[Anonymous]

I’m currently looking to meet the 1 year working experience requirement in order to get my CPA. I currently working at a small, not-for-profit company. I work in the Accounts Receivable dept. and mainly do bank reconciliations and adjusting entries. We’re a very small firm and our Accounting dept is very small. It mainly consists of Accounts Payable and Accounts Receivable. There are a couple of people that work in tax and internal audit, but only a couple. Like I said, we’re a very small firm.

Anyways, since my job is so low level and our accounting is so low level, I feel pretty certain that nobody there are CPAs and therefore, I cannot get certified at my current position. I doubt CPAs are working in A/P or A/R. And also, the way people act at my company too…. well, let’s just say it isn’t the most professional. So, I never bothered asking because not only might it make me look silly asking them, but also, I don’t want to expose that I’m over-qualified for my position. That could be a bad thing.

Now, I was just speaking to my neighbor, who is a former CPA. I was telling her about my issue fulfilling the work experience requirement. She said there MUST be a CPA at my firm. She said there needs to be someone higher up that’s a CPA, especially if they’re doing things like closing the books.

Is that true? Is there a good chance that someone in my firm is a CPA and can certify me?

[littlenumberrobot]

Can you explain more what kind of non-for-profit this is? I am a little confused how you can be a non-for-profit accounting firm… it's possible someone there is an Enrolled Agent if they are signing taxes. But not sure how anyone not a CPA can sign off on internal audits, etc…

CA CPA - All because of the journey listed below
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
FAR - 53('10), 8/25/12 79 PASSED!
REG - 66('11), 69('12), 12/06/12 77 PASSED!!
BEC - 58('10), 74('12), 01/05/13 77 PASSED!!!
AUD - 43('11), 66('12), 69('13), 74('13) 7/29/13 85 PASSED!!!!!

(Combinations of Roger, Yaeger, Wiley Book, Wiley TB, & NINJA Notes)

Ethics 90%

[Anonymous]

No, we're private. You know, like Visiting Nurse Service and American Red Cross. Something like that. We're not an accounting firm. We're a charitable organization and I just work in the Accounting department.

[MeaDebitum]

I think you are using the word, firm, when you shouldn't. That being said, if someone in the accounting department was a CPA, you would know by now.

Also, I'm pretty sure you don't need a CPA to sign off on internal audits since they're for internal, not external, use.

What state are you in? I'm surprised at the number of states that allow general accounting to fulfill the CPA experience requirement.

[littlenumberrobot]

Okay I understand now. I don't believe someone is required to have a CPA, even if it is non-for-profit, just to be in an accounting department.

CA CPA - All because of the journey listed below
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
FAR - 53('10), 8/25/12 79 PASSED!
REG - 66('11), 69('12), 12/06/12 77 PASSED!!
BEC - 58('10), 74('12), 01/05/13 77 PASSED!!!
AUD - 43('11), 66('12), 69('13), 74('13) 7/29/13 85 PASSED!!!!!

(Combinations of Roger, Yaeger, Wiley Book, Wiley TB, & NINJA Notes)

Ethics 90%

[Anonymous]

Ok, thanks. That's what I figured, which is why I found it strange that my neighbor said that.

[momto5]

I have been working in A/R for the past 6 years for a manufacturing company. I am in Wisconsin and I don't anticipate ANY of my experience will count toward my CPA experience. Our controller has her CPA (and I assume our CFO does, although I am not sure) but I don't think anyone else in the department does. Either way, we have to have higher level experience than just A/R type duties – something with higher level position and responsibilities, above just general accounting and tax preparation. I am hoping to find a new employer that can give me that experience once I pass – hopefully a small CPA firm or something. Guess my other option may be a promotion to corporate accountant within the department, but I don't think that is too likely as they always seem to be cutting back instead of adding new positions. Ultimately I would like to work for a CPA firm anyway, I think.

FAR - 92 (4/27/12)
AUD - 96 (7/17/12)
BEC - 92 (8/30/12)
REG - 91 (11/12/12)

[Anonymous]

” I am in Wisconsin and I don't anticipate ANY of my experience will count toward my CPA experience.”

That's the problem. I'm submitting resumes, but 95% of the calls I'm getting are for jobs that probably won't certify me. Getting a job in Accounting is not really all that hard. But getting a job that fulfills the work experience requirement, now THAT is the challenging part.

[mla1169]

I've never worked at a nonprofit but in the two companies I worked at before my CPA (one of which was publicly traded) there were no CPA's internally.

FAR- 77
AUD -49, 71, 84
REG -56,75!
BEC -75

Massachusetts CPA (non reporting) since 3/12.

[Maverick]

I worked as a senior accountant for a financial institution. My previous controller was not a CPA, but very intelligent and a great boss.

F - Passed...THANK YOU, LORD. GLORY TO GOD.
B - Passed...THANK YOU, LORD. GLORY TO GOD.
A - Passed...THANK YOU, LORD. GLORY TO GOD.
R - Passed...THANK YOU, LORD. GLORY TO GOD.

Ethics - 95

Licensed CPA

I COULD NOT HAVE DONE THIS WITHOUT MY LORD. THANK YOU.

"According to your faith will it be done to you." Matthew 9:29

[samdiegoCPA]

My last job at a small mortgage company had a CPA (vice president) but he wasn't in much… the accounting manager (AVP when I left) had only graduated high school. She had worked there since the beginning and basically learned all the accounting stuff hands on. A new guy bought the company and fired both the President and VP (new guy was a NIGHTMARE) so no CPA at all there. Not sure what the deal is there now.

AUD: 84
REG: 84
BEC: 79
FAR: 83

[porschify]

From my experience in public, most small NFP's as you have described do not have a CPA that works for them. It is not a requirement unless the agency that funds them would require it. I would think if funding required audit f/s's then they would hire an external auditor.

REG- 81
BEC- 72,76
AUD- 67,88
FAR- 78

Done!

[msgolds]

That's absolutely false. I spend a lot of my time auditing tiny defense contractors (10 employees tops at some of them). Most of them don't even have accounting “departments.” They'll have maybe one person who takes care of all the accounting. That person may not even have an accounting degree, let alone a CPA.

BEC - 90 PASSED
FAR - 84 PASSED
AUD - 93 PASSED
REG - 84 PASSED

I DID IT!!!!

Using Becker Self-Study

"If we were put here to carry a great weight, then the very things we hate are here to build those muscles."

[Anonymous]

Unbelievable!!! The Assistant Manager of our dept. is a CPA!!

You can actually check on this site:

https://www.nysed.gov

She is listed there. She was licensed in '08 and is still active. Any chance she can certify me? How do I go about asking? Like I said, me asking will expose that I'm overqualified for my position, so what should I do?

[kgirl]

Are you comfortable talking to the manager that is a CPA and explaining your situation?

[kgirl]

And with tax season approaching, is there a chance you could land a position with a CPA firm and have the possibility of staying employed there after tax season? And talk to your career services at your alma mater. They may know of openings that aren't advertised online. (Landed 3 interviews this way at my last job search).

How about job fairs? Even if you don't go, check their websites to see employers attending and what fields they're hiring in.

[Author]

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