Forensic accounting is a popular career choice, since this career is much more exciting that the typical accounting position where you are behind a desk all day crunching numbers. If you work for a forensic accounting firm, you'll get to use your mathematics skills just like any other accountant, but you'll also get to do investigative work as you piece together information for criminal investigations. Sometimes you'll even get to testify as a witness in court. How's that for exciting accounting?
What are the day-to-day tasks?
Forensic accountants work in both the public and private sector. You can work for a private investigator, a law firm or the FBI-forensic accounting is in demand in a variety of settings. Your job will be to audit large amounts of financial information, looking for financial evidence of misconduct or criminal activity. Once you find the financial evidence to either back up a criminal charge or to defend against a criminal charge, you will need to present that information in a manner that is easy to decipher. You will present this information to lawyers and possibly to judges in court.
What types of cases would I work on?
Most forensic accounting work has to do with protecting against or prosecuting cases of fraud and embezzlement, but sometimes the cases are higher profile, such as criminal cases against Mafia members. Because this position involves a great deal of interaction with law enforcement, you'll also get to learn quite a bit about the legal process and legal terminology. If you're interested in a possible law career, forensic accounting is a good place to investigate a position that straddles accounting and law.
How can I get started in this field?
To do this job, you'll need to obtain a forensic accounting certification. Start by obtaining a bachelor's degree in accounting, followed by a CPA certification and either a certified fraud examiner or certified forensic accountant certification. Most forensic accounting firms look for individuals who are highly curious and attentive to detail. Good forensic accountants also possess exceptional research and analytical skills.
 | If you're interested in potential accounting careers, you'll be delighted to learn there are many jobs you can get with a degree in accounting. Jobs range from being a financial planner to a certified public accountant. |
 | Managerial accounting is a valuable part of running any business. If you get a job as a managerial accountant, you will be responsible for keeping the managers of an organization aware of the financial goings-on of the company at large. |
Cost accounting is a method of evaluating costs, profits and everything in between when it comes to running a business, and you can use that information to help leaders of your company make decisions. |
Accounting ethics is a code of conduct that guides those in the profession to behave in a respectful, controlled and moral way. Clients need to have confidence in the business practices of professional accounting firms. |
While this isn't a complete dictionary of accounting terms, these basic terms and definitions will give you a foundation to help you get started. These terms are commonly used in business accounting software. |
