This CPA journey is not easy and i am starting to rethink how am i going to get a satisfaction with being a cpa, besides money, can anybody tell me how being a cpa can help the world? how can a cpa or working in a cpa firm be the job that is to serve others?
If nothing is certain but death and taxes, and you don't want death-related work, then that leaves taxes! So you are helping people with something that is certain to affect them.
Disclaimer: My ninja avatar is not meant to imply that I have any affiliation with this site other than being a forum member. That's a pic of a T-shirt that my daughter gave me for my birthday. 🙂
You can donate your expertise in tax or accounting to people who are poor, trying to better their financial position, and in need of free or low-cost advice on budgeting, tax strategies, or financial planning. You can offer bookeeping services to your church, or another nonprofit that you care about. You can work through your university to mentor and provide career advice to students and others who might have an interest in becoming a CPA. While not as sexy as, say, joining the Peace Corps, these are all ways of making a difference!
@Kim – Every time someone asks me why I like working in taxes, I always give them that quote! I'm just not willing to be a mortician…. 😀
@OP, I've been thinking about just that a lot in the last few years. I want to make a career out of tax, and right now money is a big draw to any job. I'm hoping, though, to be at a point five or ten years down the road where I can find a nonprofit that supports a cause about which I am passionate, and put my skills to work for them. Even nonprofits have to keep a good set of books and file tax returns, and I honestly think that would be an awesome job to have! Until then, all I can do is stay involved in my community and give back anywhere I can. It's a great place to start! 🙂
Oh! You might also think about a firm's culture if you are job hunting. Find a firm that is heavily invested in giving back to the community, and I think you can find satisfaction and fulfillment working for them. 🙂
I am a forensic accountant/Certified Fraud Examiner. I help put the bad guys (and gals) away and stop the elder financial abuse and embezzlement of small businesses! As a CPA, I hope to do even more of the same!
AUD 88 (expired), 80 retake
FAR 64,69,67,73,67,73,73,73, August 3
REG 75 (expired) September 7
BEC 72, 77
What Kricket and CPA50 said. Depending on the job, CPAs protect the public, employees, and stakeholders by maintaining accurate accounting records, ensuring internal controls and regulations are complied with, and acting as watch dogs.
Similar to what's been mentioned, nonprofits need accountants. I think being part of an organization that has an inspired mission could be immensely satisfying. The money might not be quite as good but you definitely wouldn't be going hungry or anything. It's a different type of accounting too and it could be a cool niche to settle into.
I like the idea of Forensic Accounting. How did you get into that and how do you find such a job. If I was practicing Tax, i would not charge any fees from people who were under a certain AGI level. In Private/Public Accounting,maintaining strong ethics and be ready to be whistle blower would help maintain the reliance on the profession and weed out developing scams that could rock the economy.
FAR - 81 29th Aug 2013
AUD - 84
REG - 82
BEC - 89 29th Aug 2014
Using Yager
I work for myself, so I'm not sure how to find a job in forensic accounting, although I'm sure your big east coast firms have litigation departments. In my first accounting job I uncovered an embezzlement, and I was hooked! Having grown up in law enforcement and married to an attorney, I think it's a natural for me. It's very stressful however and not a career to be taken lightly. Your work could send someone to jail and working around the court system can be frustrating. But, if you want to make a real difference to someone, there's nothing like it.
AUD 88 (expired), 80 retake
FAR 64,69,67,73,67,73,73,73, August 3
REG 75 (expired) September 7
BEC 72, 77
haha, you don't become an accountant to help the world. similarly you don't become an accountant to have a fun time.
You become an accountant to have a stable career in a cube (no backbreaking labor for us! And you have fun and/or ‘help the world' when you are not working. If you are the type of person that needs to feel like they are doing ‘good' and making the world a better place day-in day-out, Accounting is NOT the career path for you – there are hundreds of more appropriate paths.
…I was working for a non-profit medical organization, not the kind that needs charitable contribution to sustain, but help educating doctors, nurses and future doctors. Keeping this organization going so that someone in this organization can help others set a tone to heal/operate a certain medical condition makes me feel great even though I was balancing books day-in-day-out.
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