Do Something Different

There are many different careers in the field of accounting ranging from entry-level bookkeeping to the Chief Financial Officer of a company. To achieve positions with more responsibility and higher salaries, it's necessary to have a degree in accounting as well as achieve various professional designations. One of the primary milestones in any accountant's career is to become a Certified Public Accountant or CPA. To become a CPA you have to go to college with a major in accounting. You also have to pass a national CPA exam. There's also some employment experience required in a CPA firm. This is generally one to two years, although this varies from state to state. Once you satisfy all those requirements, you get a certificate that designates you as a CPA and you're allowed to offer your services to the public. Many CPAs consider this just one stepping stone to their careers. The chief accountant in many offices is called the controller. The controller is in charge of...

Because deadlines are strict, and penalties will be given to late tax payments, you should make sure that you do not put off your "tax day". You should definitely start preparing your income tax return well before April 15. Whether you are doing your own income tax return or you are getting the help of a certified public accountant or firm to prepare your income tax return, you should get a few things together before you begin or meet with the CPA. The main thing you will need for your income tax return is proof of the income you made and the taxes you paid in the previous year. That includes income made through employers, interest from accounts, dividends from investments, income made through self-employment, income made as a subcontractor, and any other income. Student loans and other types of loans may also be considered income for the purposes of income tax, as can winnings from a lottery, casino, or other contest. If you are unsure what can be considered as income for ta...

A CMA is a Certified Management Accountant. This is different from a Certified Public Accountant . A Certified Management Accountant is employed by a business firm or a not-for-profit organization, and deal with private accounting. A CMA can obtain employment by companies, government, and non-for-profit entities. A CMA can obtain employment as a Bookkeeper, Payroll Clerk, General Accountant, Budget Analyst, Cost Accountant, Internal Auditor, or Information Technology Auditor. These CMA careers have starting salaries ranging from $28,500 to $72,500, which is much higher than the salary range for CPAs.  A Bookkeeper does not need to have any certification, and therefore does not have to be a CMA. A Payroll Clerk must have certification called Certified Payroll Professional, or CPP, but does not need to be a CMA. A general accountant or budget analyst may not be required to be a CMA, but many CMAs begin as a general accountant or budget analyst. A Cost accountant must be a CMA and be ...