PDF《WHAT IS A CPA?》

This document was prepared by the ACCA USA office and is intended to assist ACCA members and students living in or moving to the United States achieve the national qualification.

Any information in this document is intended for informational purposes and should be confirmed with the appropriate State Board of Accountancy before proceeding. WHAT IS A CPA? A CPA stands for Certified Public Accountant. A CPA is a statutory designation for qualified accountants in the United States who have passed the Uniformed Certified Public Accountant Examination and have met additional state education and experience requirements. DO I NEED TO BE A CPA IN ORDER TO WORK IN THE USA? ACCA members currently living in the USA have varying opinions as to whether a CPA is necessary to have a successful career in this country. Below is information provided by two of ACCA USA'

s Committee Members on their views: Adam Segal ACCA USA Florida Chapter Head It'

s tough in the U.S. because unless you work for a large international company, ACCA is less well known. It is up to us as individuals who hold the qualification to sell it to prospective employers. The key is just getting a foot in the door. If you want to live and work in the U.S as a professional accountant, try to obtain a CPA license if you can. Siobhan Pandya ACCA USA Dallas Chapter Head HOW ARE CPAS LICENSED IN THE USA? CPAs are licensed on the state level and not through a membership association such as AICPA. In order to become a CPA in the USA, a candidate must first decide in which state he or she would like to be licensed. The candidate should then contact that State Board of Accountancy for information regarding specific requirements and necessary documentation. A list of state boards along with appropriate contact information is below. WHAT EDUCATION IS REQUIRED TO BECOME A CPA? In general, all state boards require

150 hours of education in order to qualify to sit the Uniform CPA exam. There are a few states that continue to accept less than 150, though that is changing in most of the states, enumerated below: ? Colorado (effective January 2015,

150 hours will be necessary);

? New Hampshire (effective July 2014,

150 hours will be necessary);

? US Virgin Islands;

and ? Vermont (effective July 2014,

150 hours will be necessary). The ACCA qualification provides members and students with the foundation required to succeed in any business role. The broad range of subjects covered including Tax, Audit and Law mean that ACCA members can provide valuable input to any decision making process and are key assets to any organization. The ACCA qualification and its benefits are being increasingly recognized in the U.S. therefore minimizing the need to pursue the CPA qualification. The ACCA qualification not only matches but surpasses the CPA qualification in many ways therefore making it the best way forward. WHAT IS IMA AND WHAT IS ACCA'

S RELATIONSHIP WITH IMA? The Institute of Management Accountants (IMA) is a global association of accounting and financial professionals with more than 60,000 members worldwide and an accounting accreditation program, conferring the certified management accountant (CMA) designation. IMA is headquartered in Montvale, NJ, USA. ACCA and IMA remain strongly committed to their wide strategic partnership, the Financial Leadership and Performance initiative, which aims to support the career development goals of Chief Financial Officers (CFOs) and other aspiring professionals, through a variety of resources including research, thought leadership, and a joint website. WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A USA CPA AND CMA DESIGNATION? CMAs work in or for companies focusing on driving business performance. A CMA analyzes the company'