Accountant
[6] Excepting the Association of Certified Public Accountants, each of the above bodies admits members only after passing examinations and undergoing a period of relevant work experience.
Once admitted, members are expected to comply with ethical guidelines and gain appropriate professional experience.
The ICAEW, ICAS, ICAI, ACCA and AAPA are five Recognised Supervisory Bodies (RSB) in the UK.
A member of one of them may also become a Statutory Auditor in accordance with the Companies Act, providing they can demonstrate the necessary professional ability in that area and submit to regular inspection.
[9][10] The ICAEW, ICAS, ICAI, ACCA, AIA and CIPFA are six recognised qualifying bodies statutory (RQB) in the UK.
As noted above, the majority of accountants work in the private sector or may offer their services without the need for certification.
Many CPA firms also offer accounting, tax, litigation support, and other financial advisory services.
This examination is designed and graded by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA).
A PA (sometimes referred to as LPA—Licensed Public Accountant) is licensed by the state to practice accountancy to the same extent as are CPAs, although in some states PAs are not permitted to perform audits or reviews (notably Iowa, Minnesota, Oregon, & South Carolina).
A person holding the Certificate in Management Accounting (CMA) is granted the certificate by the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA), provided that the candidate has passed an examination of two parts and has met the practical experience requirement of the IMA.
An Enrolled Agent (EA) is a federally authorized tax practitioner empowered by the U.S. Department of the Treasury to represent taxpayers before the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
Enrolled agent status is the highest credential awarded by the IRS, unlimited rights of representation.
Candidates must pass a three-part exam (called the Special Enrollment Examination) covering the subjects of individual tax, business tax, and client representation, or must have worked at the IRS for five consecutive years in a position which regularly engaged in these areas.
All recognized national and provincial accounting bodies in Canada have now unified under the CPA banner.
The members of the Institute are widely recognized as Cost and Management Accountants (FCMA, ACMA).
It is the sole local accountancy body, therefore to audit public companies an individual must be a member of the ICASL.
HKICPA terminated all recognition of overshare bodies in 2005 for accreditation under professional accountants ordinance.
The CC certification is exclusively awarded by the professional organization Ordem dos Contabilistas Certificados (OCC), and the certification to become an auditor is awarded by another professional organization, the Ordem dos Revisores Oficiais de Contas (OROC).
[16] In general, accountants or auditors accredited by OTOC or OROC are individuals with university graduation diplomas in business management, economics, mathematics or law who, after further studies, applied for an exam and received the certification to be a CC or ROC.
