What's so great about a CPA?

You may not have asked yourself that question in so many words, but you may have wondered what sets CPAs apart from other financial professionals.

The answer in short:  A whole lot.

What it takes to become a CPA

We typically begin our careers with years of college and graduate education.  To become licensed, we must take the demanding Uniform CPA Examination, which tests our knowledge on a wide range of business topics over a total period of 14 hours.

In addition, we have to meet an experience requirement and then be licensed by a State Board of Accountancy to practice.

But it doesn’t stop there. Once we become CPAs, we also must meet continuing education requirements to update our knowledge of new business developments as well as commit to a strict code of ethical standards.

Armed with this rigorous training, we’re on the job year round, ready to help individuals and businesses address their own unique challenges.

 

In a recent statement, the IRS provided this description about what a CPA can do for you:

Certified public accountants are licensed by state boards of accountancy, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories, and have passed the Uniform CPA Examination.

 

They have completed a study in accounting at a college or university and also met experience and good character requirements established by their respective boards of accountancy.

 

In addition,CPAs must comply with ethical requirements and complete specified levels of continuing education to maintain an active CPA license. CPAs may offer a range of services; some CPAs specialize in tax preparation and planning

 

There is a lot that of effort which goes into obtaining a Certified Public Accountant license and a lot of work goes into keeping the license active.