CPA work experience advice

  • Creator
    Topic
  • #3247746
    avocado
    Participant

    Hello,
    I have passed all 4 sections of the CPA exam. However I am not an accountant and don’t work for an accounting firm.
    I work in the investment business.
    My goal is to get my CPA license but California requires 1 year (or 2,000 hours I believe) of accounting work experience while working under the supervision of a CPA.
    What is the best way to get the requisite work experience part-time, while continuing my full-time job?
    I thought about working part-time at H&R Block as a tax preparer. I think this would count although I’m not positive.
    Has anyone tried this route? Or is there a better way? Any suggestions appreciated.

    Thank you,
    Avocado

Viewing 15 replies - 1 through 15 (of 16 total)
  • Author
    Replies
  • #3248112
    jd
    Participant

    Honestly, I’m sure you could find someone to sign off, but it might be best to actually work for an accounting firm to get those hours. Experience in public accounting is pretty irreplaceable as opposed to preparing a bunch of 1040s. Also a firm will look better on a resume I believe.

    #3248175
    avocado
    Participant

    hi JD,
    thx for the reply.
    Yes I agree, working at an accounting firm would be ideal. I could only work nights or weekends so it would be tough to find something I think. Especially given no accounting work in my history. My thinking was H&R Block would be a first step. Hopefully I would find something better eventually.
    Thx again,
    Avocado

    #3251490
    aastha.buttan
    Participant

    Hey!
    I am in a similar situation.
    Passed the last section in Feb and just got done with masters (for 150 credits).
    I have worked in audit for almost 5 years and have a break of 5 years.
    Some family commitments and passing the CPA exams.
    I was wondering if consulting counts as relevant work experience (Alaska Board)?
    Any advice/help would be appreciated.

    Thanks,
    Aastha

    #3251493
    aastha.buttan
    Participant

    Hey!
    I am in a similar situation.
    Passed the last section in Feb and just got done with masters (for 150 credits).
    I have worked in audit for almost 5 years and have a break of 5 years.
    Some family commitments and passing the CPA exams.
    I was wondering if consulting counts as relevant work experience (Alaska Board)?
    Also, I am an international candidate, if thats relevant here.
    Any advice/help would be appreciated.

    Thanks,
    Aastha

    #3252399
    monikernc
    Participant

    @Avocado do scores expire in CA? If not, then you have time to get experience. Does anyone at your job now have a CPA license that you can work for? Though the work you do does matter for the experience, it has to be accounting and it sounds like you work in finance. H&R Block may not have CPAs you can work under. If you are not willing to leave your current job try remote opportunities. Getting experience outside of actual work in public will be challenging. California does not do reciprocity so getting a license in another state and applying for a CA license won’t work either. Good luck.

    FAR 7/25/15 76!
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    Ninja Book and MCQ and the forum - all the way!!!
    and a little thing i like to call, time and effort!
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    #3252411
    monikernc
    Participant

    @Aashta look at Montana for licensing. A lot of internationals are found eligible under their rules. I was successfully licensed there because they do not require direct supervision by a CPA – only require a licensed CPA to attest to your experience based on their procedures. You can probably easily do a transfer of grades when you are ready to apply for a license there. NASBA Licensing coordinates their applications and can answer your questions. Montana does require experience to be more recent but their rules are very reasonable and fair.

    FAR 7/25/15 76!
    AUD 10/30/15 93
    BEC 2/27/16 82
    REG 5/23/16 88!
    Ninja Book and MCQ and the forum - all the way!!!
    and a little thing i like to call, time and effort!
    if you want things to change, you have to do something different

    #3252426
    avocado
    Participant

    Hi Monikernc,
    thx for the reply.
    From CalCPA.org website: “Once you have passed all four sections of the Uniform CPA exam, your exam credits do not expire.” So I am OK there.
    I don't want to leave my current job so I was hoping to find a way to work nights/weekends to get the requisite experience.

    Thank you,
    Avocado

    #3252684
    aastha.buttan
    Participant

    @monikernc Thank you so much for this! I'll look into Montana state board requirements.

    #3252708
    ElizabethBennet
    Participant

    Have you looked for volunteer opportunities? Some non-profits provide accounting services and they would definitely be more flexible with your schedule.

    #3253479
    monikernc
    Participant

    @avocado grades that don’t expire saved me. It took me 4 years after passing exams to finally get the experience that met the requirements for a license. If I had just worked tax seasons it would have taken about 8 years to get one year of experience. Try flex jobs or intuit, TurboTax – the tax remote jobs usually require credentials but other opportunities may exist. I also reached out to CPA firms asking for work to meet the requirements but that was not helpful. You can try CAs society if CPAs and see if anyone will take you on part time. The state societies usually offer placement and matching services. Good luck.

    FAR 7/25/15 76!
    AUD 10/30/15 93
    BEC 2/27/16 82
    REG 5/23/16 88!
    Ninja Book and MCQ and the forum - all the way!!!
    and a little thing i like to call, time and effort!
    if you want things to change, you have to do something different

    #3253821
    avocado
    Participant

    ElizabethBen net,
    thanks for the reply.
    Yes, volunteering is a good idea,
    thank you,
    Avocado

    #3253824
    avocado
    Participant

    monikernc,
    Those are all good ideas,
    thank you,
    avocado

    #3254346
    Tim B
    Participant

    I've done 4 tax seasons in H&R Block, there was no CPA to sign for my hours

    #3254370
    avocado
    Participant

    Hi Tim B,
    thank you for your reply.
    Did you work at H&R Block expressly to get experience hours for CPA licensure requirements?
    Did anyone at H&R Block tell you any type of policy they have for this issue?

    Have you gone in another direction to get your requisite experience?

    Thanks,
    Avocado

    #3254613
    Tim B
    Participant

    No, I just happened to work there. Didn't really think about CPA hours at that point.

    In New York the experience has to be verified by a CPA, who supervised your work, so it's not up to H&R Block policy. If you are lucky and your manager is a CPA, then great! Otherwise, it's still a fun place to work at.

    Right now I'm working at TurboTax and my manager is a CPA, she said she doesn't mind signing for my hours at the end of the season. The problem is it's also seasonal, so it will take me 4 years of 3 months at a time to accumulate the experience.

Viewing 15 replies - 1 through 15 (of 16 total)
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