About the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants

The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants is a nonprofit professional organization. It provides resources, information and leadership to certified public accountants (CPAs) to help them do their job fully equipped with the latest tools. The organization provides professional development to CPAs through conferences and publications.

Identification

The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants formed in 1887. It is governed by a board of directors as well as by elected representatives from each of the 50 states and Washington, D.C., Guam, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. There are more than 350,000 members in good standing.

Considerations

To be a regular member, an accountant must be a state-certified CPA. Membership commits the individual to earn 120 continuing education hours every three years. Associate members are accountants who have passed the CPA exam in their state but who have not yet completed the other regulations that their state requires for certification. There are also members who are international affiliates and student affiliates. Students can retain their affiliate membership for up to five years after graduating from college even without taking the CPA exam.

Function

The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants engages in advocacy, communications, recruiting and education on behalf of its members. It provides additional resources to serve the members, their employees, clients and the public in general. The organization also sets performance standards for CPAs even though each state establishes its own requirements for certification in a way that is similar to how states handle teacher certification.

Considerations

The organization does offer three special credentials to its members who qualify. When a CPA puts the intitials, PFS, after his name, he is a qualified personal financial specialist. The organization also awards the CITP credential to members who become certified information technology specialists and the ABV credential to CPAs who are accredited business valuation specialists.

Features

The organization publishes the Journal of Accountancy, among several other print and electronic periodicals. It also publishes research reports on surveys and topics of interest to CPAs. National and regional conferences offer the continuing education opportunities that the regular members must attend. This organization is an important step toward the career development of member CPAs. With headquarters in New York City, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants has additional offices in Washington, D.C., Texas, New Jersey and North Carolina.

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Resources

• The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants