How to Become a Forensic Accountant - A Guide
Move over, suit-clad, briefcase-toting accountants who work numbers within the four walls of an office. A new and exciting breed of accountants is here: They uncover fraud, solve financial crimes, and appear as expert witnesses in court. Their job can be filled with mystery, intrigue, and thrills—a far cry from the image of a stereotypical accountant. They're called forensic accountants.
What Do Forensic Accountants Do?
Forensic accountants are people who use their accounting and auditing knowledge to investigate white-collar crime and provide analysis that is admissible in a court of law. Although forensic accountants have been around for some time, it's only recently that they have come into the public eye, owing to a rise in the number of financial fraud cases and an increasingly complex business environment.
Given this background, the job of a forensic accountant is filled with challenges. Some of their duties include:
- Legal investigation of a company's financial documents
- Examination of a firm's accounting practices to detect illegal activities
- Investigation of criminal matters like identity theft and insurance fraud
- Probing financial crimes like securities fraud, embezzlement, money laundering, etc.
- Investigating the financial angle of divorce cases
- Examining bankruptcy cases filed by individuals or businesses
- Supporting legal proceedings by participating in trials as expert witness
If you feel your adrenaline pump when you read that job description, you may want to give forensic accounting a serious shot.
How to Become a Forensic Accountant
Forensic accounting is a specialized branch of accounting and, consequently, you need specialized education to become a forensic accountant.
You can choose a bachelor's degree in accounting, which is a four-year academic program available at most universities and colleges. Some institutions offer a forensic accounting degree or emphasis, which may include specially designed courses on the subject.
Whichever educational path you choose, your next step toward becoming a forensic accountant is to earn your certified public accountant (CPA) license, which takes additional time and expense outside of the degree. This involves taking a rigorous four-part examination conducted by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA).
Training and Certifications
Several organizations, such as the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners and the American College of Forensic Examiners International, also offer training and certifications for aspiring forensic accountants. Getting additional certification from these organizations may help forensic accountants prove their increased competency in the field and boost their prospects in the job market.
In addition to completing training and certifications, forensic accountants should join professional organizations to increase their credibility, as well as attend seminars and workshops to keep abreast of the changes taking place in the industry.
Employment Opportunities
Forensic accountants may find themselves on the rolls of any organization that needs their special investigative accounting skills. A diverse cross-section of organizations and industries retain the services of forensic accountants, including law enforcement agencies such as police departments and courts; insurance companies; banks and other financial institutions; government bodies; and private corporations.
The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010–11 Edition, projects a 22 percent increase in the overall employment of accountants and auditors through 2018, so now could be the time to enter this exciting profession. (bls.gov/oco/ocos001.htm#emply)
Questions and Answers
Article Tags:
forensic accounting degree
,accounting degree program
,bachelor degree in accounting
,career in accounting
,becoming a forensic accountant
,how to become a forensic accountant
The degree programs offered by the university cover almost every career fields. In conjunction with the growth of online education, University Devry has followed the technology trend to offer online degree programs for students who prefer to earn their degree through online media. Here we will review the major online bachelor degree programs offered by University Devry.
An accountants in Bath work incorporates with helping the enterprise or person to pay the actual amount of tax to your local or state government. This Glasgow financial advisor prepares tax returns for your persons or business and they file those forms. The role from the Birmingham accountants is always to advise the management of any company activities. When the business desires to invest, this Manchester accountancy firm will suggest the enterprise people today around the implication of your s
Accounting is pervasive in every field and discipline in the world. It constitutes the backbone of businesses and world economies. Those who are disciplined, proactive self-starters, committed and good with numbers can find excellent career avenues in accounting. Accountants take care of financial accounting and auditing of individuals and businesses like maintenance of books, payroll, and tax compliance and filing returns.
Learn basics about the types of online accounting studies and accredited online accounting certifications.
Getting a degree is a major milestone in your education, so make sure it is one that will pay off in the long run.
A collage is a work of formal art, primarily in the visual arts, made from a collection of various forms, thus creating a whole. A collage of sometimes may include newspaper clippings, ribbons, bits of colored or hand-made paper, portions of another artwork or text, photographs and found objects, glued to a piece of paper or a canvas.
The competition among students with their marks is becoming tougher and tougher to get admission in the best colleges of Delhi. Delhi university cut off marks seems to be unrealistic as it has touched the pinnacle in last few years.
For the first time, SOL will offer the facility of online admission for undergraduate courses. Students can download and submit application forms on the SOL website - Sol.du.ac.in
In order to perform a search and get the exact college textbook that is required you need the following information; Title, Author, Volume# or Edition#, and the ISBN number. Armed with this information you are able to search online or in other bookstore for the exact item for a college book and not pay university prices. There are many different sites online that offer a college textbook at a better price. But don't discount the local public library. You may be able to find your college textbook
The prices of collect textbooks continue to rise. That's the bad news. And the good news is that there are ways to get cheap textbooks – you either rent or buy them from college bookstores online.
This article will provide a brief overview of an Associate Degree in Respiratory Therapy and explore career options and benefits that students can look forward to on successful completion.
Online degrees are a growing phenomenon with more employers accepting online degrees just as readily as they do a traditional one. This article lists popular online degree programs in 2012 offered at an associate, bachelor's and master's level. Based on upcoming job trends in 2012, this article will help students embark on an educational journey to a rewarding career.
This article will provide general guidance on pursuing an online Bachelor's degree in Nursing Administration. Those who are already registered nurses and busy in their careers, can find options on how an online nursing administration degree can help them advance in their career and open up more opportunities for professional success and higher-paying positions.
This article will talk about different healthcare programs that are available at master's level. It will also provide insights into different career opportunities students can look forward to on successful completion of these graduate programs.
The article will provide guidance to people who want to change their career to nursing. The article will highlight the qualities a person must possess for a successful career in nursing. The article will also explain in detail the degree options available to enter this profession and how to succeed in this career.
Discuss this Article
