2009 Registration Now Open!

Frequently Asked Questions

General Information

1. Is the Tax School Office affiliated with a University?
   • The Tax School is sponsored by University of Illinois Extension and the Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics at Urbana-Champaign.
2. How many years has the Tax School been in business?
   • Since 1940 the University of Illinois Extension has sponsored annual Tax Schools.
   • The program began as basic taxation instruction for farmers who prepared their own taxes.
   • Over the years, it evolved into a professional continuing education program for income tax practitioners, and includes both farm and non-farm taxation content.
   • Annually, approximately 6,000 practitioners attend Illinois Tax Schools. See Tax School History for further history on the Illinois Tax School.
3. I'm in a wheelchair (or have other special needs). How do I arrange for assistance at the seminar?
   • Individuals who need special accommodations should contact the Tax School Office at (217) 333-0502 at least two weeks prior to the event.
4. Is there a "dress-code"?
   • There is no "dress-code." Meeting room temperatures may vary so layered clothing is recommended for comfort.
5. Is smoking permitted in the meeting rooms?
   • In accordance with Illinois state law, smoking is not permitted in the meeting rooms.
6. I need to be able to take calls while I'm at the seminar. Is there a problem if I bring a cell phone or pager?
   • All cell phones, pagers and palm pilots must be silenced.
   • Participants who need to provide a method for being contacted in an emergency may use the facilities phone number. Facility phone numbers are included on the page for locations.
   • Participants who bring cell phones or pagers that make noise, will be asked to leave the room.
7. Are my personal belongings safe in the meeting room during lunch breaks and overnight?
   • No. It is best not to leave personal belongings unattended in meeting rooms during lunch breaks or overnight. Tax School will not be held responsible for items left unattended.
   • Participants are encouraged to write their names in the workbook to avoid confusion over workbook ownership.

CPE Credit

1. When will I receive my Certificate of Attendance for CPE purposes?
   • Every effort will be made to issue Certificates of Attendance in a timely manner. In most cases, certificates are emailed after the conclusion of all seminars.
2. Why does my CPE certificate contain less than the full amount of hours of credit hours printed on it?
   • The hours shown on your CPE Certificate correspond to the hours recorded on the Verification of Attendance Card turned in at the seminar.
   • Notations are made by the Workshop Leader at the seminar regarding late arrivals and/or early departures, and this is reflected in the total hours of CPE credit awarded.
   • Attendance verification cards left on tables or turned in by people other than the participant are voided and no credit is awarded for that day.
3. I forgot to turn my Verification of Attendance Card in at the school, but I attended the entire day. Can I just send the card to the Tax School Office for CPE credit?
   • No. In order to maintain the integrity of the CPE process, cards are only accepted at the school location. There are no exceptions to this.
4. Can I purchase the materials only and still get the CPE credit?
   • Participants who elect to purchase the seminar materials and NOT attend the seminar have not earned CPE credit according to our policy.
5. I'm an insurance professional with an Illinois license. Will I receive a separate certificate for the Illinois Department of Insurance?
   • There is no separate Insurance CPE Certificate. Hours for insurance professionals are reported directly to the Illinois Department of Insurance in accordance with their requirements. You may use the CPE certificate that was sent to you to verify attendance at the seminar.
6. I'm an insurance professional with a Missouri license. Will I receive a separate certificate for the Missouri Department of Insurance?
   • No. The University of Illinois Tax School is no longer registered as a CPE provider with the Missouri Department of Insurance.
7. Why is an extra fee charged for IL Insurance CPE, CFP, and MCLE credit?
   • Due to additional fees the University of Illinois must pay to the IL Department of Insurance, the CFP Board of Standards, and the MCLE Board, an additional filing fee is charged to offset these expenses. Since these fees are associated with a small percentage of participants, it is appropriate to offset the expenses with filing fees paid by these individuals.

Fees

1. What is included in the price of the seminar/school?
   • The registration fee includes tuition, reference materials and refreshment breaks.
   • Lunch is "on your own."
   • Sleeping rooms are not included in the seminar fee. If a sleeping room is desired, contact the hotel/conference center to make reservations. Blocks of rooms are not reserved, but if you mention you are attending the Tax Schools, you may receive priority for reservations.
2. Can I get a discount if I ask for Materials Only?
   • Due to contractual agreements, workbooks cannot be sold separately for reduced cost. We can provide you a workbook only if you submit a full registration fee for the seminar or school.
   • If enrolling to obtain MATERIALS ONLY please indicate this on the registration form. The materials are mailed when all schools are completed.

Refunds

1. I missed the live seminar today. Can I still get a refund?
   • No refunds are provided after the early registration deadline for each seminar.
   • If we are still offering the seminar in other locations, you may transfer your registration to another location if space allows.
   • Please see the complete refund policy.
2. Can I get a refund if it snows on the day of a seminar?
   • Schools are rarely, if ever, cancelled due to inclement weather. If the Tax School Office cancels a school because of inclement weather, every effort is made to satisfy registrants.
   • If weather prevents you from attending a school, but the school is still being held, you may choose one of the following two options:
     
       A.  Transfer to another school location on a space available basis, or
     
       B.  Transfer to "materials only."
     
3. I could not log in to my scheduled webinar today. Can I still get a refund?
   • No refunds are provided after 24 hours prior to a webinar's scheduled start time. Log-in and testing information are sent at least 5 business days prior to the webinar, and it is the participant's responsibility to ensure that their computer and Internet access support the webinar software prior to the start of the webinar.
   • If we are offering the same webinar on a later date, you may transfer as space allows.
   • Please see the complete refund policy.

Registration Process

1. How do I register on-line for seminars?
   • Click here to register.
   • Payment by credit card is the only payment option for on-line registration.
2. How do I know your Website registration process is secure and safe for using my credit card?
   • In order to assure that your order is handled safely and securely, your web browser must be capable of handling encrypted transactions. You should be using one of the following web browsers: Netscape 4.7 or above, Internet Explorer 5 or above, Opera, Mozilla FireFox, or Safari.
   • When going through checkout, look for the lock symbol in your browser status bar. This means you are in a secure environment.
3. How will I know if my credit card payment was accepted?
   • You will see a confirmation page at the end of registration. Please print this screen if you need a receipt for your records.
   • An email confirmation of the charge to your credit card is sent to the email address you provide in your registration. This confirms that your credit card was charged the registration fee. In a few days, you will receive another email confirming the seminar name, date and location from the Tax School Office.
4. How will the charge for the seminar appear on my credit card statement?
   • The charge appears as "UNIV OF ILLINOIS SALE 217-244-8995 IL" on your credit card billing statement.
5. How can I register and pay with a credit card if I don't want to use the on-line registration?
   • Complete a paper copy of the registration form, then either fax it to (217) 244-5933 or mail it to the Tax School Office. Please do not mail a registration which has also been faxed because this could result in a duplicate charge to your credit card.
6. I have 10 people from our firm who wish to attend the seminars. Do I need to register each one separately?
   • Yes. In order to prevent delays in processing your registrations and getting placement in the locations of choice, a separate registration form needs to be completed for each participant whether registering on the Website or using the printed registration form in the brochure (photocopies are welcomed).
7. May I register now and send you payment later?
   • No, forms received without payment are not processed.
   • Registration is not complete and seats are not reserved until payment is procssed.
8. The seminar I wish to attend starts in a few days. Can I just pay at the door?
   • Registrations are accepted if space is available.
   • Space for "walk-ins" cannot be guaranteed. Many locations fill to capacity and close.
   • "Walk-in" participants may pay at the door by cash, check or credit card.
   • "Walk-in" participants should arrive early in order to complete the registration process and obtain their materials.
   • No discounts are available at the door.
9. Two people from my office want to attend the seminar, but each can only attend one day of the seminar. Can these people split a registration, share the workbook, and each get CPE credit?
   • No. Registrations may not be split. Each person who attends a University of Illinois Tax School seminar must be a fully paid registrant.

Instructors

1. How can I find out which instructors will be teaching at which locations?
   • Check seminar Locations and Instructors.
2. I am interested in becoming a Tax School Instructor. How do I go about letting you know?
   • Please contact us.

School Locations

1. Why isn't the seminar location I wish to attend shown on the location drop-down list?
   • Registrants are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis until the seminar site has reached capacity. When a location isn't on the drop-down list, it is because it has filled to capacity.
   • You will need to choose another location.
2. I attended a location last year that isn't listed this year. Why is that?
   • Based upon participant feedback regarding certain facilities, the Tax School Office has selected other facilities and locations.
3. How will I be notified of the location to which I have been assigned?
   • A confirmation notice of the seminar name, date and location for which you are scheduled will be sent provided your enrollment is received two weeks or more in advance of the seminar.
   • You will receive notification via email if you provided an email address in your registration.
4. How do I change my seminar location?
   • Contact us to determine whether it is possible to change your seminar location. Every effort will be made to accommodate changes.

School Materials

1. I registered several weeks ago and have not received my materials. When will they be mailed?
   • The Federal Tax Workbook is no longer shipped before seminars.
   • Materials for all seminars are obtained at the seminar location. Please arrive early to pick up your materials.
2. I registered late. How will I get my Tax School Workbook?
   • You can pick up your materials at the door on the first day of your seminar by checking in with the workshop leader.
3. I was unable to attend my scheduled school. What do I need to do to receive the materials?
   • Please contact the Tax School Office at (217) 333-0502 or email a request to have your registration changed to "Materials Only."
4. What resource materials will I receive if I attended the 2-day Fall Tax School and when will I receive them?
   • Participants will receive a workbook for each seminar they attend.
   • Corrections to the workbook are available on the Tax School Web site.
   • IRS publications are readily available on the Internet for those who would like a copy. The IRS Web site address is www.irs.gov.
   • The What's New Supplement is available by late January on the Tax School website.

Webinars

1. What is a webinar?
   • Webinars are seminars held via the Internet. Usually webinars are short sessions on a specific topic. During a webinar, you will see a screen of content on your computer and hear a presenter through your computer speakers. Webinars are interactive in that they allow participants to ask questions through a live chat feature (sort of like texting or instant messaging).
2. What type of computer connection do I need in order to participate in a webinar?
   • In order to have the best webinar experience, your computer should be connected to the Internet with a high-speed connection (DSL, cable modem, FIOS). Dial-up service will most likely be too slow for webinar purposes.
3. I signed up for a webinar... now what?
   • It is very important that we have a current email address for you, in order to send you important information to access the webinar. Without an email address on file, you will not be able to attend the webinar.
   • Approximately 1 week prior to the session, you will receive a link (URL) to the webinar and a userID. University of Illinois webinars are hosted on a site named "Elluminate." When we send you the link, you are directed to test your computer system prior to the webinar. In this testing period, you will download Elluminate software. Some systems take longer than others to test, so you’ll want to do this well in advance of the webinar.
   • When prompted to enter your "name" to enter the session, you must enter the userID that we sent to you. If you a name other than your assigned userID, you will be dropped from the session. UserIDs are the only way we can determine your time of attendance for CPE purposes.
4. What if I have problems getting into the webinar?
   • Elluminate provides assistance 24 hours per day, 7 days per week. Go to the Elluminate Support website. This is a self-help support site and it has a live chat feature. Additionally, you may always call the Elluminate help desk at 866-388-8674, option #2 if you prefer to speak to someone over the phone. The University of Illinois Tax School is unable to provide technical support if you experience problems.
5. What if I can't hear the speaker?
   • Sometimes the settings on your computer aren't right. In the top menu bar, revisit Tools > Audio > Audio Set-Up Wizard to ensure that settings haven't changed in your computer since your original set up. If using the set-up wizard does not result in improved sound quality, call the Elluminate help desk at 866-388-8674, option #2, to speak to someone about options specific to your computer.
6. Will I earn CPE credit for attending a webinar?
   • You will earn one CPE credit based on being present in the session for a minimum of 50 minutes, and answering two out of three questions per hour. Don't panic about the quiz. It doesn't matter if you answer the quiz correctly... it only matters that you answer the question.
   • The U of I Tax School is accredited by NASBA for online delivery of seminars. Any professional organization that recognizes NASBA approval for continuing education accepts the credit earned from the webinar.
   • Continuing legal education (CLE) requires a minimum of 60 minutes for one credit. Therefore, we are not able to offer CLE credit for most webinars.
7. Will I get a CPE certificate?
   • CPE certificates are sent electronically to the email address on record with the U of I Tax School. If you are not sure your email is correct in our system, you may login to your Tax School account and check it. Or, you may contact the Tax School team for assistance at 217-333-0502 or TaxSchool@illinois.edu.
8. I keep getting bumped out of the session. Why?
   • The userID that is sent to you via email must be used as your "name" when you enter the session. If you use anything other than your assigned userID, you will be dropped from the session. Login IDs are the only way we can determine your time of attendance for CPE purposes.
9. I had problems logging in to my scheduled webinar today. Can I still get a refund?
   • No refunds are provided beginning 24 hours prior to a webinar's scheduled start time. Log-in and testing information are sent at least 5 business days prior to the webinar, and it is the participant's responsibility to ensure that his computer and Internet access support the webinar software prior to the start of the webinar.
   • If we are repeating the same webinar on a later date, you may transfer to this session as space allows.
   • Please see the complete refund policy for more information.

Resolving Complaints

1. How can I resolve a complaint about Tax School?
   • Please contact the Tax School office at 217-333-0502 or email TaxSchool@illinois.edu.
   • Please see our complaint resolution policy.

Modified: April 21, 2009

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