Financial Analysts
A financial analyst is someone who is there to support a business to grow their money, whether it be through profit margins, salaries for employees, or for other investments. They are able to do this by reviewing financial data and with that data making reports and interpreting future financial data to help predict a plan for future investments and help the owners make informed decisions
Tax Accountants
Tax accountants prepare tax returns for individuals and corporations and may also work for public accounting firms. A tax accountant does more than help clients prepare tax returns; a capable tax accountant will be able to advise the client of available strategies to avoid or defer burdensome taxes within the bounds of the law and take advantage of tax exemptions and tax credits to minimize taxes owed. A tax accountant can also advise individuals and businesses of the most favorable locations for their residence of business from a tax standpoint. Since the tax code is continuously changing, there will always be a demand for knowledgeable tax accountants.
Corporate Accountant
Working as a Corporate Accountant involves maintaining the books for the corporation. Starting positions include having responsibility for a small piece, even one account of the financial statements. Still, as you move up in corporate accounting, you have responsibility for more of the preparation of the financial statements for investors and owners. The financial statements prepared by a corporate accountant are what the people who work in public accounting firms audit.
Forensic Accountant
Another specialty area of accounting is Forensic Accounting. A career in Forensic Accounting can be exciting because it is like being an investigator and an accountant together. After all, a forensic accountant is responsible for finding fraud. Forensic accountants can work for public accounting firms, corporations, or government agencies such as the SEC or FBI. A forensic accountant can also work for a law firm and provide litigation support. This involves looking at lawsuits and helping the lawyers determine the validity of claims and how extensive the damages in the suit maybe. A forensic accountant can also be helpful in non-adversarial settings. An understanding of forensic accounting can help determine if there is fraud in the financial statements of a target company for a merger or acquisition.
Internal Auditor
Internal auditing means that the accountant is doing the audits for the company that they are directly working for. While at most Big 4 firms, you are hired by example by E.Y. but will work on audits for other companies such as Apple, and Internal auditors will do the audits for E.Y. themselves. They review and report upon the company's finances and operations as one of their risk management responsibilities to help steer a company away from making poor decisions. While there is a unique certification for being an Internal auditor being a Certified Internal Auditor (CIA), a CPA license will do just as fine for getting this job.
Business
Analyist
An accountant who has a finance minor or finance double major or an MBA can also become a business analyst. A business analyst prepares statistics and ratios that help management, owners and investors review the financial condition of a company, determine what areas of the company are contributing to profit and which areas are experiencing losses and provide recommendations for improving operations. A business analyst can also advise a client as to whether a proposed business acquisition is favorable based on a review of the company's financial records and can also detect discrepancies in the company's history, which are a red flag that they may not be honest.