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Certified Public Accountant |
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Description Certified Public Accountants, commonly abbreviated as CPAs, are official experts in accounting practices and financial management Their education is focused on financial analysis and general business management, however, they also are educated in all accounting practices. Many CPAs provide tax and financial advice, however CPAs today are rarely hired to perform traditional number crunching. Their role is more centered on analyzing financial proposals and making crucial business and management decisions. Some CPAs are hired to develop budgets for companies (often companies in financial trouble) in order to produce higher profits and returns. CPAs offer their financial consulting advice to a company's management team, create business proposals on how to capitalize on company profits and give presentations or write reports on such research. Their understanding of both the American economy and foreign markets is quite complex and can help businesses start up exporting ventures. CPAs are licensed by a State Board of Accountancy. CPAs track and summarize every dollar that is spent and earned in a company, even down to the last cent. Therefore, every sale, purchase and profit transaction that occurs within a company or even the expenses of an individual person will show up on a CPAs year-end financial reports. Accountants work according to specific guidelines learned in school and are trained to help both individuals and companies organize and manage their daily finances. Certified general accountants organize, manage and review accounting systems and prepare financial information for individuals, companies and other organizations. Many have started up their own accounting firms and become successful entrepreneurs. Businesses hire CPAs to help manage and regulate the finances in their companies. Traditionally, accountants were responsible for completing mounds of tedious paperwork, especially during peak seasons. However due to the explosion of Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) into the market, the conventional role has changed allowing the accountant to spend more time on analyzing financial statements instead of dealing with red tape thereby broadening the services accountants offer. |
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Sources:
Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2014-15 Edition, http://www.bls.gov/ooh/ Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Employment Statistics, 2002, http://www.bls.gov/oes/2002/oes_nat.htm |
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