Certified Public Accountants (CPAs) have met strict educational and professional criteria to reach the CPA designation. They’re highly motivated and competent individuals who have demonstrated expert-level knowledge on financial data, reporting, and filing standards. Many organizations employ CPAs to keep themselves afloat amid uncertain financial waters, as well as to help them submit accurate, on-time tax documents to the authorities.
In short, the CPA designation is a marker of excellence in the accounting field. Becoming a trusted financial professional like a CPA can open doors to greater networking opportunities and a higher salary. For those living in California, however, there’s a fairly stringent qualification process to work through before attaining this coveted certification.
California CPA Requirements
Transitioning into a CPA job from a general accounting job is not a simple process. It requires many years’ worth of commitment on the part of the accountant. It’ll take time and money to get through the process in one piece, but at the end of it, you’ll be a member of the highly regarded group of CPAs in your industry.
Apart from the educational requirements, there are also professional requirements to consider. General accountants who want to become CPAs will need to work under the supervision of a licensed CPA for a period of time. The supervisor will essentially look over the accountant’s shoulder to ensure they fulfill the necessary standards of excellence. This can be a grating experience for some, but it’s a necessary part of the process.
As far as licensing goes, there are two principal CPA exams that you’ll have to pass:
- Uniform CPA exam: This is a comprehensive test that covers all the main subjects you’ll need to know as a CPA, including auditing, financial accounting, regulatory requirements, and more.
- Ethics exam: California requires candidates to undergo rigorous ethical testing. The idea here is to establish that you’re of “good moral character,” meaning that you can be trusted with the sensitive financial documents CPAs are expected to handle. It also makes sure that you understand your professional obligations as a CPA and how to resolve possible conflicts of interest in an appropriate way.
Having met these requirements, candidates are free to apply for CPA licensure in California. The California Board of Accountancy will review the application, taking into account your test scores, professional experience, and demonstrated moral character before deciding. If you’re approved, you’ll be able to start working as a full-time CPA.
How to Become a CPA in California
CPA candidates in California need to meet stringent educational requirements to be considered for licensure. They’ll have to acquire a bachelor’s degree in a field related to business or accounting, with a curriculum that includes things like financial statement analysis, auditing, and more. In practice, this means:
- 24 credits related to accounting: This will include classes about financial reporting, the accounting process itself, and taxation laws.
- 24 credits related to business: This will include subjects related to finance, statistics, business administration, and more.
- 20 credits of further accounting studies: This will include a combination of accounting and business-related classes.
- 10 credits of ethical studies: This will include classes regarding business law, an accountant’s professional obligations, and an overview of accounting fraud.
In addition to all this, the state of California also has work experience requirements for CPA licenses. Namely, candidates must have worked as a general accountant for at least a year before receiving a CPA license. The work experience must be specific to accounting, but it can be fulfilled in any industry. The candidate’s supervisory CPA will likewise verify the fulfillment of this work requirement before approving them for the CPA exam.
It’s worth remembering that the CPA exam isn’t the only required exam candidates will have to take. The California Accountancy Act requires potential CPAs to take a detailed ethics exam in addition to the CPA exam. This is a 50-minute, multiple-choice test of the candidate’s knowledge of crucial accounting rules and regulations that they’ll have to follow as a CPA.
Having accomplished all this, CPAs must also undergo periodic bouts of continuing education to keep themselves up to date. In California, CPAs have to fulfill a total of 80 hours of continuing professional education (CPE) within a two-year period before the expiration of their license.
CPA Jobs
Being a Certified Public Accountant can be an intense but highly rewarding job. CPAs spend their time in the “meat and bones” of an organization’s day-to-to-day operations, processing and analyzing an abundance of financial data. They make sure the organization remains in compliance with state and federal accounting regulations, as well as ensuring it stays on track with its budgeting and payroll. CPAs are also often called on by management to provide vital insight on the financial trajectory of the organization.
This is true no matter what industry CPAs work in. Whether they’re in health care, manufacturing, or government applications, CPAs play an all-important role. All this means that the demand for CPAs is high. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, accountants and auditors receive median pay of $78,000 per year, or roughly $37.50 per hour. Such jobs are expected to grow by 4% through 2032, indicating that CPAs will continue being a sought-after profession for the foreseeable future.
Remote CPA Jobs
When talking about remote CPA jobs, we mean employment that allows you to work from locations apart from the traditional office environment. That could mean your home, a coffee shop, a shared office, or whatever space you prefer to use. Modern technology lets you use your CPA skills from virtually anywhere, without necessarily needing to come into the office every day.
New and experienced CPAs alike can benefit from the improved work-life balance that a remote job can bring. The flexible scheduling of remote CPA jobs allows parents, freelancers, and other working professionals to better balance their personal and professional obligations to the detriment of neither. For instance, Intuit has a number of remote CPA jobs and career opportunities for you to explore at your leisure. See below for current openings.
Tax Associate (Remote/Seasonal)
- Minimum 2 seasons of paid Tax Preparation experience, with a minimum of 30 tax returns per tax year required
- Must be willing and available to work a minimum of 20 hours per week
- Excellent customer service skills are a must, and there is an expectation to interact with customers through video and audio tools in a professional, friendly, and confident manner
- Passionate about helping clients navigate the complexities of taxation
- PTIN required
Credentialed Tax Expert (Remote/Seasonal)
- Minimum 2 seasons of paid Tax Preparation experience, with a minimum of 30 tax returns per tax year required
- Must possess an active, unrestricted credential: EA, CPA, or Practicing Attorney with strong tax preparation experience and extensive knowledge of tax laws
- Must be willing and available to work a minimum of 20 hours per week
- Excellent customer service skills required for professional and friendly interaction with customers through video and audio tools
- Active PTIN required
Business Tax Associate (Remote/Seasonal)
- Minimum 3 or more years of experience preparing federal and state business tax returns (1065 and/or 1120-S) for at least 20 clients/customers per season for compensation
- Must possess or be able to obtain any related State licenses, certificates, permits or bonds
- Commit to a minimum schedule of at least 20 hours/week (minimum 4 hour shift increments) throughout the tax season
- Strong customer service skills for interacting with customers through video and audio tools
- Active PTIN required
Business Tax Expert (Remote/Seasonal)
- Minimum 3 or more years of experience preparing federal and state business tax returns (1065 and/or 1120-S) for at least 20 clients/customers per season for compensation
- Must possess an active, unrestricted credential: EA, CPA, or Practicing Attorney with strong business tax preparation experience and extensive knowledge of tax laws
- Commit to a minimum schedule of at least 20 hours/week (minimum 4 hour shift increments) throughout the tax season
- Strong customer service skills for professional interaction with customers through video and audio tools
- Active PTIN required
QuickBooks Live Bookkeeping Expert (Remote/Year Round)
- 3+ years of bookkeeping and/or accounting experience
- 3+ years of QuickBooks Online experience
- Required Credentials/Certifications: QuickBooks Online Certification (QuickBooks Online ProAdvisor)
- Experience supporting Payroll, Sales Tax, or Tax Preparation is a plus
- Strong customer service skills for professional, friendly interaction through video and audio tools
QuickBooks Live Sr. Associate (Remote/Year Round)
- 1-3 years of bookkeeping and/or accounting experience
- Minimum 1 year of QuickBooks Online experience
- Required Credentials/Certifications: QuickBooks Online Certification (QuickBooks Online ProAdvisor)
- Strong customer service skills are essential for interacting through video and audio tools in a reassuring manner