[Skynet]

https://www.forbes.com/sites/karstenstrauss/2016/04/15/the-best-accounting-firms-in-america-2017/#733d270c5d7d

Agree or Disagree?

[TheB4Newbie]

Very much agreed! The top 3, or in another word the Big 3, have once again justified their respective leading position both in the US and worldwide.

In 2014: (FAR + AUD + REG + BEC) / 4 = 95.0 < 95.5 Pitifully; But the job was done, regardless.

[monikernc]

i laugh at them for laughing at me for being “too old”

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

[quid_pro_quo]

“So it's no surprise that accountants at competitor firms call PwC “the best of the best.”

……yeahhhhh.

[the LAST Coffee]

So the new Big 4 is EY, PwC, Deloitte, Grant Thornton?

Interesting.

FAR 84 (AUG '15)
BEC 83 (AUG '15)
AUD 79 (OCT '15)
REG 71, 78! (NOV '15, FEB '16)

[Anonymous]

You mean “take as much time off as you want” Grant Thorton?

[Last Chance CPA]

@monikernc – How old are you?

I used to work at the one that went from #4 to #5, but in their IT Advisory practice…and #1 definitely judged us on that project…

FAR - 76
AUD - 75
BEC - 75
REG - 76

Now I need some experience!!! And some networking...

[monikernc]

57. how old are you?

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

[Last Chance CPA]

2 shy of 40. That's why I don't know if it was worth it to embark on this CPA journey. I am already well established in IT business consulting, and I make decent money. If I can find a cross-over position at one of the Big 4s, I will pursue it. I have tried to go back to #5, but so far no luck…

FAR - 76
AUD - 75
BEC - 75
REG - 76

Now I need some experience!!! And some networking...

[monikernc]

i worked in IT for more than 20 years – i finally had enough. there is no model for project success that really works and i got tired of seeing money wasted and watching big failures get glossed over by excuses. and i was very good at it. it got old. i like working so i am giving this a try. i am making progress. can't wait to get REG out of the way.
advisory doesn't really require CPA but it is a good credential to have. deloitte does a lot of development in govt sector. i have had them as a vendor and you could try there.

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

[Last Chance CPA]

@monikernc – I agree on the IT part. There is no accountability on client projects, unless you work for a reputable firm and support a solid client. But I do know that Big 4s have had major failures on multi-million dollar IT projects as well…

FAR - 76
AUD - 75
BEC - 75
REG - 76

Now I need some experience!!! And some networking...

[jm962011]

For Last Chance and Monkier re: your IT backgrounds, not sure if you were on the technical side of IT or the consulting, or even the sales side but I would say there is a large demand for CPAs with IT backgrounds, especially with tax. Not sure about G/L accounting or auditing (I would assume that yes there is though just based on going through ERP implementations) and I would say the #1 complaint for tax professionals, whether its implementing a tax /provision software like Go Systems/OneSource/CorpTax, or a sales tax system like Avalara/Vertex is the disconnect between the IT people that write the code, the sales team, the implementation team (usually a combination of the software provider's team and a public accounting firm) and the actual tax people working in the business.

I really want to get into tax technology consulting to help bridge that gap. We need people that speak the IT language and know the tax laws.

[Andyred04]

the LAST Coffee, I don't think this means Grant Thornton took KPMG's spot in the Big 4. This is a listing of the “best” accounting firms in the nation, not the largest. In terms of revenues I do believe the same Big 4 remain.

FAR: 80 (Gleim, Ninja Notes, Ninja MCQs)
REG: 87 (Gleim, Ninja Notes, Ninja MCQs)
BEC: 87 (Gleim, Ninja Notes, Ninja MCQs)
AUD: 8/27/16

PA Candidate

[Mayo]

I always find these lists are worthwhile to give you info on how the national firms are doing. Big 4 is Big 4 in terms of doing auditing or tax work.

Mayo, BBA, Macc

[Last Chance CPA]

@jm962011 – I am interested in ERP implementations, specifically healthcare financial systems. I didn't think about tax technology, as that's not my space at all. Right now I am having trouble getting anyone to even recognize my CPA. I am looking to get into a large org (possibly return to Big 4) and move around. Right now, healthcare IT consulting is my bread and butter…

FAR - 76
AUD - 75
BEC - 75
REG - 76

Now I need some experience!!! And some networking...

[ultrarunner]

Here is a new list from Accounting Today:
https://cdn.coverstand.com/37089/350557/fe8182037b156f9d69f200d08c3d9d383a93eec0.1.pdf

FAR 72,67,79 (Roger+Wiley test bank)11/15
AUD 80 (Roger)10/15
BEC 80 (Roger)4/16
REG 63,78 (Roger+Ninja MCQs)5/16

[Author]

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