An essential task of most CPAs is to keep or inspect financial records to ensure that the information they represent is accurate and complies with relevant laws and regulations. This can include organizing and maintaining financial records, examining financial statements to ensure they are accurate, preparing tax returns, providing financial forecasts, and providing auditing services.
Because accountants can intimately understand a person’s or business’s finances, they are often able to suggest ways to improve financial performance, set financial goals, and plan how to achieve them by offering their services to various individuals, businesses, and nonprofit organizations. CPAs often work with and prepare financial documents that their clients are required by law to disclose.
These include: tax forms, financial statements that corporations must provide to potential investors, and documents that publicly traded companies must submit to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
