NJ CPAs step inside...

[Paul Huryk]

I've been thinking about getting my NJ CPA - not that I need it right now, but in the next 3 to 5 years, I plan to open up a full service consulting company (Accounting, finance, and supply chain) with my 2 brothers-in-law and another 1 or 2 of my cousins. As my experience is in corporate finance, where I hold an MBA and close to 20 years in the field, as the managing partner, it would advantageous to have the CPA as a credential - even though I would do no actual accounting myself.

Anyway - looked into the CPA exam requirements; and have everything I need, except an easy to remedy 12 credit gap in higher level accounting - an easy fix.

Problem for me is the experience portion of the qualification - I don't have the proper formal experience in accounting, tax, or audit as they require. All my experience is in corporate FP&A, where I was budgeting, forecasting, doing all levels of financial analysis, and CapEx.

Speaking with the NJ CPA association, they suggested writing the board a letter and ask for their permission to waive the experience portion of the requirement (if they want to do so). I was wondering if in a case like this they would be in my favor, or tell me to take a long walk off a short pier?


Paul

[NJSPEEDER]

Discuss it with the school that you plan to use to take up that 12 credit gap you mentioned. They know all the angles and can probably wordsmith your resume into workable experience. It looks good on them to have a student become a CPA so they will actively work to get you into the exam.

[Paul Huryk]

I might, but from my experience, institutions of higher education are not as good a resource for reliable information as you may think. If I had a dime for every time my alma matter said one thing and reality something other was true, I could sit home and not have to work.

What I'm going to do is write a compelling letter to the Board of Directors of the NJ CPA organization that grants the licenses. Once I have a positive response (hoping anyway), I will move forward. If NJ wants to be hard asses, I can always go to NY and inquire about their process. To me it seems smart to do it in my home state.

Originally Posted by NJSPEEDER

Discuss it with the school that you plan to use to take up that 12 credit gap you mentioned. They know all the angles and can probably wordsmith your resume into workable experience. It looks good on them to have a student become a CPA so they will actively work to get you into the exam.