A Certified Public Accountant or CPA has a higher ranking in the eyes of professional peers, business contacts, clients, and regulators. All of this is because a CPA has fulfilled minimum education requirements. At the same time, the person has successfully cracked a rigorous four-part exam to get the certificate. Also, promise to obey the code of ethics.
You can always contact CPA California for accounting solutions. The Pacific Accounting Group provides financial solutions and financial planning for small businesses. The dedicated team of Pacific Accounting Group uses their experience and skills to help the clients organize their finances, make perceptive investment choices, optimize financial strategy, and keep the profit with intelligent tax planning. Doesn’t it sound quite fascinating!
The designation of CPA is indeed fascinating. That is why many people try to become a CPA. You also want to become a CPA and look for more information you have come to the right place. Here you will get all the information about what you need to know about CPA. First, let us see what CPA is.
What is a CPA?
A certified public accountant or a CPA is a highly trained financial professional. These financial professionals specialize in accounting. However, many people relate CPAs only with tax preparations. The CPAs perform many financial tasks like audit work, financial reporting, and forensic research.
The requirements to become a CPA
The requirement to become a CPA differs from state to state. However, in general, a person needs to have –
- A bachelor’s degree with a minimum of 150 credit hours
- An experience of at least two years of public accounting work
- Successfully cleared all four parts of the CPA exams
- Meet all the additional requirements, as per state regulations like the ethics course
When you are talking about the educational and other requirements to become a CPA, you cannot turn a blind eye to the personal skills required for a CPA.
The skills required to become a CPA
A person needs persistence and determination to become a CPA. At the same time, you need to have the ability to think critically, excellent communication skills, and problem-solving ability. Detail orientation and meeting deadlines with accuracy are also the skills of CPAs. Other skills include –
- Analytical research skills
- Tech savviness
- Interpersonal skills
- Client / marketing focus
- Project management
- High – ethical standards
- A broad business perspective
What A CPS Does?
When a CPA works for a CPA firm, they deal in three areas Audit/ assurance service, Tax service, and Management services.
On the other hand, public accounting encompasses a variety of auditing, accounting, tax, and consultation tasks for small businesses, corporations, non-profit organizations, individuals, and governments. Any certified public accountant can perform most of these tasks. However, only a CPA can perform two things, as it requires a CPA license.
Only a CPA can review and audit financial statements. They are the only ones to file a report with SEC (Security and Exchange Commission. At the same time, only a certified public accountant can represent clients in the Internal Revenue Services.