How to Become a CPA

1. How to Become a CPA

2. • Cherin Perelman, a partner with Beverly Hills
Casting, formerly served as a Certified Public
Accountant (CPA) at Price Waterhouse Coopers
in Prague. In this role, Cherin Perelman
functioned as an auditor for multiple
international organizations.

3. • There are several steps an individual must take
to become a CPA. The primary role of a CPA is
to help an individual, business, non-profit, or
government entity with taxes, cost records, and
additional financial needs. CPAs can work in a
number of special areas, including internal
auditing and information technology, as well as
tax preparation and assistance.

4. • In order to become a CPA, one must first earn a
degree in accounting or a comparable field. State
requirements vary, but most regions require a
student to complete at least 150 hours of
education; this almost always equates to an
additional year beyond the traditional four-year
program.

5. • The next step a potential CPA must take is preparing for
the Uniform CPA Examination. The exam is separated
into four parts. The Audit and Attestation (AUD) section
lasts four hours and covers audit evaluations and ethics
involved with auditing. The Financial Accounting and
Reporting (FAR) segment also lasts four hours, while the
Regulation (REG) and Business Environment and
Concepts (BEC) sections each last three hours. The
exams can be taken in any order, though once the first
exam is passed, an individual must pass the next three
within 18 months.