To earn an accounting certification, one must complete post-secondary education, gain accounting experience, pay membership dues, and pass the certification exam. The American Institute of Professional Bookkeepers offers a certificate to provide assurance to employers. The exam has four parts, and exam preparation seminars are available.
There are four steps required to earn an accounting certification: post-secondary education, accounting experience, paying membership dues, and writing the certification exam. An accountant is responsible for maintaining a company’s accounting records. They are able to fulfill all accounting requirements for small and medium-sized businesses, from processing payroll to producing monthly financial reports.
An accounting certificate is available from the American Institute of Professional Bookkeepers (AIPB). This association is responsible for creating and maintaining the certificate as a professional standard for its members. The purpose of the certificate is to provide assurance to potential employers that the candidate has a certain level of training and experience.
The first requirement for earning an accounting certificate is to complete a post-secondary education program in accounting. These programs are typically eight to 12 months long and are available at a wide variety of community and career colleges. Admission requirements include high school courses in accounting, mathematics and English.
Part of the qualification requirements for an accounting certificate is a specific amount of work experience. This experience can be backed up by letters from employers or accounting firms that performed audits on the books you were managing. The level of experience and responsibility is important. Carefully read the experience requirements before applying for certification.
To complete the certification process, membership fees are required. In addition to professional certification, membership has the added benefit of great opportunities, access to training seminars and annual conferences. Professional associations often get discounts on commonly used services, such as car or business insurance.
The accounting certificate exam is made up of four parts. The first two parts of the exam are multiple-choice and must be completed at a Prometric Test Center. The last two parts of the exam are an open book and can be completed at home. Exam preparation seminars are often organized by the AIPB prior to taking the exam.
Exam preparation seminars are optional, but it’s a good idea to review the exam preparation materials well in advance of the exam. Look for the last day to register for the prep seminar and stick to that deadline. Start your preparation program as if the study deadline were the exam date.
By the study deadline, write a mock exam and mark it. If your grade is high enough to meet the 75% passing requirements, continue with your own program of study. If not, you have enough time to enroll in the prep course, which should improve your final exam score.
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