Q. I know there is an audit and a tax accountant, but are there any other types of accountants?

A. There are many kinds of accountants - Mainly you will hear about two groups - Ones that are public accountants and then others that are in private accounting. In private accounting you are basically working in the accounting department of an entity whose main purpose of being in business is not "accounting" - For example you may be a cost accountant, bookkeeper, or financial controller of a construction company. If you are working in public accounting, you generally work for a CPA firm whose main services are to provide tax accounting and financial statement reporting. The way the two are related is that the accountant in the public accounting firm will be hired by the "construction" company to provide them with their tax return/financial statement. At this point, the public accountant will then need the assistance of the private accountant within the construction firm to get important reports and data with which to complete the financial statement and tax return. This is a pretty general answer as there are many sub groups of accountants, as well as specializations and niches both on the private and public side.

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Q. Can anyone recommend a good cpa or tax assistance service in Northern Mass? Close to Boston or Lowell area?? I need someone with a strong legal background and or past IRS employment Thanks!!

A. What is your real problem?

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Q. I want to become an accountant for sure. I'm researching, and I see that there are several different types of accountants. Tax, audit and enterprise risk, financial advisory, internal, and consulting. Out of these, which one is the most lucrative, interesting, and most fulfilling overall. Why?

A. Forensic Accounting is the most 'interesting type of accounting' possibly the most.. unexpected and out of the ordinary. however some people may like tax/audit/financial etc.. but i think for the most part those types of accounting are pretty... 'boring'. to become an accountant you need a CPA (in America or a CA in Canada) which requires you to have an undergraduate degree with certian courses. My suggestion is to start taking the undergraduate introduction to accounting courses to get a taste of the types of accounting before you choose what to specialize in.

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Q. Is there a website where I can enter a tax accountant's name and find out if he is registered with the IRS?

A. If they are a CPA, you can check - usually on line - with the state Board of Accountancy for the state in which the CPA is licensed. If they are an enrolled agent, you can follow the link below.

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Q. I am a single male. I have one income from a job in Oklahoma and have also made revenue using Google Adsense. I also have a Mortgage. Is it smarter for me to use turbotax or hire an accountant?

A. My advice is always in favor of an actual CPA. They know about deductions that you may never have heard of. TurboTax and other software are only as good or as thorough as the user.

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Q. I have a bachelor's degree in Journalism and I have been working at a large bank in the fraud/risk department for 4 years. I am really interested in becoming a forensic accountant, and I would like to know what steps do I need to take to become a qualified forensic accountant, and can I use my experience in the fraud department as a Risk Analyst towards becoming a forensic accountant? Thanks in advance.

A. First you need your designation in accounting. in Canada its a CA in the States is a CPA. This can take as little as a couple years if you already have a university business program under your belt. you must pass the CA/CPA exams and complete a designated number of auditing/tax/general hours in a accredited accouting firm. than you can take the forensic accouting exam. when you pass this you must complete another designated amount of hours in the field. yes, its long. but that's why in Canada they START at about $100,000 (and thats a conservative number).

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Q. I know that if you are a qualified accountant you can do all sorts of business jobs including of course being an accountant. I also heard that the FBI takes on accountants. Are there any other jobs that accountants can do that you wouldn't naturally think of?

A. CPA accountants are qualified to be as IRS Agent, Income Tax Preparer, CFO, Financial Analyst

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Q. I'm interested in accounting but i need more info on the different types of accountants, needed schooling hours, and the salary range. I dont want to be going to school for a long time, and I have a family to care for. Which type would be the best for me. I'm interested in either, certified public accountant or a chartered accountant, is there any other types? So would working for the government be a better choice? and how long would it take if i just went to community college?

A. It depends on what type of accounting you go into. Typically accounting requires a 4 year college degree. If you wish to become a CPA that requires an additional 30 credit hours, so basically it requires a Masters degree that can usually be done in 1 year after receiving a bachelors. Accountants for one of the Big 4 accounting firms usually make the most money. I think it's about 40-50K to start, it's possible to make $100K after 5-7 years. However the hours are long and it can be very stressful especially around tax season. If you wish to do accounting for the government/non profit a CPA is usually not required pay is usually less I think for the fed govt you may start at about 35-40K depending on the location. However government jobs usually have better vacation/health benefits and you only work 40 hours a week.

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