Maryland CPAs inquiry

[Anonymous]

I have finance degree and am considering pursuing accounting. My question is do you need 30 undergraduate accounting classes to sit for CPA or can one just go straight for Masters in accounting? The cpa exam website was a bit confusing about the requirements.

[Anonymous]

You can also be an enrolled agent to do tax work. Why do you want the CPA?

[Anonymous]

Thank you. I thought the CPA would allow for more opportunities in the job market and also more competitive salary. If you have other insights, please share (I am exploring options at this time and happy to hear from others with experience)

[Anonymous]

May I suggest calling the Maryland society of CPAs or whatever they call themselves and talk to someone there to verify the requirements. I have a finance degree but was able to take the exam because of enough accounting, tax, and business law credits.

And check other states because some don't require 150 overall credit hours and they all have different requirements. I am licensed in a state where I have never lived, nor worked. I just wanted the three letters after my name.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You can also be an enrolled agent to do tax work. Why do you want the CPA?

Are there needs for enrolled agents? My DC has an unrelated bachelor's degree but is very knowledgeable in tax issues and is considering that line of work as a part-time (weekend) side hustle during tax seasons. Is it worth it for him to take the exams? Would small accounting firms be interested in someone like him? Thanks

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You can also be an enrolled agent to do tax work. Why do you want the CPA?

Are there needs for enrolled agents? My DC has an unrelated bachelor's degree but is very knowledgeable in tax issues and is considering that line of work as a part-time (weekend) side hustle during tax seasons. Is it worth it for him to take the exams? Would small accounting firms be interested in someone like him? Thanks

It is very hard to be an entry level preparer and only be available on the weekend. I work at a small firm and we would not hire someone like that (with or without an EA) but maybe other firms would. As a more senior person who spends a lot of time during the week mentoring and training during tax season, the weekend is my time to get things done. Your son may want to try volunteering at a VITA site to get some experience and see whether he likes preparing returns.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have finance degree and am considering pursuing accounting. My question is do you need 30 undergraduate accounting classes to sit for CPA or can one just go straight for Masters in accounting? The cpa exam website was a bit confusing about the requirements.

I had a bachelors in economics, and I pursued the 24 accounting credits I needed at a community college.

Am now a CPA in DC and applying for reciprocity in MD

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have finance degree and am considering pursuing accounting. My question is do you need 30 undergraduate accounting classes to sit for CPA or can one just go straight for Masters in accounting? The cpa exam website was a bit confusing about the requirements.

I had a bachelors in economics, and I pursued the 24 accounting credits I needed at a community college.

Am now a CPA in DC and applying for reciprocity in MD

I'm pp. assuming you are in public if you are applying for reciprocity? Personally, not worth it for me to pay $300 or so to the state.where I now live.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have finance degree and am considering pursuing accounting. My question is do you need 30 undergraduate accounting classes to sit for CPA or can one just go straight for Masters in accounting? The cpa exam website was a bit confusing about the requirements.

I had a bachelors in economics, and I pursued the 24 accounting credits I needed at a community college.

Am now a CPA in DC and applying for reciprocity in MD

I'm pp. assuming you are in public if you are applying for reciprocity? Personally, not worth it for me to pay $300 or so to the state.where I now live.

I was looking that this too and it is extremely confusing. I have a master's degree in another field and thought I should just get a master's in accounting. However, it seems I would need to take specific undergraduate courses. I already have 150 credits--what I need is the specific accounting courses which seem to be undergraduate courses.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have finance degree and am considering pursuing accounting. My question is do you need 30 undergraduate accounting classes to sit for CPA or can one just go straight for Masters in accounting? The cpa exam website was a bit confusing about the requirements.

I had a bachelors in economics, and I pursued the 24 accounting credits I needed at a community college.

Am now a CPA in DC and applying for reciprocity in MD

I'm pp. assuming you are in public if you are applying for reciprocity? Personally, not worth it for me to pay $300 or so to the state.where I now live.

I live in MD and I want to do business in MD for myself, so I figured it would be best to have a Maryland CPA.

I only did DC in the beginning because it didn’t require an ethics test.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have finance degree and am considering pursuing accounting. My question is do you need 30 undergraduate accounting classes to sit for CPA or can one just go straight for Masters in accounting? The cpa exam website was a bit confusing about the requirements.

I had a bachelors in economics, and I pursued the 24 accounting credits I needed at a community college.

Am now a CPA in DC and applying for reciprocity in MD

I'm pp. assuming you are in public if you are applying for reciprocity? Personally, not worth it for me to pay $300 or so to the state.where I now live.

I was looking that this too and it is extremely confusing. I have a master's degree in another field and thought I should just get a master's in accounting. However, it seems I would need to take specific undergraduate courses. I already have 150 credits--what I need is the specific accounting courses which seem to be undergraduate courses.

Im PP.

Yup, all you would need is the basic set of accounting/business courses that can be fulfilled at any community college.

A master’s degree in accounting is a waste of money. I paid probably $5000 to take the required courses I needed at Montgomery College instead of the minimum 20k for master’s degree

[Anonymous]

I don’t have an accounting degree but had the courses required to sit for the CPA. It is definitely good for your resume to have the certification. Call the state licensing board if you have questions about what classes you need. It is a little confusing.