What is a chartered accountant?
A chartered accountant is a qualified professional who is responsible for providing accounting, tax and financial services to businesses and individuals. He can also provide advice regarding business management and tax planning. The majority of accountants are members of a professional order and must therefore respect a certain code of ethics.
How to become a chartered accountant?
In order to be able to exercise the function of chartered accountant, certain steps must be followed:
- Obtain a university degree in accounting or business management,
- Complete an internship of at least three years within a chartered accountant firm,
- Pass the exams of the Order of Chartered Accountants,
- Register with the Order of Chartered Accountants and comply with continuing education obligations.
The functions of an accountant
Maintenance and review of accounts
The accountant is responsible for entering, verifying and presenting the annual accounts of a company.
Drafting financial statements
The accountant prepares the balance sheets, income statements and annexes of a company.
Tax advice
The accountant provides advice regarding tax returns and tax-related legal obligations.
Payroll management
Depending on the company, the accountant may be responsible for managing employee payroll.
Business strategy consulting
The accountant can also provide advice on the different financial strategies adopted by the company to ensure the achievement of long-term objectives.
Account verification
The accountant also performs independent audits in verifying the accuracy of a company’s financial statements.
Accounting mission
The accountant can also provide expert accounting reports in various legal and/or administrative procedures.
The accountant’s tools
Tools used by accountants include accounting software, financial management software, payroll and tax management software as well as various communication and collaboration tools for working with other employees and customers.
Accountants may also use data processing software to analyze financial information and presentation tools to present the results of their analyses.
Online tools, such as spreadsheets and online accounting software, are very popular and are increasingly used. One of the benefits professionals appreciate is that they facilitate collaboration and access to financial data from anywhere.