Finally done! Next career move? (Tax to Gov't Audit?)

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  • #185153
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    Hey there everybody!

    I finished my last exam back in November but JUST passed the California ethics exam last week (that was a doozy!) and I will be mailing in my application before the week is out.

    I recently moved across the country back to my home state from Boston to Los Angeles with my husband. I decided to transition from a national large firm in a tax role to a business management firm as a tax accountant because my initial goal for my career in accounting was to work within the entertainment industry…Well I got what I asked for and now I hate it! It seems like no matter how much money these people make, they are STILL trying to deduct everything under the sun and not report all the income they should be reporting. This is particularly worrisome because business management firms tend to lean on the side of pleasing the clients as oppose to doing the “right thing” when it comes to tax return prep.

    I have not been at this firm for very long (started in August 2013) but I have already noticed huge gaps in their checks and balances systems, or lack thereof, and have actually detected fraud!

    In short, I thought that working in tax would give me the chance to help people in a positive way, but really I feel like I am enabling them to screw over the government.

    Given the last two points I made, I’m considering making the switch to audit, specifically auditing in the government industry. I have even applied to the Masters in Governmental Accounting online program at Rutgers (status pending)…I plan on working for a public accounting firm that specializes in the government sector. My long term goal is to take a federal government job once I am qualified for a higher pay grade.

    I just need some advice…am I going in the right direction? Having just purchased a home with my husband in November, I’m afraid of the financial consequences this switch will have on our livelihood. I’m also unsure what to ask as far as salary in the event I did receive an offer…new CPA, potential masters candidate, no audit experience, 3 years tax experience…

    Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Viewing 6 replies - 1 through 6 (of 6 total)
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  • #548143
    Quinacridone
    Member

    I can't address working for a public firm that specializes in Governmental, but I can speak on the federal government job.

    I work as a Govt auditor and love the work. The pay is not stupendous, especially if one has their CPA. Federal is on the GS pay system so my pay is public knowledge. Most Govt auditors are GS-12s. A GS-12 can expect a starting salary somewhere in the $60s (every location has its own cost of living adjustment, so it is difficult to give an exact figure since some places have much higher adjustments). I think the GS-12 pay grade maxes out somewhere in the mid-80s. There is plenty of room for promotion (GS-13s and 14s in the agency I work for) which could mean breaking the 6 figure threshold.

    My job can get pretty intense. There is a very severe learning curve with every audit (I'm in the Department of Defense – so I audit everything from money trails to weapons of mass destruction). A large part of my job is spent in heavy research of laws and regulations (public laws and lots of compliance laws). But that is what I love the most – never a dull day. I think its the best job in Accounting!

    REG - Nov 4, 2013: 88
    FAR - Feb 27, 2014: 86
    AUD - April 5, 2014: 91
    BEC - May 6, 2014: 83

    Florida CPA 24 July 2014
    (Done in seven months - thank you Jesus!!)

    #548162
    Quinacridone
    Member

    I can't address working for a public firm that specializes in Governmental, but I can speak on the federal government job.

    I work as a Govt auditor and love the work. The pay is not stupendous, especially if one has their CPA. Federal is on the GS pay system so my pay is public knowledge. Most Govt auditors are GS-12s. A GS-12 can expect a starting salary somewhere in the $60s (every location has its own cost of living adjustment, so it is difficult to give an exact figure since some places have much higher adjustments). I think the GS-12 pay grade maxes out somewhere in the mid-80s. There is plenty of room for promotion (GS-13s and 14s in the agency I work for) which could mean breaking the 6 figure threshold.

    My job can get pretty intense. There is a very severe learning curve with every audit (I'm in the Department of Defense – so I audit everything from money trails to weapons of mass destruction). A large part of my job is spent in heavy research of laws and regulations (public laws and lots of compliance laws). But that is what I love the most – never a dull day. I think its the best job in Accounting!

    REG - Nov 4, 2013: 88
    FAR - Feb 27, 2014: 86
    AUD - April 5, 2014: 91
    BEC - May 6, 2014: 83

    Florida CPA 24 July 2014
    (Done in seven months - thank you Jesus!!)

    #548145

    Hi @CPA4birthdaypresent!

    I have wondered if you wound up switching to the entertainment industry. I'm so sorry that you are hating it!

    There is a lot of ego stroking here… Not everyone is like that but I do know what you're talking about. I've had a few jobs where I could only stand their shadiness for a few months, and have been fortunate to find better people to work for.

    You're in a business management firm? Have you thought about switching to a studio or production company?

    If you wind up staying in the entertainment industry, and need someone to talk to, let me know. I'm still here.

    🙂

    CPA (MA, Non Reporting) since Oct. 2015

     

    B – 33, 71, 79

    A – 32, 61, 70, 83

    R – 33, 58, 73, 69, 81

    F – 47, 78

    1st test 01/19/2013

    Last test 05/26/2015

     

    CPA (MA, Non-Reporting)

    The difference in winning & losing is most often, not quitting - Walt Disney

    B - 33, 71, 79!
    A - 32, 61, 70, 83!
    R - 33, 58, 73, 69, 81!
    F - 47, 78! 🙂
    After 3 long years, I'm finally DONE!
    I could not have done it without NINJA MCQs.

    Used: Roger for his Videos, WTB, and NINJA Audio, Notes and Test Bank.

    #548164

    Hi @CPA4birthdaypresent!

    I have wondered if you wound up switching to the entertainment industry. I'm so sorry that you are hating it!

    There is a lot of ego stroking here… Not everyone is like that but I do know what you're talking about. I've had a few jobs where I could only stand their shadiness for a few months, and have been fortunate to find better people to work for.

    You're in a business management firm? Have you thought about switching to a studio or production company?

    If you wind up staying in the entertainment industry, and need someone to talk to, let me know. I'm still here.

    🙂

    CPA (MA, Non Reporting) since Oct. 2015

     

    B – 33, 71, 79

    A – 32, 61, 70, 83

    R – 33, 58, 73, 69, 81

    F – 47, 78

    1st test 01/19/2013

    Last test 05/26/2015

     

    CPA (MA, Non-Reporting)

    The difference in winning & losing is most often, not quitting - Walt Disney

    B - 33, 71, 79!
    A - 32, 61, 70, 83!
    R - 33, 58, 73, 69, 81!
    F - 47, 78! 🙂
    After 3 long years, I'm finally DONE!
    I could not have done it without NINJA MCQs.

    Used: Roger for his Videos, WTB, and NINJA Audio, Notes and Test Bank.

    #548147
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    @Quinacridone: and THAT'S why I am interested in government auditing…your job sounds amazing! I've seen a few other posts on here related to government accounting and how their federal government job has been a better experience than the state government job.

    I figure I'll learn the ropes as an auditor of government organizations first and get some much needed experience before attempting to apply for a federal government job…that way I should be able to start at a decent pay grade on the GS scale right off the bat.

    Is it difficult to start your first government job above a GS-12? In your department, for example, what qualifications are associated with a GS-13?

    @liss_ will_be_a_CA_CPA: yep I went through with my entertainment industry plans. Yes I work at a business management firm that uses it's public accounting status as a marketing tool. It technically still is a public accounting firm.

    I'm no longer attracted to the entertainment industry though. I'm starting to think I'm not a good fit for it at all. I'm OK with that…I said I wanted to do it and I did it…it just wasn't a good fit.

    I had a mini meltdown when I realized I don't want to do tax and that I want to switch to audit…but then I remembered I only graduated undergrad back in Jan.2012…It's OK to change my mind at this stage in the game.

    #548165
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    @Quinacridone: and THAT'S why I am interested in government auditing…your job sounds amazing! I've seen a few other posts on here related to government accounting and how their federal government job has been a better experience than the state government job.

    I figure I'll learn the ropes as an auditor of government organizations first and get some much needed experience before attempting to apply for a federal government job…that way I should be able to start at a decent pay grade on the GS scale right off the bat.

    Is it difficult to start your first government job above a GS-12? In your department, for example, what qualifications are associated with a GS-13?

    @liss_ will_be_a_CA_CPA: yep I went through with my entertainment industry plans. Yes I work at a business management firm that uses it's public accounting status as a marketing tool. It technically still is a public accounting firm.

    I'm no longer attracted to the entertainment industry though. I'm starting to think I'm not a good fit for it at all. I'm OK with that…I said I wanted to do it and I did it…it just wasn't a good fit.

    I had a mini meltdown when I realized I don't want to do tax and that I want to switch to audit…but then I remembered I only graduated undergrad back in Jan.2012…It's OK to change my mind at this stage in the game.

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