About CPAs
CPAs—the Most Trusted Advisors
Certified Public Accountants (CPAs) are the most trusted advisors to individuals, businesses, financial institutions, not-for-profit organizations, educational institutions, and government agencies on a wide range of business, financial, and tax matters. CPAs are critical to the success of our economy.
CPAs in Public Practice
In Kansas, only CPAs who hold a permit regulated by the Kansas Board of Accountancy or by the regulatory body of a substantially equivalent state to practice as a CPA may hold him or herself out as a CPA to the public and perform audit and attest services.
CPAs must comply with strict performance and ethical standards and are subject to peer review every three years if audit services are rendered. CPAs who provide taxation services must comply with the ethical standards of the Internal Revenue Service and can represent a client in tax court.
CPAs who work in public practice (a CPA firm) offer services to all types of organizations and provide a variety of services including:
- Audit and attest
- Accounting
- Personal financial planning
- Fraud and forensics
- Business valuation
- Taxation
- Technology consulting / systems implementation
- Health care consultation
- Mergers and acquisitions
- … and more.
To maintain a permit to practice as a CPA and membership in the American Institute of CPAs, a CPA must also comply with continuing professional education requirements.
CPAs in Business & Industry
CPAs who hold an active or inactive permit are integral members of the management team of most organizations as,
- Chief Accounting Officers
- Chief Financial Officers
- Controllers
- Accounting Managers
- System Managers
Staff accountants help to maintain the systems and provide financial reports to management.
CPAs in Education, Government & Non Profit
CPAs who hold an active or inactive permit are also key management personnel in Education, Government and Non Profit organizations. In Education, CPAs are in the business and foundation offices and work as,
- Chief Financial Officers
- Controllers
- Accounting Managers
- System Managers.
Staff accountants also work in these offices.
Because CPAs receive their education in the colleges and universities and are required to complete specific courses to meet the requirements for the CPA examination, many professors and instructors are also CPAs. These CPAs are great resources to the professional organizations and are at the forefront of research in auditing, accounting, taxation, and other services provided by CPAs.
In turn, CPAs play significant roles in Non Profit organizations.
CPAs in the Community
CPAs are leaders in the community and in the legislature. Kansas has one of only a few CPAs in Congress. CPAs serve as,
- Directors on non-profit and corporate boards
- Treasurers of churches, homeowners associations, and political campaigns
- … to name a few.
Becoming a CPA—A Rigorous Program of Education, Testing, & Experience
The professional quality of services provided by a CPA starts with fulfilling the educational requirements to sit for the CPA examination which, in most states, is 150 hours in a specific course curriculum.
Once approved, the individual must pass the rigorous CPA examination covering a broad range of topics. Once the CPA exam is passed, the candidate must pass an ethics examination to receive the CPA certificate.
Following completion of a required term of experience under the supervision of a CPA in public practice, business, industry, government, or education, a CPA receives a permit to practice and can hold him or herself out as a CPA to the public and perform audit and attest services.
Life-long learning and active participation in the Kansas Society of CPAs and American Institute of CPAs are necessary for CPAs to maintain competency over his or her career as a CPA.
Because a CPA has broad business and technology knowledge and adheres to life-long learning, he or she can provide the vision and insight to help management make decisions in our ever-changing and increasingly-global environment.
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