CPA TCP — U.S. - Tax Compliance and Planning Study Plan
A practical CPA TCP study plan for 7-day, 14-day, 30-day, and 60/90-day preparation, with daily tax practice, missed-question review, and mock exam timing.
How to use this Study Plan
This Study Plan is for candidates preparing for the AICPA U.S. CPA TCP - Tax Compliance and Planning exam, exam code CPA TCP. It is written for candidates who need a practical schedule for tax compliance, planning, entity taxation, basis, property transactions, professional responsibilities, and applied tax scenarios.
Use it in two steps:
- Pick the plan that matches your remaining calendar time.
- Follow the daily rhythm: learn or refresh the rule, practice it under time, review missed questions, and retest the same concept later.
This is an independent study planning resource. Always align your topic list with the current AICPA CPA TCP materials and your exam review course.
Which plan should you use?
| Time left | Best for | Main goal | Mock exam approach | Main risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 days | You have already studied most TCP content | Final review, weak-topic repair, timing control | 0-1 full timed mock, plus targeted timed sets | Trying to learn too much new tax law too late |
| 14 days | You know the basics but have uneven retention | Focused topic repair and mixed practice | 1 full mock plus one timed mini-mock | Spending too long rereading instead of practicing |
| 30 days | You need a balanced content and practice cycle | Cover, practice, integrate, then simulate | 2 full mocks, with full review days | Not reviewing missed questions deeply enough |
| 60 days | You are starting early but can study steadily | Full pass through TCP with repeated retrieval | 2-3 full mocks near the end | Delaying mixed practice until the final week |
| 90 days | You want a slower schedule around work or busy season | Full preparation with spaced review | 3+ spaced mocks and cumulative drills | Forgetting early tax topics before final review |
Build your CPA TCP topic map first
Before choosing daily tasks, divide your materials into a workable topic map. A practical CPA TCP map should include the areas below, adjusted to match your current study provider and AICPA materials.
| Topic group | What to practice | Common study mistake |
|---|---|---|
| Individual tax compliance and planning | Filing facts, income, deductions, credits, limitations, timing choices, retirement and investment issues | Memorizing isolated rules without client-fact scenarios |
| Entity tax compliance | C corporations, S corporations, partnerships, taxable income, separately stated items, book-tax adjustments, estimated tax logic | Confusing entity-level and owner-level consequences |
| Basis and loss limitations | Stock basis, debt basis, outside basis, inside basis, at-risk rules, passive activity logic, ordering rules | Skipping the order of operations |
| Property transactions | Amount realized, adjusted basis, recognized gain or loss, character, depreciation, recapture, related-party issues | Calculating the number but missing character or recognition treatment |
| Entity transactions and planning | Formation, contributions, distributions, liquidations, redemptions, choice of entity, compensation versus distributions | Treating every entity type the same |
| Tax procedure, professional responsibilities, and documentation | Preparer responsibilities, penalties, disclosure, documentation, taxpayer representation concepts, tax authority vocabulary | Reading passively instead of applying the standard to facts |
| Simulation-style tax tasks | Workpapers, forms-based facts, reconciliations, multi-step computations, client advisory scenarios | Practicing only short multiple-choice questions |
Recommended weekly study time
| Plan | Minimum realistic time | Better target | Suggested weekly pattern |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7-day final review | 10-12 total hours | 15-20 total hours | Daily focused blocks, one rest-light evening |
| 14-day focused plan | 18-25 total hours | 25-35 total hours | 10-12 study sessions plus one full mock |
| 30-day balanced plan | 35-50 total hours | 50-70 total hours | 5 study days, 1 review/mock day, 1 buffer day per week |
| 60-day full path | 60-90 total hours | 90-120 total hours | 4-5 study sessions per week |
| 90-day full path | 70-110 total hours | 110-140 total hours | 3-5 study sessions per week with spaced review |
If your available time is below the minimum, narrow the plan: prioritize basis, entity taxation, property transactions, individual planning, and missed-question review over rereading full chapters.
Daily practice rhythm
Use the same structure almost every study day. TCP rewards repeated application more than one-time reading.
60-minute study block
| Minutes | Task | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| 0-5 | Recall warm-up | Write 3-5 rules or formulas from memory before opening notes |
| 5-20 | Focused review | Read only the rule set you will practice today |
| 20-45 | Timed practice | Complete a targeted set of tax questions or one small simulation-style task |
| 45-55 | Missed-question review | Log every miss, guess, and slow question |
| 55-60 | Retest plan | Schedule the topic for retest in 2-4 days |
2-hour study block
| Minutes | Task | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| 0-10 | Error-log warm-up | Redo 3 old misses without notes |
| 10-35 | Rule review | Review one narrow TCP topic, not a whole chapter |
| 35-75 | Targeted practice | Complete a timed topic set |
| 75-100 | Simulation or case practice | Work one multi-step tax scenario, workpaper, or form-based task |
| 100-115 | Explanation review | Read explanations for wrong and guessed-right answers |
| 115-120 | Summary | Add one rule, one calculation pattern, and one trap to your notes |
3-hour study block
| Minutes | Task | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| 0-15 | Memory drill | Basis formulas, ordering rules, entity distinctions |
| 15-55 | New or weak topic | Study the rule and examples |
| 55-105 | Timed targeted practice | Complete a larger set without notes |
| 105-120 | Break | Step away from the screen |
| 120-160 | Simulation-style practice | Complete one longer tax task |
| 160-175 | Review explanations | Focus on why the correct answer wins |
| 175-180 | Update plan | Choose tomorrow’s weak-topic target |
Core calculation drills to repeat
For CPA TCP, calculation practice should be short, frequent, and cumulative. Do not wait until the final week to practice computations.
Key formulas and structures should be written from memory regularly:
\[ \text{Ending basis} = \text{Beginning basis} + \text{Increases} - \text{Decreases} \]\[ \text{Realized gain or loss} = \text{Amount realized} - \text{Adjusted basis} \]\[ \text{Taxable income adjustment} = \text{Book amount} + \text{Additions} - \text{Subtractions} \]| Drill | What to practice | Review question |
|---|---|---|
| Basis rollforward | Beginning basis, contributions, income, losses, distributions, liabilities, ending basis | Did you apply increases and decreases in the correct order? |
| Gain or loss computation | Amount realized, adjusted basis, recognized amount, character | Did you separate realized from recognized gain? |
| Entity comparison | Partnership, S corporation, C corporation consequences | Is the tax paid at the entity level, owner level, or both? |
| Distribution treatment | Dividend, return of capital, gain, basis reduction | What fact changes the tax result? |
| Book-tax adjustments | Permanent versus temporary differences, taxable income reconciliation | Did you start from the correct income number? |
| Loss limitations | Basis, at-risk, passive activity, carryforward logic | Which limitation applies first? |
| Planning scenarios | Timing of income, deductions, entity choice, compensation, distributions | What is the client objective and constraint? |
| Documentation and disclosure | Penalty avoidance, preparer responsibilities, authority support | What must be documented before taking the position? |
Missed-question review method
Do not just mark a question wrong and move on. CPA TCP misses usually come from one of five causes: missed fact, wrong tax rule, wrong entity type, calculation order error, or time pressure.
Use this review process for every missed or guessed-right question:
- Re-answer before reading the explanation. Identify the exact point where you became unsure.
- Classify the miss. Use one category: rule, calculation, fact pattern, entity distinction, terminology, timing, or careless.
- Write the corrected rule in your own words. Keep it short.
- Add a trigger phrase. Example: “distribution exceeds basis,” “separately stated,” “related party,” “book income,” or “passive loss.”
- Redo the question 48-72 hours later. If you miss it again, convert it into a flashcard or mini-drill.
- Retest in a mixed set. You are not done until you can answer it when the topic is not announced.
| Error-log field | Example entry |
|---|---|
| Topic | S corporation basis |
| Miss type | Ordering rule |
| What I did wrong | Reduced basis before adding income items |
| Correct rule | Apply basis increases and decreases in the correct sequence |
| Trigger words | Shareholder basis, losses, distributions |
| Retest date | 3 days later |
| Status | Missed again / fixed / needs simulation practice |
When to use timed mock exams
Timed mocks are useful only if you review them deeply. A full mock without review is mostly a stamina exercise.
| Plan | Mock timing | How to use it |
|---|---|---|
| 7 days | 3-4 days before the exam only if you have already covered most content | Use it to confirm pacing and identify final weak topics; do not let it consume all review time |
| 14 days | One timed mini-mock around Day 7 and one full timed mock around Day 11 | Review every miss before doing more new questions |
| 30 days | Full mocks around Days 18-21 and Days 25-27 | Use the first mock to guide repair; use the second to confirm readiness |
| 60 days | One mock after the first full content pass, then 1-2 in the final two weeks | Leave at least one full day after each mock for review |
| 90 days | One early diagnostic, one mid-course mock, and 2-3 final-phase mocks | Track recurring weak topics across time, not just the latest score |
Mock review should take at least as long as the mock itself. For each missed item, ask:
- Was the rule unknown, or did you fail to recognize the fact pattern?
- Did you choose the wrong taxpayer, entity, or year?
- Did you calculate correctly but answer the wrong tax question?
- Did you run out of time because you overworked an early question?
- Is the topic weak enough to schedule a focused drill within 48 hours?
7-day final review plan
Use this only if you have already completed most CPA TCP content. With one week left, your priority is recall, accuracy, and timing. Stop adding broad new material after Day 4 unless it is a critical recurring weakness.
| Day | Focus | Study actions |
|---|---|---|
| Day 7 | Diagnostic and triage | Take a timed mixed set. Sort misses into individual, entity, basis, property, planning, and procedure. Build a final-week hit list. |
| Day 6 | Individual tax and planning | Drill income, deductions, credits, limitations, timing, and client-fact scenarios. Review missed individual tax questions. |
| Day 5 | Entity compliance | Drill C corporation, S corporation, and partnership differences. Focus on taxable income, separately stated items, and owner versus entity treatment. |
| Day 4 | Basis and property transactions | Redo basis rollforwards, gain/loss computations, depreciation and recapture concepts, distributions, and loss limitation questions. |
| Day 3 | Timed mock or timed mixed blocks | If stamina is a concern, take one timed mock. If not, complete two or three timed mixed blocks and review them fully. |
| Day 2 | Weak-topic repair | Review only your error log, formula sheet, entity comparison chart, and repeated misses. Do not open a new chapter unless absolutely necessary. |
| Day 1 | Light final review | Do short recall drills, review logistics, and stop heavy studying early. Avoid late-night cramming. |
Final 24-hour rule: no new comprehensive material. Use light recall, a few confidence-building questions, and exam logistics.
14-day focused plan
The 14-day plan is for candidates who have seen the material before but need structure, repetition, and timed practice.
| Day | Focus | Study actions |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Diagnostic and plan setup | Complete a timed mixed diagnostic. Build your topic map and error log. Identify your top 5 weak areas. |
| 2 | Individual income and deductions | Practice client-fact questions. Separate taxable, excluded, deductible, limited, and nondeductible items. |
| 3 | Individual planning and limitations | Drill credits, loss limits, timing issues, retirement and investment planning concepts where relevant. |
| 4 | Property transactions | Practice basis, amount realized, recognized gain or loss, character, depreciation, recapture, and related-party scenarios. |
| 5 | Partnerships and S corporations | Drill basis, separately stated items, distributions, losses, and owner-level consequences. |
| 6 | C corporations and book-tax | Practice taxable income reconciliation, distributions, entity-level tax logic, and planning distinctions. |
| 7 | Timed mini-mock | Take a timed cumulative set. Spend the second session reviewing every miss and guessed-right answer. |
| 8 | Entity planning | Compare entity choices, compensation versus distributions, formation, liquidation, and transaction planning facts. |
| 9 | Procedure and professional responsibilities | Drill preparer responsibilities, penalties, disclosure, documentation, authority, and taxpayer representation vocabulary. |
| 10 | Simulation-style practice | Complete longer tax scenarios with workpapers, forms-based facts, and multi-step calculations. |
| 11 | Full timed mock | Simulate exam conditions as closely as practical. Mark slow questions for pacing review. |
| 12 | Mock review | Do not start new content. Review the mock by topic and write corrected rules into your error log. |
| 13 | Final mixed practice | Complete shorter timed mixed sets. Redo old misses. Memorize your personal formula and ordering-rule sheet. |
| 14 | Light review | Review high-confidence notes, logistics, and timing strategy. Stop heavy work early. |
30-day balanced plan
The 30-day plan gives you enough time for one structured content pass, repeated practice, and mock-based repair.
| Days | Focus | Deliverable |
|---|---|---|
| 1-2 | Setup and diagnostic | Timed diagnostic, topic map, study calendar, initial error log |
| 3-6 | Individual tax compliance | Targeted practice sets and one-page individual tax summary |
| 7 | Individual planning review | Mixed individual tax set and missed-question repair |
| 8-11 | Partnership and S corporation taxation | Basis chart, entity comparison table, targeted practice |
| 12-14 | C corporation taxation and book-tax | Taxable income reconciliation drills and distribution questions |
| 15 | Cumulative review | Timed mixed set covering Days 3-14 |
| 16-18 | Property transactions | Gain/loss, basis, character, depreciation, and recapture drills |
| 19-20 | Entity transactions and planning | Formation, distributions, liquidations, choice-of-entity scenarios |
| 21 | Timed mini-mock | Mixed timed set plus full explanation review |
| 22-23 | Procedure, ethics, documentation | Penalties, disclosure, preparer responsibilities, authority vocabulary |
| 24 | Full timed mock 1 | Simulate exam timing; flag pacing issues |
| 25 | Mock 1 review | Error-log update and weak-topic ranking |
| 26-27 | Weak-topic repair | Drill your lowest topics and redo old misses |
| 28 | Full timed mock 2 or timed mixed blocks | Confirm timing and reduce repeated errors |
| 29 | Final review | Formula sheet, entity comparison chart, error log, high-yield notes |
| 30 | Light review and logistics | Short recall only; no heavy new material |
Weekly rhythm for the 30-day plan:
| Day type | Task |
|---|---|
| 3 content days | Learn or refresh one topic, then complete targeted practice |
| 1 application day | Work simulation-style tax problems |
| 1 cumulative day | Timed mixed set and error-log review |
| 1 buffer day | Catch up or redo missed questions |
| 1 lighter day | Rest, flashcards, or short formula recall |
60/90-day full preparation path
Use this path if you are starting earlier or balancing study with work. The main advantage is spaced repetition: you can revisit basis, entity taxation, and property rules multiple times before final review.
| Phase | 60-day timing | 90-day timing | Focus | Deliverable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Setup and diagnostic | Week 1 | Weeks 1-2 | Diagnostic, study calendar, topic map, baseline weak areas | Error log and first priority list |
| Individual tax | Week 2 | Weeks 3-4 | Individual compliance, planning, limitations, client facts | Individual tax summary and timed topic sets |
| Entity tax compliance | Weeks 3-4 | Weeks 5-6 | Partnerships, S corporations, C corporations, book-tax, owner consequences | Entity comparison chart and basis drills |
| Property and basis integration | Week 5 | Weeks 7-8 | Property transactions, gain/loss, character, depreciation, distributions, loss limits | Basis and property calculation packet |
| Planning and procedure | Week 6 | Weeks 9-10 | Entity planning, transaction planning, documentation, penalties, disclosure, professional responsibilities | Scenario notes and procedure checklist |
| Mixed practice and mock repair | Week 7 | Week 11 | Full mock, cumulative timed sets, error-log repair | Mock review report and weak-topic drill list |
| Final review | Week 8 | Week 12 | Redo misses, formulas, ordering rules, simulations, light final review | Final formula sheet and exam-day pacing plan |
60-day weekly structure
| Study session | Task |
|---|---|
| Session 1 | Learn or review one TCP topic |
| Session 2 | Targeted timed practice on that topic |
| Session 3 | Simulation-style or multi-step tax task |
| Session 4 | Mixed cumulative practice |
| Session 5, if available | Error-log repair and formula recall |
90-day weekly structure
| Study session | Task |
|---|---|
| Session 1 | Content review or lecture/reading |
| Session 2 | Targeted practice |
| Session 3 | Cumulative mixed practice |
| Session 4, if available | Simulation task or old-miss review |
For a 90-day schedule, do not spend all 90 days reading. Begin cumulative mixed practice by the end of the first month.
Final-week rules
Follow these rules during the last week, regardless of which plan you used:
- Stop adding broad new material 3-4 days before the exam.
- Keep practicing, but shift from learning to retrieval.
- Redo old misses before doing large numbers of new questions.
- Review explanations for questions you guessed correctly.
- Practice entity comparison daily: partnership versus S corporation versus C corporation.
- Write basis and gain/loss structures from memory.
- Do at least some timed work, but do not exhaust yourself with repeated full mocks.
- Avoid changing your entire strategy based on one bad practice set.
- Sleep and pacing matter. Fatigue creates calculation errors.
Exam-readiness checks
You are closer to ready when you can do the following without notes:
| Readiness check | What “ready” looks like |
|---|---|
| Explain tax treatment | You can state why the correct answer is right and why the distractors are wrong |
| Handle entity distinctions | You know whether the consequence occurs at the entity level, owner level, or both |
| Apply ordering rules | You can work basis, losses, and distributions in sequence |
| Read client facts | You identify the taxpayer, entity, year, transaction type, and planning objective |
| Complete timed sets | You can keep moving without over-investing in one difficult question |
| Review simulations | You can find relevant facts in a longer scenario and build a workpaper-style answer |
| Avoid repeated misses | Your error log shows fewer repeat errors in the same rule family |
If you fail one readiness check, schedule a focused repair block. If you fail several, reduce new material and spend more time on mixed practice plus explanation review.
Practical next step
Choose your time path, take a timed mixed CPA TCP diagnostic, and build an error log today. Your next study session should target the weakest tax topic from that diagnostic, followed by timed practice and a scheduled retest of every missed question.