What is a CPA (Certified Public Accountant)?

CPA's are qualified accountants in the United States who have passed the Uniform Certified Public Accountant Examination and have met additional state education and experience requirements for certification as a CPA. In most U.S. states, only CPAs who are licensed are able to provide to the public, attestation (including auditing) opinions on financial statements. ... more

While a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) is always an accountant, not all accountants are CPAs. To become a CPA, an accountant must take and pass a series of rigorous tests administered by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. A number of states also require CPAs to pass state exams as well. Accordingly, there are a number of accountants who never pass the CPA exam and though they can perform a variety of accountancy chores, they are not allowed to perform certain tasks that only a CPA can do. Certified Public Accountants handle a variety of jobs and tasks. They offer basic income tax preparation and advice for a range of clients including individuals, small businesses and corporations. CPAs can also be found performing basic business record keeping, auditing and consulting work. To maintain their license, every three years CPAs must take 120 hours of continuing education courses in order to stay abreast of changes in their profession. The Federal Bureau of Investiga ... more