CPA versus a Non CPA

 I recently took a call from a business owner who kept telling me that he was looking for a "real accountant" after I mentioned that I'm not a CPA. What does that mean? What's a real accountant?

Well the common misconception is that if you aren't a CPA then you aren't a real accountant. 

Most people don't know what the 3 differences between a CPA and Non CPA are:

1. CPA will represent you to the IRS and SEC

2. CPA will prepare audited financial statements

3. CPA will prepare personal and corporate income tax returns

My job as an accountant and not a CPA is highly involved in the operational functions of a business.

Some of my tasks include - Establishing and updating accounting records / consulting on spending / implement good accounting practices / monitoring and preparing financial statements / preparing reports analyzing financial activity / advising management on key financial decisions / reclassifying and recording financial transactions / managing accounts payable and accounts receivable / preparing payroll tax returns / preparing sales tax returns / being a source of internal controls preventing bookkeeper and or accountant fraud / creating budgets / forecasts / cash flow statements. 

Most times I am also a bad guy - it's my responsibility to teach business owners that using the company cash is not their personal piggy bank.