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by Maria Bascuas

To become an accountant you will need to complete a four year degree. To become a CPA you will need to meet the licensing requirements of your state. Education and experience obligations will vary, as will relicensing and continuing education requirements. However the requirement to pass universal CPA exam is constant: one computer based exam is used in all 55 U.S. states and territories. Over half fail to pass on the first attempt. Most consider graduate level work in accounting to be a necessary preparation for passing the exam. When you have researched what is required in your particular place of residence you can proceed. By becoming a CPA you will have obtained a good profession, of evergreen usefulness in today’s world. There are few more necessary and rewarding professions.

The requirements for an accounting position are met by obtaining a four year degree. There are many routes you can take to gain the degree. Local colleges and universities will offer training, as will business colleges and online accounting degree programs. Be sure that you choose an accredited institution, and take time to compare the various offerings. To serve well as an accountant you will need a clear understanding of the common best practices of the profession, the local and federal tax structure, and the varieties of business classifications. You will also want to be trained in a range of standard professional software tools, such as Peachtree and Quicken.

The universal CPA exam is designed to test your proficiency as a very high caliber accounting professional. Be sure that the graduate program you choose prepares you for this. The exam will demand your creative best in the same way that the legal bar exams demand creative, flexible problem solving and a deep knowledge of both the letter and the spirit of the law. Whether you choose an online program or an on-site program be sure that the institution is accredited. Compare programs and choose the most rigorous one you can find. There are times and places for “easy” but when preparing for the universal exam you want the preparation to be difficult, so that the exam won’t be too bad in comparison.

To choose the very best grad program, and to structure your best approach to the universal CPA exam, you should familiarize yourself with the exam. Fortunately the official website for the CPA exam is a superb resource. This site offers overviews of the entire test, detailed considerations of the goals and intent of the various sections, plus regulatory information establishing what you need to do to qualify to sit for the exam. By learning the nature of the test in advance you can help yourself choose a program and reinforce areas of knowledge you know will come up in testing. The site can be found at http://www.cpa-exam.org/.

The final thing you need to get a CPA license is the job experience required by your state or territory. The specifics can be looked up in a number of places. You can contact your state licensing board, or check online at sites like http://www.becker.com/accounting/cpaexamreview/state/index.cfm. Don’t try to skimp on this final phase of necessary requirements for accreditation. Doctors serve internships, and CPAs gain work experience. Failing to meet the final obligation wastes the time and effort that came before.

Don’t forget that even after certification you will be required to keep your certificate renewed and you will have to continue with ongoing professional education. CPA license requirements for renewal and continuing education again vary from region to region. But again they can be checked, and they will require some level of formal educational credit. Without attention to these details your license may lapse.

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