[Anonymous]

I’m not sure exactly what to do. I am in Colorado where it is still possible to do education in lieu of experience. You can also work for a CPA doing accounting work for 1800 hours within the last 5 years.

I have my master’s degree and so I am going to try for the education path. If for some reason I’m missing a class or something I’m trying to go the experience route.

I’ve been the Assistant Controller at my company for almost 6 years. I close the books and create financials, I do variance reports, I keep an AR, I do a bunch of treasury work, I did all the work for selling a subsidiary, I check others people’s work, I do reconciliations. I deal with auditors and I do regulatory work for our broker dealer. To me this is very clear accounting experience. I got a new Controller (CPA) a year and a half ago and have been under her doing this same work and more for that entire time. I feel that the experience that I have had under her works for the experience requirement but she wants to have me be there for another year under her after I pass the exams before she will sign off.

Is this right?

If push comes to shove, I can go to my old boss, also a CPA that I had prior to that which is still in the 5 year window but I would like to avoid that if possible. How should I handle this? Best result is the education comes through but what do I do with her?

[Anonymous]

A lot of people have said that your new boss sounds like a control freak, which is true, but I gotta call it like I see it. She sounds like a bitch to me. Sorry about the language, but it's 2am and I'm no where near done working for the night/morning whatever it is at this point. I'd contact the state board to find out if your old supervisor can sign off on your experience, if he can, then get him to and don't say a word to her until you have your license in hand. Sorry you are having to go through this. It's uncalled for and unprofessional.

[How many letters do you need]

Kricket: I agree. I hate it when people get to a level of some authority and try to pretend they got there without help from anybody. Nobody does it alone. There is always that opportunity, learning experience, what have you. In my opinion you have a professional responsibility to pass it along once you get there. Of course, not everybody feels that way but they are short sighted. I've gained so much more than I've lost over the years by just being willing to help out along the way. Not once has a staff taken my position before I was ready to leave. I can't understand this paranoid unprofessional perspective. If you aren't good enough to be confident enough in your abilities to lend an unselfish hand then you are in the wrong career. IMO…

MBA,CMA,CPA, CFF?, ABV?

[How many letters do you need]

Kricket: I agree. I hate it when people get to a level of some authority and try to pretend they got there without help from anybody. Nobody does it alone. There is always that opportunity, learning experience, what have you. In my opinion you have a professional responsibility to pass it along once you get there. Of course, not everybody feels that way but they are short sighted. I've gained so much more than I've lost over the years by just being willing to help out along the way. Not once has a staff taken my position before I was ready to leave. I can't understand this paranoid unprofessional perspective. If you aren't good enough to be confident enough in your abilities to lend an unselfish hand then you are in the wrong career. IMO…

MBA,CMA,CPA, CFF?, ABV?

[Anonymous]

Time for lawsuit!

AICPA ET Section 501. Acts Discreditable.

Would this provision be applicable?:

09 501-8—Failure to Follow Requirements of Governmental Bodies, Commissions, or Other Regulatory Agencies on Indemnification and Limitation of Liability Provisions in Connection With Audit and Other Attest Services.

Hire a lawyer and sue for damages, i.e., torture for abuse or power trip.

Resign from your job and contact the State Board Office.

[Anonymous]

Time for lawsuit!

AICPA ET Section 501. Acts Discreditable.

Would this provision be applicable?:

09 501-8—Failure to Follow Requirements of Governmental Bodies, Commissions, or Other Regulatory Agencies on Indemnification and Limitation of Liability Provisions in Connection With Audit and Other Attest Services.

Hire a lawyer and sue for damages, i.e., torture for abuse or power trip.

Resign from your job and contact the State Board Office.

[How many letters do you need]

Amor…I think that's a little much 🙂 I would angle much more for the psychological torture. Lawsuits are tricky, you might not win and I've seen some seriously damage their careers this way, even if they are for good reason. I'm not saying that all lawsuits are not worthy, but if an employer gets even a slight hint that you are the frivolous lawsuit type it could cause serious damage down the road (especially so in tight-knit industries where a lot of people talk). Unless there is very clear evidence of some kind of abuse, abuse that most companies would consider disgusting, I would just forget all about lawsuits..

MBA,CMA,CPA, CFF?, ABV?

[How many letters do you need]

Amor…I think that's a little much 🙂 I would angle much more for the psychological torture. Lawsuits are tricky, you might not win and I've seen some seriously damage their careers this way, even if they are for good reason. I'm not saying that all lawsuits are not worthy, but if an employer gets even a slight hint that you are the frivolous lawsuit type it could cause serious damage down the road (especially so in tight-knit industries where a lot of people talk). Unless there is very clear evidence of some kind of abuse, abuse that most companies would consider disgusting, I would just forget all about lawsuits..

MBA,CMA,CPA, CFF?, ABV?

[Anonymous]

@HowMany, I know! LOL.

Look at what FAR (Attempt#3) has done to me. I've been behaving like a NINJA Mafia lately.

[Anonymous]

@HowMany, I know! LOL.

Look at what FAR (Attempt#3) has done to me. I've been behaving like a NINJA Mafia lately.

[Quinacridone]

Going to your old boss could be construed as an affront to your current boss. Unless your job market has lots of attractive opportunities for inexperienced CPAs, either let her know that you have asked your old boss to sign the form, or do it through your education credits (with the master's degree credits, it should be pretty easy). Sometimes office politics are tricky.

REG - Nov 4, 2013: 88
FAR - Feb 27, 2014: 86
AUD - April 5, 2014: 91
BEC - May 6, 2014: 83

Florida CPA 24 July 2014
(Done in seven months - thank you Jesus!!)

[Quinacridone]

Going to your old boss could be construed as an affront to your current boss. Unless your job market has lots of attractive opportunities for inexperienced CPAs, either let her know that you have asked your old boss to sign the form, or do it through your education credits (with the master's degree credits, it should be pretty easy). Sometimes office politics are tricky.

REG - Nov 4, 2013: 88
FAR - Feb 27, 2014: 86
AUD - April 5, 2014: 91
BEC - May 6, 2014: 83

Florida CPA 24 July 2014
(Done in seven months - thank you Jesus!!)

[Anonymous]

Thanks all! I was in a meeting with the CFO, I call him my big boss and he told he higher ups that the Controller was going to be my advisor. Which pissed me off because I actually have some issues with her work ethic. But anyways, she wants to keep me for another year because she wants to teach me the way of the auditor since that's been the driving force in her life. Which would be all fine and good if I didn't already understand how she likes things documented from working for her for the last year and a half. We also have some really big disagreements about how spreadsheets should be set up. But I understand what she wants, I just don't agree. So I think she's really trying to help but I don't want to be like her. Everyone above her thinks she's the bees knees but everyone below doesn't respect her or her work. Probably because we have to fix all her mistakes. You try explaining to an auditor the right reason something was done incorrectly and they caught it after she gave them a different explanation. Anyways, I'm just complaining. I didn't want to go to the old boss because I really didn't want to owe him anything. I'll get it done, thanks again for the advice.

[Anonymous]

Thanks all! I was in a meeting with the CFO, I call him my big boss and he told he higher ups that the Controller was going to be my advisor. Which pissed me off because I actually have some issues with her work ethic. But anyways, she wants to keep me for another year because she wants to teach me the way of the auditor since that's been the driving force in her life. Which would be all fine and good if I didn't already understand how she likes things documented from working for her for the last year and a half. We also have some really big disagreements about how spreadsheets should be set up. But I understand what she wants, I just don't agree. So I think she's really trying to help but I don't want to be like her. Everyone above her thinks she's the bees knees but everyone below doesn't respect her or her work. Probably because we have to fix all her mistakes. You try explaining to an auditor the right reason something was done incorrectly and they caught it after she gave them a different explanation. Anyways, I'm just complaining. I didn't want to go to the old boss because I really didn't want to owe him anything. I'll get it done, thanks again for the advice.

[GuitarSalad]

@AndAgain Regarding your old boss, what kind of person would think you owe them something for signing off on your work experience? I'm not in a position of being able to sign off on someone's experience, but if I were, I would do it without thinking that I had done a great deed. If your old boss would hold it over your head, it sounds like you have worked for some real “winners” thus far in your career.

BEC 7/12/13 - 84
AUD 8/31/13 - 86
REG 4/11/14 - 84
FAR 5/30/14 - 88

Licensed AZ CPA - 10/2014

[GuitarSalad]

@AndAgain Regarding your old boss, what kind of person would think you owe them something for signing off on your work experience? I'm not in a position of being able to sign off on someone's experience, but if I were, I would do it without thinking that I had done a great deed. If your old boss would hold it over your head, it sounds like you have worked for some real “winners” thus far in your career.

BEC 7/12/13 - 84
AUD 8/31/13 - 86
REG 4/11/14 - 84
FAR 5/30/14 - 88

Licensed AZ CPA - 10/2014

[Author]

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