| In some states, people can work as an accountant | | | | number of years of experience working under the |
| even if they have no formal education or experience | | | | supervision of a licensed CPA. Two years of |
| whatsoever. In order to impose standards of quality | | | | supervised work experience is common in most areas. |
| and respectability upon the accounting industry, the | | | | In some jurisdictions, this time is reduced to one year if |
| idea of a CPA was born.A CPA is someone who has | | | | the potential CPAs have an advanced degree or |
| earned a board-certified accounting license that | | | | takes extra accounting classes. The final step is to |
| guarantees that he or she has at least the entry-level | | | | pass a grueling CPA exam consisting of four parts: |
| skills required to be a good accountant.If an accountant | | | | Regulation, Auditing, Business Environment and |
| acts in an incompetent or unethical way, his or her | | | | Business Concepts, and Financial Accounting. Each |
| CPA license can be revoked. Furthermore, a CPA is | | | | part of the test may be taken separately, but they |
| required to receive continuing education in the | | | | must all be completed within a certain length of time, |
| accounting field, to ensure that he or she stays up to | | | | usually 18 months.If all four tests are not completed |
| date with the latest updates and changes in | | | | within 18 months of passing the first, that first test is no |
| information. Each CPA license is granted for only one | | | | longer counted. The CPA exam is uniform throughout |
| of the 55 U.S. jurisdictions, which include each state, | | | | all 55 jurisdictions. Some jurisdictions acknowledge |
| plus the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands, | | | | accountants who have all qualifications except the |
| Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Commonwealth of | | | | CPA exam with the title PA - Public Accountant. What |
| Northern Mariana Islands. If a Certified Public | | | | does a CPA Do? The three major areas of work for |
| Accountant wants to work in other jurisdictions, he or | | | | CPA firms have traditionally included accounting and |
| she must obtain a license for each one separately. | | | | auditing services, preparing and filing taxes for |
| What are the Steps to Becoming a CPA? In order to | | | | businesses and individuals, and advising companies on |
| be licensed as a Certified Public Accountant, an | | | | management and compliance policies. People with |
| applicant must pass requirements known as "The | | | | businesses, investments, or other complicated taxes |
| Three E's" - education, examination, and | | | | should think about using a CPA.Recently, new areas of |
| experience.The | | | | business have opened up for accounting professionals, |
| specifics of these requirements vary from jurisdiction | | | | including forensic accounting, where accountants |
| to jurisdiction. To fulfill the education standard, most | | | | search through records for traces of criminal activity, |
| areas require a bachelor's or master's degree in | | | | personal financial planner services to help clients |
| accounting, or in another field if it includes a minimum | | | | determine budgets and investment strategies, and |
| number of accounting classes. Next, the prospective | | | | information technology specialties like filing taxes online |
| Certified Public Accountants must have a specified | | | | with the IRS's new efile options. |