| I've wondered the difference between a good bookkeeper and a CPA. After looking at your comment, I finally looked up the requirements to become a CPA. I won't list them; they are easily found online. I have wondered the difference, because I had two friends who had vastly different incomes, but were doing essentially the same work. My first friend(former girlfriend in college) became a CPA, and was working for a small VC.(when I knew her I don't think they were calling themselfs venture capitalists? They were just small cap investment firms--basically a rich guy who invested in small business.) Well, since she was a CPA she had no problems in obtains jobs, and salary was not an issue.
I guess she was a good accountant? My other friend who dropped out of school, and didn't get his bachelor's degree went into bookkeeping. He took a tremendous amount of business and accounting courses at various community colleges. He wanted to get his CPA, but didn't have the auditing experience(not required anymore in CA), and didn't have a bachelors degree. He did some amazing things for just a bookkeeper. He was highly instrumental in making the owner of a small local bike manufacturer a multimillionaire. He was always working, but never got close to the salry of the CPA. I recall him saying he coukd pass all four sections of the CPA exam, but couldn't get his license because he lacked the education/auditing requirement. I have thought about the two over the years; and without a doubt If I needed an accountant, I would hire my friend without the CPA license. Why, because I know what he did professionally. I still think about that deal he put together. I know we need a CPA licensing system, but don't discount the bookkeeper with the spectacular work history? My point is get that CPA if you can afford it? I'm pretty sure the bachelor's degree can be in any major. You need certain amount of accounting courses, and a one year of experience working under any CPA, at any company. (What I find troubling in CA is under Brown--it appears Lobbiests got their mits on Gov. brown and made it harder to gain entrance into certain professions. I'm not sure if easier, or harder to become a licensed CPA before Brown? I do know he caved into the Realeste brokers lobby. It is harder to become a real estate broker under Gov. brown. When Gov. Scheartzenegger was hit by the Reators lobby he said, 'I'm sorry. I don't want to make the broker's license more difficult to obtain. You haven't presented one instance where the old system failed?' He vetoed the bill. That day, I went from a militant, strict Democratic to someone who didn't care which party you were affiliated with.) |