Accountant
A professional who gets paid to keep you out of debtor's prison. Okay... not really. Or at least not any more. This term usually refers to a person who's taken and passed a very rigorous course of study to earn the designation "Certified Public Accountant" or "CPA."
A CPA can work for big companies, banks, brokerage firms and so on. But most people interact with CPAs when they need help preparing and filing their taxes (whether personal or small business/not for profit). A good CPA understands the laws and regulations regarding taxes in the US. They can help you figure out what to do in various tax- and business-related situations. They also are often involved in companies helping to prepare audits and bookkeeping.
A CPA can work for big companies, banks, brokerage firms and so on. But most people interact with CPAs when they need help preparing and filing their taxes (whether personal or small business/not for profit). A good CPA understands the laws and regulations regarding taxes in the US. They can help you figure out what to do in various tax- and business-related situations. They also are often involved in companies helping to prepare audits and bookkeeping.
