What certifications do accountants have?


There are many certifications available to accountants in the United States.
The most common are CPA, CIA, CMA, and CFE. However there are many others.

CPA: Certified Public Accountant

• Only CPAs may provide financial audit opinions for publicly traded companies.
• To take the CPA exam, one must complete a bachelor’s degree and certain accounting classes and accumulate 150 hours of college credit.
• To receive a CPA certificate or license to practice, one must pass the CPA exam and meet the requirements set forth by various State Boards of Accountancy which usually includes some experience working in public accounting under the supervision of a CPA and accumulating yearly credit for continuing professional education.
• The AICPA (American Institute of Certified Public Accountants) is the professional organization for CPAs.

CIA: Certified Internal Auditor

• A CIA has passed the CIA exam and demonstrated his/her competency and professionalism in the field of internal auditing. CIAs are also required to accumulate yearly credit for continuing professional education.
• To take the CIA exam, one must complete a college degree and have a professional reference. After passing the exam, 24 months of work in the internal audit profession are needed to get the CIA certificate.
• The Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) is the professional organization for CIAs.

CMA: Certified Management Accountant

• A CMA has passed the CMA exam and met educational and practical experience.
• A CMA has demonstrated knowledge in the following areas areas: (1) Business Analysis (economics, internal controls, quantitative methods, financial statement analysis), (2) Management Accounting and Reporting (budget preparation, cost management, performance measurement, external financial reporting), (3) Strategic Management (strategic planning, corporate finance, decision analysis, investment decision analysis), and (4) Business Applications (all of the above, plus organization management, behavioral issues, ethical considerations)
• The Institute of Management Accountants (IMA) is the professional organization for CMAs.

CFE: Certified Fraud Examiner

• A CFE has passed the CFE exam, have earned a bachelor’s degree, and have two years of professional experience in a field related to the detection and deterrence of fraud.
• The Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) is the professional organization for CFEs.

Other Certifications
This list of certifications was taken from people.eku.edu/fentone/Certifications.htm.

• ABV: Accredited in Business Valuation
• AFE: Accredited Financial Examiner
• AIBA: Accredited by Institute of Business Appraisers
• AM: Accredited Member of American Society of Appraisers
• ASA: Accredited Senior Appraiser
• AVA: Accredited Valuation Analyst
• BVAL: Business Valuator Accredited for Litigation
• CA: Chartered Accountant
• CAMS: Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist
• CB: Certified Bookkeeper
• CBA: Certified Bank Auditor
• CBA: Certified Business Appraiser
• CCBIA: Certified Community Bank Internal Auditor
• CCM: Certified Cash Manager
• CCTS: Certified Corporate Trust Specialist
• CDFA: Certified Divorce Financial Analyst
• CEA: Certified Estate Advisor
• CFA: Chartered Financial Analyst
• CFC: Certified Financial Consultant
• CFD: Certified Fraud Deterrence Analyst
• CFE: Certified Financial Examiner
• CFFA: Certified Forensic Financial Analyst
• CFM: Certified Financial Manager
• CFP: Certified Financial Planner
• CFS: Certified Fraud Specialist
• CFSA: Certified Financial Services Auditor
• CGAP: Certified Government Auditing Professional
• CGFM: Certified Government Financial Manager
• ChFC: Chartered Financial Consultant
• CHFP: Certified Healthcare Financial Professional
• CIDA: Certified Investments and Derivatives Auditor
• CISA: Certified Information Systems
• CISP: Certified IRA Services Professional
• CITP: Certified Information Technology Professional
• CPFO: Certified Public Finance Officer
• CPP: Certified Protection Professional
• CPTx: Certified Practitioner of Taxation
• Cr.FA: Certified Forensic Accountant
• CRP: Certified Risk Professional
• CRSP: Certified Retirement Services Professional
• CSOP: Certified Securities Operations Professionals
• CTA: Certified Trust Auditor (Administrator)
• CTFA: Certified Trust and Financial Advisor
• CTP: Certified Treasury Professional
• CTPA: Certified Treasury Professional Associate
• CVA: Certified Valuation Analyst
• DABFA: Diplomate of the American Board of Forensic Accountants
• DIFA: Diploma in Investigative and Forensic Accounting
• EA: Enrolled Agent
• FASA: Fellow Accredited Senior Appraiser
• FHFMA: Fellow of Healthcare Financial Management Association
• GVA: Government Valuation Analyst
• MCBA: Master Certified Business Appraiser
• PFP: Personal Financial Planning
• PFS: Personal Financial Specialist

Some of the information on this page was taken from www.wikipedia.org.



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