General Accounting Career Information

R. Martin ACC 304 Web Sites for Accounting Careers

General Accounting Career Information

http://www.accountingstudents.com

http://www.careers-in-accounting.com

http://www.career.lycos.com

Forensic Accounting

What is forensic accounting? The integration of accounting, auditing and investigative skills yields the specialty known as forensic accounting. Forensic accounting provides an accounting analysis that is suitable to the court which will form the basis for discussion, debate and ultimately dispute resolution.

What do forensic accountants do?

Investigate and analyze financial evidence.

Develop computerized applications to assist in the analysis and presentation of financial evidence.

Communicate their findings in form of reports, exhibits, and collections of documents.

Assist in legal proceedings, including testifying in court as an expert witness and preparing visual aids to support trial evidence.

A Forensic Accountant is often retained by the following groups: lawyers, police forces, insurance companies, government regulatory bodies and agencies, banks, courts, and the business community.

Also deals with medical negligence, personal injury, crime and fraud, commercial disputes, professional negligence, divorce. Provide service to doctors and lawyers, IRS and FBI agents. Detect money laundering, cybercrime, counterfeiting. Perform investigation and surveillance, computer investigative services, polygraph examinations.

Certifications:

Bachelors degree in accounting

2 years of professional accounting experience

Successfully pass all 4 parts of the CFE Exam (Certified Fraud Examiner) $200

5 years of professional accounting experience to obtain the CIRA (Certified Insolvency and Reorganization Accountant) $500 for each 3 parts.

Salary: $70,000--$200,000

http://www.forensicaccounting.com

http://www.bus.lsu.edu/accounting/faculty/crumbley/forensic.html

http://www.forensicjobs.com

http://www.forensicaccountant.com

http://www.forensicacctgrp.com

http://www.hemming.com

http://www.publicrelations.villanova.edu/speaker/html/business.htm

http://www.nysscpa.org/forensic/expertise.cfm

http://www.southernet.edu/departments/business/staffwa.html

http://www.ohiou.edu/careers/oucf.htm

http://www.askhal.com

http://www.floridapi.com

http://www.cpateam.com/accounting-forensic.htm

http://www.lathamsgroup.co.uk/forensic/

http://www.concentric.net/~dfillmer/forensic.htm

http://www.science.murdoch.edu

http://www.edwardspub.com/journals/JFA/

Assurance Services

http://www.ey.com

http://www.cpafirms.com

Management Accounting

Strategic and financial professionals who combine accounting expertise with professional management skills to provide leadership, innovation, and an integrating perspective to organizational decision making.

CMA: Strategic planning

Sales and marketing

Information technology

Human resource

Finance

Operations

Objectives of Managerial Accountants:

Identify strategy of annual budget

Examine budget process

Define target costing

Examine total costing and cost reductions

List product planning stages

Explain product planning stages

Define technical development process

Explain and identify stages of product launch

http://www.taxsites.com/managerial.html

http://www.cma-canada.org

http://www.imanet.org

http://www.mamag.com

http://fei.org

http://uwf.edu/account/cert

International Accounting

International worldwide:

Auditing

Ethical and quality assurance standards

Government--International monetary fund

Small and medium enterprises and firms

Senior auditor and accountant: 2-4 years experience

CPA

Traveling

Staff: bachelor degree in accounting

Opportunity for advancement

$30--40,000 start

$50--60,000 senior

http://www.bobermarkey.com (Bober, Markey, Fedorovich and Company)

http://www.sec.gov/rules/concept/34-42430.htm

http://www.ifac.org

Certified Public Accountant

http://www.aicpa.org/nolimits/index.htm (job requirements, descriptions, salary)

http://www.aicpa.org/edu/candbrom.htm

http://www.cpafirms.com

Audit

Auditors help to ensure that the Nation's firms are run more efficiently, its public records kept more accurately, and its taxes paid properly and on time. They audit a client's financial statements and report to investors and authorities that they have been prepared and reported correctly.

Auditors also evaluate an organization's risk management processes. Make recommendations for improvements.

Working Conditions:

Most auditors work in a typical office setting. Some auditors that work for public accounting firms travel to perform audits at clients' places of business.

Skills:

Most auditor positions require at least a bachelors degree in accounting or a related field.

Earnings:

Base salary $36,589--$48,275 per year

Average: $37,860 per year

Depending on experience and education salaries are $76,000 -- $90,000 per year.

BA starting at $34,500

Masters starting at $36,800

http://www.accountantsworld.com

http://www.taxsites.com/auditing.html

http://www.auditnet.org/careers.htm

http://www.excellence-in-audit.com

http://www.auditor.state.mo.us/career/careen1.htm

http://www.theiia.org/ (Institute of Internal Auditors)

http://www.gao.gov/govaud/ybk01.htm

http://www.stats.bls.gov/oco/ocosool.htm (earnings)

http://www.career.com/PUB/cresources.htm

Internal Audit

Internal auditing is an independent, objective, assurance and consulting activity designed to add value and improve an organization's operations. It helps an organization accomplish its objectives by bringing a systematic, disciplined approach to evaluate and improve the effectiveness of risk management, control, and government processes.

Internal auditors verify the accuracy of their organization's records and check for mismanagement, waste or fraud.

Potential employers: Basically any kind of business will need internal auditing to make sure its objectives are met.

Tasks:

Consolidating financial information.

Estimating allowances and reserves.

Monitoring the "tone at the top".

Counseling management in fulfilling its reporting responsibilities.

Salaries:

The United States Low Median High

Internal Auditor I $36,589 $42,166 $48,275

Requires bachelors degree

Little creativity required

0--2 years of experience

Internal Auditor III $54,097 $63,007 $72,764

Requires bachelors degree

Wide degree of creativity and latitude

> 5 years of experience

http://www.theiia.org

http://www.bitwise.net

http://www.itaudit.org

http://www.salary.com

Certified Information Systems Auditor

Support enterprise objectives through the development, provision, and promotion of research, standards, competencies and practice for the effective governance, control and assurance of information systems and technology.

Requirements: CISA Examination--available online in English, Chinese, French, German and more.

Experience as Information Systems Manager

Code of professional ethics

Continuous education policy

http://www.isaca.org

http://www.racar.com

http://www.phket.loxinfo.co.th/~cisa

Financial Accounting

http://www.accountantsworld.com

http://www.quicken.com/small_business/cch/text/?article=P06-7001

Equity Accountant

Responsible for entries of all portfolio trades into appropriate ledgers.

Equities, fixed income securities, mutual funds.

Ideal candidate will have accounting degree, 2 years work experience.

Performance analysis, month end close, financial statement preparation, determine asset value, create spreadsheets using EXCEL.

http://www.jobs.com

http://www.hotjobs.com

Consulting

A consultant analyzes and identifies all potential and current opportunities, growths and risks. A consultant's goal is to maximize profits and minimize costs for the company.

Requires: Accounting degree (Bachelors and higher)

Communication and Public Relations skills

Computer literacy

Travel

Personality a plus!

http://www.consulting.about.com

http://www.cpateam.com

http://www.wasserman.com

http://www.vcmnet.com

http://www.aicpa.org

http://www.dowjones.com

http://www.arthurandersen.com

http://www.consultingcentral.com

Financial Planner

Develops a strategy for the client to build their wealth and protect it.

Necessary skills: People skills

Customer focus

Goal oriented

Listening skills

Potential employers: Stock brokers

Banking groups

Life companies

Principal financial dealers

Credit unions

Funds manager

http://www.fpa.asn.au

http://www.cfp-board.org

http://www.financial-planning.com

http://financialplan.about.com

Tax Accountant

Accumulate, analyze and verify information supplied for the purpose of preparing and filing tax returns.

Maintain tax calendar to assure timely filing of returns and estimated payments.

Maintain orderly work papers and files regarding assigned returns.

Identify problems and offer suggestions to improve procedures and reporting techniques.

Design and implement strategies to help clients achieve personal financial goals and to reduce their taxation.

Preparation and consolidation of federal and state income tax returns (personal and corporate), as well as sales tax and other misc. tax returns.

Assist in year end tax provision for the company's financial statement audit and contribute to ongoing tax planning and research for public and private firms.

Formulate tax strategies involving issues such as financial choice, how to best treat a merger or acquisition, deferral of taxes, when to expense items, etc.

Need to understand economics and tax code. Firms like you to have legal and accounting background.

Salaries: Entry (1-2 years) $40,000

Staff 52,000

Management 74,625

Senior Mgmt. 120,000

Executive Mgmt. 200,000

Bachelors degree AVG $42,000 0-3 yrs. Experience

58,000 4-6 yrs. Experience

CPA 55,000 0-3 yrs. Experience

13,000 difference by having your CPA license.

Out of College: Firm size definition:

Small firm AVG $37,500 small < $50 million annual revenue

Medium firm 44,000 medium $50 - 500 million annual revenue

Large firm 48,000 large > $500 million annual revenue

Tax Accountant Manager: Corporate work

CPA 5+ years of public accounting

Good PC skills

Good communication skills

http://www.taxsearching.com

http://www.tax-jobs.com

http://www.uni.edu/ata

http://www.ey.com

http://www.accountantsworld.com

http://www.accountingstudents.com

http://www.mgmtsolutions.com

http://www.hotjobs.com

http://www.headhunter.net

http://www.irstaxattorney.com

http://www.aicpa.org

http://www.sfti.org (nonprofit corporation for covering current federal tax issues)

http://www.nils.com/rupps/tax-accounting.htm

http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/.html/rtc_table_of_contents.html (California Revenue and Tax Code)

http://www.ftb.ca.gov (Franchise Tax Board)

http://www.csatp.org (California Society of Accounting and Tax Professionals)

http://www.accounting.rutgers.edu

http://www.levitttax.com

http://www.gebhardtax.com

http://www.aaaccounting.com

http://www.fisher.osu.edu

http://www.quicken.com

State Governmental Accounting

Working in the capacity of managing accounting documents, budgets, and finance documents for all state agencies.

Potential Employers of the State of CA:

Dept. of Corrections

Dept. of Corporations

Dept. of Developmental Services

Dept. of Water Resources

Controller's Office

Salaries with Accounting Degree:

Entry level--no experience $30-36,000

1 year accounting experience $40-48,000

2 years accounting experience $48-57,000

3 years accounting experience $57-63,000

4 + years accounting experience $60-80,000

After this you get into a managerial series or government appointed jobs.

http://www.spb.ca.gov

http://www.accountsworld.com

Available Jobs in Accounting

http://www.monster.com

http://www.roberthalf.com

http://www.careerbuilder.com

http://jobsinthemoney.com

http://www.wsj.com

http://www.jobs.com

http://www.job9.cbdr.com (list of companies with pay)