Key Certifications for Accounting Careers - By: The Sider Group

There are many key certifications for accounting careers that will help move your career forward in this field. The certifications that you complete will determine what job designations you are qualified for as an accountant, whether you choose to work in the public or private sector. Ultimately, this determines what options you have available to you and the earning potential within your field of accounting. The following certifications and designations should provide an idea of the career options available to accountants:

CFE – The Certified Fraud Examiner is a specialization involving fraud detection and prevention in the financial field. This is a developing career field that is becoming more and more necessary in the information age, as fraud is carried out by individuals and massive corporations alike.

CFM – The Certified Financial Manager certification can help management accountants expand their horizons. An exam pulls parts from the CMA exam and adds additional sections on corporate restructuring, financial markets and instruments, financial statement analysis, investor relations and risk management.

CFP – Certified Financial Planners help to expand, manage and shelter assets for their clients. This certification tests one’s abilities to plan and strategize to achieve the client’s objectives and make the most of their financial resources.

CGFM – The Certified Government Financial Manager certification encompasses all financial managers that work in the local, state and federal government. There are more than 13,000 accountants in the United States with this designation who are qualified to handle government finance issues.

CIA – The Certified Internal Auditor designation qualifies accountants for jobs that entail the analyses of economy, efficiency, financial opportunities, global issues, quality, technology and other factors contributing to the fiscal house of an organization.

CMA – The Certified Management Accountant (CMA) designation is a certificate sponsored by the Institute of Management Accountants. Most accountants also get the CPA certification, though, because this increases their earnings potential and career opportunities.

CPA – The Certified Public Accountant (CPA) is the most well known and popular certification within the accounting field. There are nearly half a million Certified Public Accountants in the United States, but that doesn’t mean it’s an easy designation to get. The exam is extremely rigorous and demanding, and it requires education and training.

EA – The Enrolled Agent certification is a designation that the Internal Revenue Service provides. If you get this certification, you will specialize in taxes and work within the public sector in a government job with excellent security and benefits.

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