[Anonymous]

I recently encounter a dilemma where having passed the exams (May 2013) and the ethics component exam, I am now one step away from gaining my CPA license, however, the CPA who I had plan to verify my experience is unable to do so (I’m from the Caribbean where CPA’s are rare and the person who I had contacted his CPA license is inactive).

I am going thru Washington State and there requirement is that the person have 5 years of post CPA experience, has an active license, can verify the person, and the person necessarily do not have to be a supervisor.

As such, I’m wondering if you know of anyone who would not have a problem verifying my experience as a Washington state candidate? Or of someone who have done this before?

[jeff]

Only someone who knows you and you worked with could verify your experience. I would call the BOA to make sure of this, however.

[jeff]

Only someone who knows you and you worked with could verify your experience. I would call the BOA to make sure of this, however.

[acamp]

I remember someone on here was trying to hire someone to verify their experience, this may be a state to state thing, but it basically sounded like you could hire a CPA to review your work to see that you met the requirements, and that CPA did not necessarily have to supervise your work. Sounded kinda tricky, not to mention, how do you prove to an unrelated CPA your work experience?

Ninja + Wiley Test Bank: [FAR - 81] [REG - 76] [BEC - 88] [AUD - 73](doh!)

Becker Videos: [AUD - 82]

California CPA

[acamp]

I remember someone on here was trying to hire someone to verify their experience, this may be a state to state thing, but it basically sounded like you could hire a CPA to review your work to see that you met the requirements, and that CPA did not necessarily have to supervise your work. Sounded kinda tricky, not to mention, how do you prove to an unrelated CPA your work experience?

Ninja + Wiley Test Bank: [FAR - 81] [REG - 76] [BEC - 88] [AUD - 73](doh!)

Becker Videos: [AUD - 82]

California CPA

[tough_kitty]

Yep, sounds shady to me! One of my friends passed CPA exam almost 2 years ago now, but never had a chance to work under an active CPA, so she asked me if I knew someone who would sign off her experience……..I was like: “You must be joking, right?!?!?”…….

FAR: 81 (May 2013)
BEC: 81 (July 2013)
REG: 83 (August 2013)
AUD: 82 (November 2013)
California CPA since 1/30/14

[tough_kitty]

Yep, sounds shady to me! One of my friends passed CPA exam almost 2 years ago now, but never had a chance to work under an active CPA, so she asked me if I knew someone who would sign off her experience……..I was like: “You must be joking, right?!?!?”…….

FAR: 81 (May 2013)
BEC: 81 (July 2013)
REG: 83 (August 2013)
AUD: 82 (November 2013)
California CPA since 1/30/14

[Anonymous]

alyssanadia- Did your company use an external CPA firm to do audits or the company's tax returns? Maybe you could talk to them about reviewing your work over a period of time. Otherwise, you may have to find a new job or internship with a CPA firm that you could do for at least a year. A friend of mine had a similar situation and took a part-time job doing tax returns to meet her experience requirements.

[Anonymous]

alyssanadia- Did your company use an external CPA firm to do audits or the company's tax returns? Maybe you could talk to them about reviewing your work over a period of time. Otherwise, you may have to find a new job or internship with a CPA firm that you could do for at least a year. A friend of mine had a similar situation and took a part-time job doing tax returns to meet her experience requirements.

[Anonymous]

The Washington Board of CPA states that-

“The verifying CPA does not have to be your day-to-day work supervisor. However, the CPA must be qualified to verify your experience and complete the Verifying CPA section of the Experience Affidavit (Fillable PDF).”

I'm from the Caribbean so there is not much CPA's in the country, my best luck would have to be the accounting firms or contacting the CPA society for assistance.

[Anonymous]

The Washington Board of CPA states that-

“The verifying CPA does not have to be your day-to-day work supervisor. However, the CPA must be qualified to verify your experience and complete the Verifying CPA section of the Experience Affidavit (Fillable PDF).”

I'm from the Caribbean so there is not much CPA's in the country, my best luck would have to be the accounting firms or contacting the CPA society for assistance.

[RockMeRock]

alyssanadia,

I'm basically in the same situation as you and posted about this several weeks ago.

The best thing you can do is ask around, join local CPA society meetings, meet people, ect. Since you live outside the US (like me) this can be very difficult. Another option is to pay money for someone to verify your experience and sign your form. Some people here are suggesting that it would be unethical for someone to sign it who doesn't know you, but the WA State Board has publicly stated that this is okay. When in doubt, ask the Board directly; they've always answered my emails very promptly.

The requirement if some someone with a license for 5+ years to verify your experience, but this doesn't mean they have to do a background check or hire a private investigator or something. Also, the person signing it has no legal liability for future legal problems the signee might have in the future, so it sounds really strange to me that someone would refuse to sign it unless that are misinformed or just jerks. (Imagine if you went to get a drivers license and the person signing off on your drive test refused to sign you off because they “don't know you well enough” or were afraid you “might one day cause a traffic accident and I could be held liable because I was the one who signed your driver's license”. If this was the case, nobody would ever receive a drivers license!)

Ever since the NASBA opened up testing to overseas sites, the number of non-US citizen test takers has risen dramatically. I expect this is going to be a big issue in the next few years.

[RockMeRock]

alyssanadia,

I'm basically in the same situation as you and posted about this several weeks ago.

The best thing you can do is ask around, join local CPA society meetings, meet people, ect. Since you live outside the US (like me) this can be very difficult. Another option is to pay money for someone to verify your experience and sign your form. Some people here are suggesting that it would be unethical for someone to sign it who doesn't know you, but the WA State Board has publicly stated that this is okay. When in doubt, ask the Board directly; they've always answered my emails very promptly.

The requirement if some someone with a license for 5+ years to verify your experience, but this doesn't mean they have to do a background check or hire a private investigator or something. Also, the person signing it has no legal liability for future legal problems the signee might have in the future, so it sounds really strange to me that someone would refuse to sign it unless that are misinformed or just jerks. (Imagine if you went to get a drivers license and the person signing off on your drive test refused to sign you off because they “don't know you well enough” or were afraid you “might one day cause a traffic accident and I could be held liable because I was the one who signed your driver's license”. If this was the case, nobody would ever receive a drivers license!)

Ever since the NASBA opened up testing to overseas sites, the number of non-US citizen test takers has risen dramatically. I expect this is going to be a big issue in the next few years.

[mla1169]

Does the WA actually say the CPA doesn't have to know you, or do they say the CPA doesn't have to be your direct supervisor. Two different things.

And as a CPA, although I know there is no liability in signing for someone I've never met, the only time I am signing someone's experience is if I know their work. It certainly doesn't make me a jerk, nor does it make me misinformed. It makes me in charge of what I sign my own name to. Nothing else.

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

Massachusetts CPA (non reporting) since 3/12.

[mla1169]

Does the WA actually say the CPA doesn't have to know you, or do they say the CPA doesn't have to be your direct supervisor. Two different things.

And as a CPA, although I know there is no liability in signing for someone I've never met, the only time I am signing someone's experience is if I know their work. It certainly doesn't make me a jerk, nor does it make me misinformed. It makes me in charge of what I sign my own name to. Nothing else.

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

Massachusetts CPA (non reporting) since 3/12.

[RockMeRock]

mla1169,

As far as I know, the Board hasn't said that you the CPA has to know the person, but that's a good question to get clarified.

I think becoming a CPA shouldn't be dependent on who you know and what kind of connections you have.

[Author]

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