How to Become a Certified Public Accountant?

Answer 1

Certified public Accountants can work in a variety of fields in the financial industry. Many provide services to the public, including estate planning, financial planning, income tax services, forensic accounting, and more. Some serve in the private sector as financial advisors or managers. In corporations, certified public accountants assist in mergers, share and debt issuances, and other financial matters.

In order to become a CPA, applicants must meet a set of requirements. First of all, candidates must pass the Uniform Certified Public Accountant Exam. In order to take this test, applicants must typically possess a Bachelor’s Degree with a designated number of hours in business administration and a total of five years of study. While these are the standards for most states, not all states have adopted these requirements, so applicants should check with their local authority before sitting for the CPA exam.

Other requirements, such as work experience and licensing requirements vary from state to state as well. Some states require work experience before issuing a CPA license, but others do not. Some will issue only CPA certificates until all requirements have been met.

Many review courses and materials are available for students to study for the CPA exam. Kaplan, Roger CPA Review, Becker, and others offer different kinds of materials to study before sitting for the exam. Students may use classroom-style reviews, with a teacher present to answer questions and other students for support. Students may also purchase review books with study guides and practice exams to study at home. Some companies and schools offer online reviews, where students sign in to a website and practice on their computer. All of these options are helpful, and each student should decide which study method to use that would be most effective for them. It is important, however, for each student to take a practice exam before sitting for the CPA Certification Exam. This will allow students to fully understand the format of the exam and the amount of time it will take to complete. Work experience is also a helpful tool for understanding the material in a hands-on way, although the exam may cover additional information as well.