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CTA study lessons

Corporate Transparency Act Crash Course — 12 free, citation-backed lessons covering every exam domain. Read on any device, no login.

Note: Corporate Transparency Act rules are subject to ongoing litigation and rule changes. Always verify current requirements at FinCEN.gov before filing. AMLReady Academy updates this content when rules change.
Start with Lesson 01 →
  1. 01Why the Corporate Transparency Act Exists (and What This Workshop Is)Start here. Learn the anonymous-shell-company problem the CTA was built to stop, where it fits in U.S. AML law, and why the rule's status keeps moving — plus the independence and educational disclaimer that frames the whole workshop.5 min read
  2. 02The Statute, the Rule, and the PlayersUntangle 31 U.S.C. 5336 (the law) from FinCEN's reporting rule (31 CFR 1010.380) and the separate Access Rule (1010.955). You'll leave knowing exactly which document answers which question — and the three buckets every BOI report is built from.5 min read
  3. 03Reporting Companies: Domestic, Foreign, and the Filing TestRun the gateway question: is your entity even a reporting company? Master the 'created by a filing with a secretary of state' test, separate domestic from foreign, and see why that distinction now decides who files at all.5 min read
  4. 04The 23 Exemptions — and the Large Operating Company TestWalk the exemption pattern (already-regulated, already-transparent entities) and nail the three-part large-operating-company test. Learn the classic trap of assuming 'small business equals exempt' — it's the opposite by design.5 min read
  5. 05Beneficial Owners, Part 1: The 25% Ownership TestMeasure ownership the way FinCEN does — equity, profits, convertibles, options, aggregated and traced through layered structures. Avoid the 'I only own 20%, so I'm clear' mistake that leaves reports incomplete.5 min read
  6. 06Beneficial Owners, Part 2: The Substantial-Control TestMaster the four indicators of substantial control and see how someone who owns 0% can still be a reported beneficial owner. Plus the five exclusions — minor child, nominee, employee, heir, creditor — that keep the rule focused.5 min read
  7. 07Company Applicants and FinCEN IdentifiersIdentify the up-to-two company applicants — the direct filer and whoever directed the filing — and learn when the rule even applies. Then see how a FinCEN identifier protects personal data across multiple filings.5 min read
  8. 08What Must Be Reported: The Report's Data SetsGet concrete on every data point: company name, address, jurisdiction and TIN, plus each individual's name, date of birth, address, and ID number with an image. Know which IDs are acceptable and the company-applicant address wrinkle.5 min read
  9. 09Deadlines, Updates, and CorrectionsLearn the durable 30-day update rule, the difference between an update and a correction, and the everyday events that trigger a new filing — with no annual renewal. Initial deadlines have changed often, so you'll learn to verify them live.5 min read
  10. 10The BOI Database and the Access RuleBOI is not public. See who actually can access it under 31 CFR 1010.955 — law enforcement, Treasury, certain foreign authorities, and financial institutions in a narrow consent-based lane — and the safeguards and penalties that protect the data.5 min read
  11. 11Penalties and the Current Legal Status (Read Carefully)Understand the willful-violation penalty regime, then get an honest snapshot of where the CTA stands: the March 2025 interim rule exempting domestic companies, the real litigation behind it, and why you must verify the live status before relying on it.5 min read
  12. 12Putting It Together: A Practical BOI Decision ChecklistTurn the whole workshop into a reusable five-step decision path — reporting company, exemption, beneficial owners, what to report, when — plus a monitor-and-document posture for as long as this fast-moving rule stays unsettled.5 min read

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