student is responsible to conduct him/herself in a manner that encourages learning and prohibits academic dishonesty. 2. Each student is responsible to act with fairness towards other students in the classroom, including the notion that students should not seek an unfair advantage over other SMC students

when completing an assignment, taking an examination, or engaging in any other kind of academic activity. CONSEQUENCES FOR VIOLATING ACADEMIC CONDUCT Given an alleged violation of academic honesty, any or all of the following actions may be imposed: 1. The instructor may assign a failing grade to the examination or assignment in which the alleged cheating or plagiarism occurred. 2. In more serious instances, the instructor may assign a failing grade for the course, upon consultation with the Department Chair. 3. The instructor may dismiss the student from the class or activity for the present and/or following class session. 4. In more severe incidents of academic dishonesty, including but not limited to impersonation, stealing exams or research papers, or repeated violations, the College disciplinarian may suspend or recommend expulsion of a student from the College. FACULTY RESPONSIBILITIES In order to maintain an environment free of academic dishonesty, the following recommendations are made to faculty regarding their responsibility to uphold the academic integrity of Santa Monica College: 1. Make every attempt to conduct your classroom in a manner that encourages honorable behavior and learning to ensure student success and discourage academic dishonesty; 2. Inform students of the course requirements, grading procedures, and expectations for acceptable academic conduct and behavior; 3. Inform students of the SMC policy on academic conduct and the consequences to be implemented if any behavior counter to the policy occurs; and 4. Inform students of their right to due process should they wish to contest a cheating allegation. REPORTING A VIOLATION Given an incident of academic dishonesty, a faculty member is encouraged to adhere to the following procedure: 1. Inform the student of the nature of the alleged violation and the impending course of action. 2. Complete the Academic Dishonesty Report Form and submit, along with any related evidence, the first copy to the College disciplinarian and the second copy of the form to the student within ten (10) working days of the allegation. The College disciplinarian will, in turn, send copies to the campus ombudsperson and the department chair, and place a copy in the students disciplinary records as defined in the Student Conduct Appeals Procedures. This information shall remain a part of the students records for up to two years, providing there are no further acts of misconduct. APPEAL PROCEDURE Given an alleged violation of academic honesty, a Santa Monica College student has the right to appeal the action taken by the faculty member through the appeal procedures established by the College. 1. Whenever the penalty for academic dishonesty involves a failing grade for an examination, an assignment or the course, the accused student has five (5) working days after notification of the allegation and penalty to appeal it. He or she shall be provided the opportunity for a conference

with the campus ombudsperson (or designee), faculty member involved, and department chair (or designee). Such a conference will be arranged by the campus ombudsperson (or designee) at the request of the student, and notice will be given to all participating members at least twenty-four (24) hours prior to the scheduled appointment. 2. If the conference yields no informal resolution satisfactory to the student, the student may file a formal Petition for of Grade with the Dean of Admissions and Records. Such a filing must be made within ninety (90) calendar days following the filing date of the Academic Dishonesty Report Form. For further information regarding this procedure, please refer to the Grade Appeals process as outlined in the Santa Monica College Administrative Regulations.

No make-up exams are given, regardless of excuse or emergency.