What does a CPA do?
Not every accountant or tax preparer is a CPA. Here is what the title means and why it matters.
What "CPA" means
A Certified Public Accountant is an accountant licensed by a state board of accountancy. To earn the license, a CPA must complete a demanding college education in accounting, pass the four-part Uniform CPA Examination, and gain supervised professional experience. To keep it, a CPA must complete continuing education every year and follow a strict code of professional ethics.
How a CPA differs from a tax preparer
Anyone with an IRS preparer number can prepare tax returns for a fee. A CPA brings much more:
- Broader expertise: accounting, financial statements, business advice and tax planning, not just filling in forms
- Full representation rights: CPAs can represent you before the IRS on any matter, including audits, collections and appeals
- Accountability: CPAs are licensed, regulated and held to professional and ethical standards
- Year-round help: a CPA can help you plan ahead and reduce your taxes, not only report what already happened
What CPAs do
CPAs work in many areas: auditing the financial statements of public companies, consulting on financial and strategic decisions, advising nonprofits and government agencies, and investigating fraud. Bashir Krayem spent years with large firms auditing major corporations.
How we help you
Our practice focuses on the work that matters most to small businesses and individuals: