certified public accountant
Definition of certified public accountant
: an accountant who has met the requirements of a state law and has been granted a certificate
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First Known Use of certified public accountant
1896
Financial Definition of CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANT
certified public accountant
What It Is
A Certified Public Accountant (CPA) is an accounting professional who has passed the Uniform CPA examination and has also met additional state certification and experience requirements.
How It Works
To become a CPA, a person must: A) complete a college-level accounting program, B) pass the Uniform CPA Examination, and C) have a certain amount of professional work experience in accounting -- typically one year.
The CPA examination is developed and graded by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. The exam has four sections: auditing and attestation, financial accounting and reporting, regulation, and business environment and concepts. Nearly 14 hours long in total, the CPA examination also includes a writing skills exercise, multiple choice questions and case studies.
Once a person becomes a CPA, they can specialize in one specific area of finance or a wide range of services, including:
Corporate Finance
Corporate Business
Estate Planning
Financial Accounting
Financial Analysis
Financial Planning
Forensic Accounting
Income Tax
Information Technology
Management Consulting
Performance Management
Tax Preparation and Planning
Venture Capital
CPAs are required to complete a minimum number of continuing professional education (CPE) courses in order to retain the CPA designation.
Other countries have different designations for the CPA qualification. The Canadian equivalent to a CPA is a Chartered Accountant (CA).
Why It Matters
The CPA designation is granted by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants in order to maintain industry-wide, professional standards.
A CPA designation is a certification of expertise in the field of accounting. Only a CPA can provide an opinion to the public regarding publicly distributed financial statements.
CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANT Defined for English Language Learners
certified public accountant
Definition of certified public accountant for English Language Learners
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: an accountant who has finished the schooling or tests required by law
Learn More about certified public accountant
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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about certified public accountant
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