Anonymous wrote:I read about a shortage of CPAs in the WSJ and the Financial Times at least once every few months.

This is true but I've also read comments from actual people saying it's a tough job market.

Accounting can be stressful due to deadlines and regulations, particularly related to ever changing and voluminous tax codes.

Accounting roles in private companies are often undervalued, particularly at smaller organizations that want to pay bookkeeper rates for CPA level functions.

New technologies have always affected this field and when and how much impact AI and future new developments is TBD.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Those jobs are on a warp speed trajectory to be replaced by AI.

CPAs will not be replaced by AI

A lot of the research for things like tax cases will go, but sitting and seeing where to post an entry or when to pay a vendor is staying, though a fair amount of that is going to the third world.

Anonymous wrote:Those jobs are on a warp speed trajectory to be replaced by AI.

CPAs will not be replaced by AI

I would do it. It opens a lot of doors and a lot of options. I am a government accountant (gs-15), cpa and I do financial reporting. I am going to retire at 57 and then do tax returns as a part time gig from January to April. I am taking courses to learn more about individual taxes.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I earned my CPA at 49 but had been in the field for a number of years. Hired at my last job at 65..IMHO there will always be ageism. But there is always a need for accounting help with all the retirements going on.

If you want to be in accounting do not do it unless you get the three letters. It makes a huge difference in terms of perception.

I’m a CPA and I have plenty of CPAs who work for me or who I’ve worked with in the past who are absolute morons. They passed the test but cannot apply anything in a real world scenario.

Doesn't matter. If I had a dollar for everyone who has said this to me, I would be in a a French villa..it opens doors whether fair or unfair.

Anonymous wrote:I earned my CPA at 49 but had been in the field for a number of years. Hired at my last job at 65..IMHO there will always be ageism. But there is always a need for accounting help with all the retirements going on.

If you want to be in accounting do not do it unless you get the three letters. It makes a huge difference in terms of perception.

I’m a CPA and I have plenty of CPAs who work for me or who I’ve worked with in the past who are absolute morons. They passed the test but cannot apply anything in a real world scenario.

Those jobs are on a warp speed trajectory to be replaced by AI.

Oh, and requirements vary by state. Might be some where you do not need to take as many classes to qualify.

I earned my CPA at 49 but had been in the field for a number of years. Hired at my last job at 65..IMHO there will always be ageism. But there is always a need for accounting help with all the retirements going on.

If you want to be in accounting do not do it unless you get the three letters. It makes a huge difference in terms of perception.

I read about a shortage of CPAs in the WSJ and the Financial Times at least once every few months.

I'm in my 40s and would need to take some classes to be able to sit for the CPA exam. I have been working in business for 20 years but not accounting. I understand it will come with a steep pay cut at least initially. Do you believe there is a lot of agism in accounting, or are CPAs in high enough demand that it will not matter as much?