Ledger,
I wanted to get my CPA a few years back. I graduated in 2003 and I wasn't sure what I wanted to do. I started working for a bank and after 2 years, quickly realized that wasn't my future and quit the job and worked for my dad (owns a locksmith company). 6 months later, I got hired at Parks dept as an associate doing audit and realized I enjoyed doing that. Then in 2007, I wanted to further my education and decided that a CPA would a goal to achieve. I had to get the necessary accounting credits first before I could be accepted in the masters program. This would be a process that would take 4 years. After a year off from graduating with my masters, I was ready to take on the CPA that would take me 1.5 years to complete. Failed the first exam with Reg (05/15), retake in 07/15 and passed, FAR in 11/15 (passed), took a break because I got married in January and left for 2 weeks honeymoon to Europe. Took BEC in 05/16 (passed) and finally AUD 08/27/16 and got my passing score on 9/9/16.
I get an automatic 5% bump in pay. However, I am unsure of what I see myself in the next 5 years. Stay in local govt, public accounting (getting the experience would be good), private industry or go full time with my company (currently a bookkeeping company and income tax) and turn it into a CPA firm.
My issue is and I hope maybe someone can is that with my bump in salary, I'll be at 72k. If I could make a lateral move for public accounting at the same pay, I'd do it. However, I have a fear that I would feel unaccepted due to my hearing impairment. I've been lucky at my job where my boss sees potential in me and I was promoted a year and half ago as an internal audit manager. I understand that in public accounting its pretty much cutthroat. I've got some decisions to make with my family.
REG - 82
FAR - 78
BEC - 76
AUD - 8/27/16
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