Accountants and auditorsAccountants and auditors help to ensure that the Nation�s firms are run efficiently, its public records kept accurately, and its taxes paid properly and on time. They perform these vital functions by offering an increasingly wide array of business and accounting services to their clients. These services include public, management, and government accounting, as well as internal auditing. Beyond the fundamental tasks of the occupation—preparing, analyzing, and verifying financial documents in order to provide information to clients—many accountants now are required to possess a wide range of knowledge and skills. Accountants and auditors are broadening the services they offer to include budget analysis, financial and investment planning, information technology consulting, and limited legal services. Specific job duties vary widely among the four major fields of accounting: public, management, government, and internal. Public accountants perform a broad range of accounting, auditing, tax, and consulting activities for their clients, who may be corporations, governments, nonprofit organizations, or individuals. For example, some public accountants concentrate on tax matters, such as advising companies of the tax advantages and disadvantages of certain business decisions and preparing individual income tax returns. Others offer advice in areas such as compensation or employee healthcare benefits, the design of accounting and data-processing systems, and the selection of controls to safeguard assets. Still others audit clients� financial statements and report to investors and authorities that the statements have been correctly prepared and reported. Public accountants, many of whom are Certified Public Accountants (CPAs), generally have their own businesses or work for public accounting firms. Some public accountants specialize in forensic accounting—investigating and interpreting white collar crimes such as securities fraud and embezzlement, bankruptcies and contract disputes, and other complex and possibly criminal financial transactions, such as money laundering by organized criminals. Forensic accountants combine their knowledge of accounting and finance with law and investigative techniques in order to determine if illegal activity is going on. Many forensic accountants work closely with law enforcement personnel and lawyers during investigations and often appear as expert witnesses during trials. In response to the recent accounting scandals, new Federal legislation restricts the nonauditing services that public accountants can provide to clients. If an accounting firm audits a client�s financial statements, that same firm cannot provide advice in the areas of human resources, technology, investment banking, or legal matters, although accountants may still advise on tax issues, such as establishing a tax shelter. Accountants may still advise other clients in these areas, or may provide advice within their own firm. Management accountants—also called cost, managerial, industrial, corporate, or private accountants—record and analyze the financial information of the companies for which they work. Other responsibilities include budgeting, performance evaluation, cost management, and asset management. Usually, management accountants are part of executive teams involved in strategic planning or new-product development. They analyze and interpret the financial information that corporate executives need to make sound business decisions. They also prepare financial reports for nonmanagement groups, including stockholders, creditors, regulatory agencies, and tax authorities. Within accounting departments, they may work in various areas, including financial analysis, planning and budgeting, and cost accounting. Government accountants and auditors work in the public sector, maintaining and examining the records of government agencies and auditing private businesses and individuals whose activities are subject to government regulations or taxation. Accountants employed by Federal, State, and local governments guarantee that revenues are received and expenditures are made in accordance with laws and regulations. Those who are employed by the Federal Government may work as Internal Revenue Service agents or in financial management, financial institution examination, or budget analysis and administration. Internal auditors verify the accuracy of their organization�s internal records and check for mismanagement, waste, or fraud. Internal auditing is an increasingly important area of accounting and auditing. Internal auditors examine and evaluate their firms� financial and information systems, management procedures, and internal controls to ensure that records are accurate and controls are adequate to protect against fraud and waste. They also review company operations—evaluating their efficiency, effectiveness, and compliance with corporate policies and procedures, laws, and government regulations. There are many types of highly specialized auditors, such as electronic data-processing, environmental, engineering, legal, insurance premium, bank, and healthcare auditors. As computer systems make information timelier, internal auditors help managers to base their decisions on actual data, rather than personal observation. Internal auditors also may recommend controls for their organization�s computer system to ensure the reliability of the system and the integrity of the data. Computers are rapidly changing the nature of the work for most accountants and auditors. With the aid of special software packages, accountants summarize transactions in standard formats for financial records and organize data in special formats for financial analysis. These accounting packages greatly reduce the amount of tedious manual work associated with data management and recordkeeping. Computers enable accountants and auditors to be more mobile and to use their clients� computer systems to extract information from databases and the Internet. As a result, a growing number of accountants and auditors with extensive computer skills specialize in correcting problems with software or in developing software to meet unique data management and analytical needs. Accountants also are beginning to perform more technical duties, such as implementing, controlling, and auditing systems and networks, and developing technology plans and budgets. Increasingly, accountants also are assuming the role of a personal financial advisor. They not only provide clients with accounting and tax help, but also help them develop personal budgets, manage assets and investments, plan for retirement, and recognize and reduce exposure to risks. This role is a response to client demands for a single trustworthy individual or firm to meet all of their financial needs. However, accountants are restricted from providing these services to clients whose financial statements they also prepare. (See financial analysts and personal financial advisors elsewhere in the Handbook.) Related news articles Auditor, senator say California disaster planning is confusing - 16 Oct 2006 San Jose Mercury News,...overseeing California's emergency preparedness demonstrates the need to clarify which one should take the lead when disaster strikes, the state's auditor and a ... Auditor candidates evenly matched with cash - 16 Oct 2006 Kansas City Star,AP. JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - When it comes to cash, Missouri's leading state auditor candidates appear evenly matched. Fundraising figures ... Montee has the experience, training for Missouri auditor - 16 Oct 2006 Kansas City Star,Missouri’s auditor is the state’s independent financial watchdog whose job is to protect against waste of taxpayer dollars through fraud and mismanagement. ... Auditor calls fire stations' upgrade a blazing success - 16 Oct 2006 OregonLive.com,...$54 million campaign to beef up its fire stations to better withstand an earthquake, among other upgrades, has been a huge success, the city's auditor says. ... NuCO2 Inc. (NUCO) Dismisses Auditor, Hires Ernst & Young - 16 Oct 2006 StreetInsider.com (subscription),The Audit Committee of the Board of Directors of NuCO2 Inc. (Nasdaq: NUCO) dismissed Margolin, Winer & Evens LLP as independent ... YaSheng Group's China Auditor Registers With PCAOB Bringing ... - 16 Oct 2006 Market Wire (press release)REDWOOD CITY, CA -- (MARKET WIRE) -- October 16, 2006 -- The YaSheng Group (PINKSHEETS: YHGG) today announced that the company's auditor in China, Gan-Su Hong ... Challenger to face ex-boss in auditor’s race - Oct 15, 2006 Massillon Independent,Republican candidate Pat Fallot, who resigned as chief deputy auditor in February, is seeking to unseat her old boss, Democratic candidate Kim Perez. ... AUDITOR SURGES HOME LATE - Oct 14, 2006 Harnesslink,There is no disputing the fact that Auditor is one of the fastest finishers in commission if he can be saved up for a last fling. ... CAMPAIGN 2006: Oakland City Auditor - Oct 14, 2006 San Francisco Chronicle,Incumbent Oakland City Auditor Roland Smith is in a fight to save his job as the city's watchdog. His challenger in next month's ... Sirva says auditor found material weaknesses - Oct 13, 2006 Reuters...(SIR.N: Quote, Profile, Research), a global relocation services provider, said on Friday its auditor, PricewaterhouseCoopers, identified material weaknesses in ... TCC inquiry hears auditor concerns with scheme compliance - Oct 13, 2006 ABC Online,A Parliamentary Select Committee has been told the builders' watchdog, the Tasmanian Compliance Corporation (TCC), had not met all the terms of its own ... Ex-Auditor Brown: 'This auditor has failed miserably' - Oct 13, 2006 Middletown Journal,In reading about the triennial update of real estate values in Butler County, I was amazed at the current auditor's attitude and interpretation of the Ohio ... Dropout count is off, auditor says - Oct 13, 2006 Kentucky.com,...have underreported student dropout rates by at least 30 percent, or 1,979 students, according to data released today by the Kentucky State Auditor's Office. ... More information on Accountants and auditors from The U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook Overview of Accountants and auditors occupation Number of Accountants and auditors in the U.S. Salary and earnings for Accountants and auditors Working conditions for Accountants and auditors Significant points for Accountants and auditors Training requirements for Accountants and auditors Labor Information Home | Occupational data by city | Search Rainforests | Madagascar | What's new |