Are you interested in the field of accounting but don’t want to do the typical run of the mill accountant type work? Do you have an interest in business crimes and want to contribute your knowledge to help identify such crimes? If you said yes to both of these questions, then a career as a forensic accountant is sure to be the ideal career path for you. Forensic accountants use what they know about math and auditing to perform investigations related to financial or business crimes. Although it is not a necessity, many forensic accountants are also certified public accountants. This means that they have likely completed a bachelor’s degree program and have also earned a passing score on the certification examination. In your work as a forensic accountant you will likely spend much of your time uncovering and analyzing financial crimes like securities fraud, contract disputes, and embezzlement. It will be common for you to work alongside the FBI as well as the police as you prepare documents that will be used as evidence. In some cases you may even be asked to testify in court regarding your investigation and pertinent documents.
In order to become a forensic accountant you must at least complete a bachelor’s degree program. Some select post-secondary schools offer specialized degree programs in forensic accounting; however, if the school you choose does not offer such a degree program then it will be ample for you to pursue a general accounting degree program. The coursework contained within your degree program will teach you about topics such as business law, accounting, income tax, principles of finance, and software that is used in this industry. You may also be required to complete an internship that will allow you the opportunity to apply what you have learned under the direct supervision of a mentor. You should also expect to be required to sit for a certification examination that consists of four standardized sections of questioning. Once you become certified it will be up to you to complete continuing education hours in order to maintain your certification. These hours can be completed through seminars, conferences, or even group studies. Take a moment and research any of the schools on our site that interest you. Any of the learning institutions will be glad to send you a free information packet. Other common employment choices related to forensic accounting is to be an accountant or a certified public accountant. In these capacities you will not be working along with law enforcement individuals to uncover a financial crime. Employment for these professions is expected to grow at a significant rate through the year 2018. Research all the top forensic accounting training schools below. Good luck!