Becoming a CPA Essay -- Essays Papers

Becoming a CPABecoming A Certified Public Accountant (CPA)What is a CPA? These three letters mean that you pass water received a broad-based education. They mean you have passed all parts of a very difficult exam. They mean you have the cognition, skills and abilities to be a trusted personal line of credit advisor to your clients or employer. They mean you feel comfortable with the latest technology. They mean you atomic number 18 an ethical individual who can provide an independent analysis. CPAs are many things. They are chief financial officers for Fortune 500 companies and advisors to small neighborhood businesses. They work for large and small public chronicle firms. They are fountainhead-respected strategic business advisors and decision-makers. They act as consultants on many issues, including taxes and accounting.To become a CPA you need to meet the requirements of the state or jurisdiction in which you wish to practice. These requirements, which vary from sta te to state, are established by law and administered by the state boards of accountancy. To qualify for certification, you must Complete a program of register in accounting at a college/university. The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) recommends at least 150 semester hours to obtain the common body of knowledge for becoming a CPA. Pass the identical CPA examination, which is developed and graded by the AICPA. Have professional work experience in public accounting.The Uniform CPA Exam is a prerequisite for the CPA certificate because it is the primary way Boards of Accountancy measure the competence of CPA candidates. Boards of Accountancy also imprecate on additional means to ensure that a candidate has the necessary technical abilities and character attributes to become a CPA. These may include interviews, letters of reference, investigation of educational background, and affidavits of employment. In addition, some boards of accountancy admini ster an ethics examination to assess a candidates knowledge of the rules of professional conduct. The Board of Examiners of the AICPA, is responsible for(p) for preparing the Uniform CPA Examinations and for operating the Advisory Grading Service, both adopted by the boards of accountancy in all fifty states, the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The Examination is give... ...s the economy grows the number of business establishments increases requiring more accountants and auditors to set up their financial, technological and internal control systems, provide tax preparation and planning assistance, as well as management consulting advice and other business advisory services. The volume and complexity of financial and non-financial information will continue to expand, requiring the knowledge of accountants and auditors to interpret and analyze the data and participate in the decision making process. Becoming proficient in the latest account ing and budgeting software packages and keeping abreast of new technologies is critical to the accounting professionals success.BibliographyAmerican Institute for Certified Public Accountants (2000). Available http//www.aicpa.org.Blensly, D.L., and Plank, T.M. (1989). Accounting Desk Book, (9th ed.) Meigs, W.B. and R.F. (1989), Accounting The Basis for Business Decisions, (8th ed.) Rink & Robinsons CPAs (1998). Certified Public Accountants & Consultants. Available http//www.mrinkcpa.com.Robert Half and Accountemps Salary Guide (1999). Available http//www.accountemps.com.