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CPA license - Necessary to work at a CPA firm?
Some ppl have told me that I need to work at a CPA firm for 2 years in order to sit for the CPA exam (along with the education) and obtain my license. Others have told me that I need only 1 year of general accounting experience and finish all the accounting related courses.
Currently I am a staff accountant at a company (non-cpa firm) and was wondering if i am wasting my time here if i plan to take the CPA exam in the future.
You are not wasting your time. Most states require that you obtain 2 years of accounting experience before you get your license. After you pass the exam, you'll fill out a form that includes questions about where you work and what you did. Work as a staff accountant at any company will count. Also, most states will allow you to sit for the exam as long as you have met all the education requirements. If you pass before you have 2 years experience, then you won't get your license until you get the experience. You can still take and pass the exam though.
A CPA will need to sign off that you did the work. For example, I had been working as an accountant for a steel company when I passed the exam. My boss happened to be a CPA, so he signed off on it for me. If he wasn't a CPA, I would've needed his signature and a CPA's signature. My father happens to be a CPA as well, so I could've just had him sign off on it. I've never worked at a CPA firm, and I have my CPA license...
The short answer is, as long as you're working in the accounting field, you're fine! Good luck to you!
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