Forensic accountants work in two primary areas, investigative accounting and litigation support. Investigative accounting encompasses not just the numbers and documents of a company, but the business environment as well. Forensic accountants investigate the financial operations of an enterprise and prepare information that may be used in a criminal or civil court case. Forensic accountants provide investigative services or provide support for litigation.
Forensic accountants will often spend time at the business they are investigating, collecting and analyzing financial data. Most of this analysis is done on the computer, so good computer skills and knowledge of software is essential to this position. The forensic accountant will collect evidence and documentation that may be used in a courtroom proceeding, and will prepare reports to be used the management of the company being investigated, parties to the litigation or law enforcement agencies. Often, the forensic accountant will be required to testify in court or provide depositions as to their findings.
Forensic accountants are employed by a variety of companies and agencies. Many law enforcement agencies have forensic accountants on staff to assist with criminal investigations. Often, these accountants follow the money trail to help track and prosecute a criminal. Many CPA firms have forensic accountants on staff, and more firms are specializing in forensic accounting to assist with shareholder and partnership disputes, business loss, fraud or employee theft investigations and professional negligence issues. Other forensic accountants work for or with insurance companies to investigate business interruption and other types of claims. Forensic accountants routinely work for or with law enforcement agencies, lawyers, insurance companies, business owners and government agencies.
About 40% of the top 100 accounting firms in the United States now have a forensic accounting department, and the field is expected to be one of the top 20 job markets in the next few years. How do you become a forensic accountant? A bachelor's degree in accounting is required, and most are already certified public accountants (CPA's). Additional coursework in areas like law enforcement and criminal justice is usually required, and some legal training is helpful. You may want to pursue a accreditation as a certified fraud examiner (CFE) from the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners. This is a nationally recognized accreditation similar to the CPA designation.
Surprise! Accounting is the Hot New Major
There was a time when accounting was the boring college major that many people regretted signing up for. A constant barrage of numbers, statistics and spreadsheets was none too interesting.
Boy, have times changed! Thanks to recent accounting scandals by companies like Enron, there is a high demand for accountants and auditors.
According to the Job Outlook 2005 survey, accounting comes out on top as the most in-demand major on college campuses. Forget dot com start ups. Cleaning up a companys accounting books is whats in.
But can accounting be sexy?
All the focus on accounting created ..
Entry salaries in this field range from upwards of $30,000 to $60,000, but experienced forensic accountants often exceed $100,000 per year and more.
So, if you are looking for a lucrative, interesting job with plenty of upward mobility, consider forensic accounting. With almost unlimited growth for the next few decades, it's an accounting job with great potential.
About the Author
Jay Moncliff is the founder of http://www.accounting-center.info a website specialized on Accounting Jobs, resources and articles. This site provides updated information on Accounting Jobs. For more info visit his site: Accounting Jobs Jay MoncliffForensic Accounting- CSI of Accounting Jobs
Manual Accounting Versus Computerized Accounting As many professional accountants and auditors state - accounting is a language of business which is accepted in all developed and developing countries.
Every company applies accounting because it is generally accepted that companies have to reveal certain financial and management information to the government and public users and of course because accounting is indispensable tool in business decision-making process. With the development of information technologies there were developed many computer products (software) that make accounting as easy as ABC for those who uses t ..
