The Top 25 Certifications for Accounting Professionals

THE •. . • TOP 25 CERTIFICATIONS FOR A C COUNT ANTS CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANT (CPA) CERTIFIED MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTANT (CMA) 1 As a CPA you will be responsible for maintaining the 2 If you are looking to expand your career potential a competitive edge of your company by ensuring financial CMA certification will most help. integrity. On average, CMAS make one-third more Individuals seeking to become CPAS have to money than their non-certified peers. pass our different exams over the course of 18 months. CERTIFIED INTERNAL AUDITOR (CIA) CIAS provide objective assessments on the overall efficiency of a company's operations. The CIA certification is the only globally accepted accounting certificate for internal auditors. CERTIFIED 4 CERTIFIED PUBLIC BOOKKEEPER (CPB) By passing your CPB certification exam you will prove to your clients that their bookkeeping is based on ethics and experience. While a CPB certification isn't required to become a bookkeeper this license helps to distinguish you as a nationally accredited service provider. CERTIFIED GOVERNMENT AUDITING PROFESSIONAL (CGAP) The National Institute of Internal Auditors considers the CGAP an excellent professional credential that prepares you to be competitive in this demanding field. By passing this challenging exam you provide yourself with an opportunity to increase you earnings by upwards of 30%. CERTIFIED INFORMATION SYSTEMS AUDITOR (CISA) A CISA demonstrates an ability to audit, control %24 and monitor information systems for businesses To be a candidate you must have at least five-years of professional experience and be committed to taking 20 hours worth of CISA courses every year. BANK CERTIFIED BANK AUDITOR (CBA) Your main job will be to constantly ensure that the financial institution that you represent is following federal as well as internal guidelines. CBAS must have an eye for detail as well as superb communication and organizational skills. 8. CERTIFIED IN FINANCIAL FORENSICS (CFF) CERTIFIED FRAUD EXAMINER (CFE) A CFE is trained to not only discover fraud but also A CFF performs investigations, inspections, and examination or another forms of analysis to obtain why fraud occurs. answers or give an opinion. CFES have the potential to save a company Individuals seeking financial forensics work tens of thousands if not millions of dollars, which may also want to look up the Certified Forensic Accountant program (Cr.FA). is why they are so valued by organizations. 10 CERTIFIED PAYROLL PROFESSIONAL (CPP) 11 CERTIFIED BUSINESS APPRAISER (CBA) A CPP certification demonstrates your skills and By receiving this accolade you will demonstrate that you knowledge in the payroll field. have knowledge only held by the most accomplished business appraisers in the world. You'll need to become a member of IBA, the The price for this exam is usually in the $370 - $425 range and can be take at any official governing body of the CBA license and you are required to take and pass a $595 Person VUE location worldwide. five-hour written exam. 12 CERTIFIED CREDIT EXECUTIVE CCE Achievers of the CCE license are capable of executive level credit moanagement functions. To obtain a CCE license you gain ten-years of financial management experience and pass a four-hour written exam. 13 ENROLLED AGENT (EA) An EA is a federally certified taxation expert. By holding this license you will have unlimited rights to represent clients before the IRS. .... EAs are the only federally licensed taxation specialist. Because of this if you have a vested interest in American taxation the Enrolled Agent certification may be beneficial to your future. 14 CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER (CFP) You will demonstrate that you are capable of handling task ranging from estate planning to cash flow and liability management. Because CFPS routinely provide people advice on retirement and tax planning it is important for them to be ethical and trustworthy. 16 CERTIFIED INFORMATION SECURITY MANAGER (CISM) 15 ACCREDITED IN BUSINESS VALUATIONS (ABV) This designation is a good way for professionals interested in becoming business valuation experts to Your main job will be to oversee the information get the edge over the competition. security duties of your enterprise. You are required to have a minimum of five years worth of information security work under your belt ABVS go beyond traditional analysis when it comes to business valuations. before they are eligible to take the exam. 17 CERTIFIED RISK PROFESSIONAL (CRP) This award was developed to recognize individuals seeking accreditation as risk management experts. When it comes to risk management professionals there is no award more prestigious than the CRP certification. ACCREDITED BUSINESS ACCOUNTANT (ABA) 18 If you're interested in working with small to medium sized businesses or providing private financial services, this may be the right certification for you. ABA certification can give you a competitive edge and even lead to a salary increase. 19 CERTIFIED QUALITY AUDITOR (CQA) 20 ACCREDITED TAX ADVISOR (ATA) The CQA certification offered by ASQ is specifically The ATA designation is awarded by ACAT to designed for dedicated audit professionals and can enhance your salary and career prospects. competent practitioners whose expertise includes delicate tax planning and tax consulting issues. To earn this accreditation, you must pass the Candidates need to pass a 150-question ATA examination. You also need to acquire five exam based on a relevant body of knowledge years of experience in tax preparation, planning, in order to be awarded a CQA certificate. consulting and compliance TAX 21 ACCREDITED TAX PREPARER (ATP) 22 CHARTERED LIFE UNDERWRITER (CLU) ATP is yet another ACAT-offered credential for tax Allows you to gain in-depth knowledge by following a practitioners. self-study program in life insurance, financial planning and investment. Applicants need to score 70% or better on the ATP examination. You will need to have three years of relevant full-time business experience. As a CLU, you will be required to complete 30 hours of CPE every two years. 23 CHARTERED FINANCIAL ANALYST (CFA) The CFA certificate is the mark of proficiency in investment analysis and portfolio management. This self-study program focused on investment knowledge will help you reach the very top decision-making positions in the field of investment. To become a CFA, you will need to become a member of the CFA Institute and adhere to its code of ethics; 0000 24 CERTIFIED GOVERNMENT FINANCIAL MANAGER (CFGM) 25 CERTIFIED VALUATION ANALYST (CVA) This award ensures high quality in business and intangible You are proficient in many aspects of government asset valuations. finances ranging from taxes to laws and budgeting. To become a CVA, you will have to complete You need to abide by AGA's Code of Ethics and to pass three CGFM examinations covering government accounting and financial a case study or report for peer review, submit six reference letters and pass a five-hour examination. management and reporting. ----- -- --