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The One Big Beautiful Bill Act Hits the CPA Exam July 1: What You Need to Know
Major tax law changes from the OBBBA become testable on REG and TCP starting July 1, 2026, and a separate FASB credit-loss change updates FAR the same day. If you are planning those sections, the clock is ticking.
Published March 8, 20266 min readVerified as of June 2, 2026
What Is the OBBBA?
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) was signed into law on July 4, 2025. It is the most significant piece of U.S. tax legislation since the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. The AICPA has confirmed that OBBBA provisions with effective dates in 2024 and 2025 will become eligible for testing on the CPA exam starting July 1, 2026.
Which Sections Are Affected?
Only **REG** and **TCP** are impacted by OBBBA. AUD, BAR, and ISC are not affected. If you are taking REG or TCP before July 1, 2026, the OBBBA provisions will NOT appear on your exam. If you sit on or after July 1, they will.
Beyond OBBBA: A FAR Change Lands the Same Day
OBBBA is not the only update arriving July 1, 2026. The FASB issued ASU 2025-05, which simplifies how companies measure credit losses (the allowance) on current accounts receivable and contract assets. It adds a practical expedient that lets an entity assume current conditions as of the balance sheet date hold for the remaining life of these short-term assets, rather than forecasting future economic conditions. It is effective for periods beginning after December 15, 2025, which makes it testable on **FAR** starting July 1, 2026. So even though FAR is untouched by OBBBA, candidates sitting FAR on or after July 1 should expect updated credit-loss content. Separately, the routine 2026 IRS inflation adjustments (standard deduction, tax brackets, and contribution limits) also apply to REG and TCP from the same date.
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Key Testable OBBBA Topics
The OBBBA introduces several new or modified provisions that candidates should expect to see on the exam after July 1.
- No-tax-on-tips — Certain tip income exempted from federal income tax
- Overtime pay deduction — New deduction for overtime compensation
- SALT cap increase — State and local tax deduction cap raised from $10,000
- Bonus depreciation — Extended and modified bonus depreciation provisions
- Trump Accounts (MAGA Accounts) — New tax-advantaged savings accounts for young Americans
- Estate and gift tax changes — Increased exemption amounts and modified rules
- Extension of TCJA provisions — Many 2017 TCJA provisions that were set to sunset in 2025 are now permanently extended
Strategic Timing: Should You Rush to Test Before July 1?
If you are eligible to sit for REG or TCP before July 1, there is a real advantage to doing so. Testing before the cutoff means you study the pre-OBBBA tax code, which your current review materials already cover. Testing after July 1 means learning an entirely new body of tax law on top of everything else. The next discipline testing window is April 1–30, with scores releasing June 16. If you are choosing TCP as your discipline and can pass it in the April window, you avoid the OBBBA entirely.
What About Review Course Updates?
All major CPA review providers (Becker, UWorld, Surgent, Gleim) have confirmed they are updating their REG and TCP materials to reflect OBBBA provisions. Updated content will be available before the July 1 testing date. If you are using a subscription-based course like NINJA, updates will be included in your active subscription.
Sources
- 1.Gleim — How the AICPA Will Roll the Big Beautiful Bill Into the CPA Exam(accessed Mar 8, 2026)
- 2.UWorld — OBBBA & the CPA Exam: REG and TCP Changes Explained(accessed Mar 8, 2026)
- 3.Surgent — Important CPA Exam Updates & Schedule Changes for 2026(accessed Mar 8, 2026)
- 4.FASB — Accounting Standards Updates (ASU 2025-05, Credit Losses on Accounts Receivable and Contract Assets)(accessed Jun 2, 2026)
- 5.AICPA & CIMA — ASU 2025-05: Improvements to Accounting for Credit Losses(accessed Jun 2, 2026)
- 6.IRS — Tax Inflation Adjustments for Tax Year 2026 (including OBBBA amendments)(accessed Jun 2, 2026)
Brennan Kolar
Founder, Atlas CPA Index
Brennan Kolar is the founder of Atlas CPA Index, an independent CPA review comparison platform covering all 55 U.S. jurisdictions. With over 10 years of experience with CPA review, he built Atlas to help candidates find the right review course based on how they actually learn, not which provider has the biggest ad budget.
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