[weed74]

Hi Everyone,

I was just wondering, and have found no better area to ask this question, but what sorts of benefits are people receving at their public accounting job? Please include a general location to help apply relevance to the situation for myself and others.

My qualifications:

BS – Accounting and Finance

Masters – Accounting

Passed 2 of 4 parts of CPA so far

4 years experience with one 20-30 person firm, Southern Ohio

Benefits:

2 weeks vacation

No set personal/sick time policy

No Comp Time

No reimbursement for CPA or Schooling

Interest free loans for CPA/School (up to $5k)

1% of salary max match on 401k

4-5% of salary profit sharing employer contribution

salary around $50k, bonus generally between $2500-4000

total hours around 2300-2400 each year, of which about 1400-1500 are chargeable

AUD - 84
BEC - 80
REG - 75
FAR - 80

[Anonymous]

I interned with a Big 4 firm this past winter in Tax, and they hired me on full-time starting this upcoming January. Here is some information for comparison:

Degree: B.S.B.A., Accounting

Located: Northwest U.S.

Benefits: 25 paid days off per fiscal year. I believe sick days are included in this number.

CPA Bonus: $5,000 if passed within the first year, plus reimbursement for exam fees (which is about $950). The firm pays directly for review courses (Becker & Bisk).

Salary: $55,000 base. Was $45,000 when I accepted my internship, but they surprisingly upped it by $10,000 by the time I had finished. Also, performance bonuses (fiscal) can range from $0-$5,000.

Hours: 60 minimum during busy season (Tax), usually ends up being 70-75. Billing percentage during busy season is usually around 97-98%. Off-season varies between 40-50 depending on client demand.

[Anonymous]

I work at a big 4 accounting firm in tax (houston). I have been there for 7 years. I got promoted to manager 2 years ago but they can't make it official til I pass my cpa. I have one left that I took yesterday.

starting salary mid 50's

25 PTO days

10 holidays

14 weeks paid maternity leave plus backup care for kids

500 fitness reimbursement a year

they pay for the cpa exam and the becker books

there is a bonus after you pass 4,500 i think

great medical, dental etc

for seniors up to 10% bonus, for managers up to 20% bonus

we work about 60 hours in busy season and 40-50 otherwise

reduced workloads (which I do,I work a 75% workload)

they match 25% of your first 6% of 401k

pension plan ( i think they put 4% of your salary in there)

[jeff]

Good luck, greensmu … hope your promotion can become official in November!

-Jeff

AUD - 79
BEC - 80
FAR - 76
REG - 92

Jeff Elliott, CPA (KS)
NINJA CPA | NINJA CMA | NINJA CPE | Another71

[Anonymous]

CapitalGains, which state are you working in?

[Anonymous]

And something less exciting:

Start date Dec. 7, 2009

Midsize accounting firm, 170 employees, 35 partners, NYC

18 days PTO

53K base, plus up to 3800 bonus for overtime (more than 40 hours/week), 2,500 transition bonus first year.

Good medical, dental 401K

Paid for Becker

From employees I hear: average week 38-45 hours; busy season is no more than 55.

On edit: Auditing.

[weed74]

thanks to all those who posted so far. this is interesting and allows us to see what cpa & cpa candidates are worth across the nation.

AUD - 84
BEC - 80
REG - 75
FAR - 80

[Anonymous]

Started my position as an audit staff about fifteen months ago in southern california. 50k base salary (overtime included) maximum 55 hours a week, even during busy season. My firm is a local firm, so the time demands are actually really great. 401k with a 3 percent profit sharing. 3k bonus after passing the cpa plus reimbursement for any study course. Only part that sucks is that they only give bonuses to managers. Let's be honest, who really brings the jobs in under budget? haha.

[glutenator]

I work for a big 4, but am in Advisory in NY. I also have 15 years experience in financial services (non-accounting), and am looking to switch to audit at some point after I pass the exams.

benefits: 25 paid vacation days (though I never get to take them all)

work from home sometimes, depending on the client

great technology support (thus, the working from home)

paid for all cpa exams, registration, becker materials, and schooling to meet the application requirements (was short 5 classes after my MBA in accounting)

Downside: I'm in Advisory/Consulting, so I'm always trying to find the next client

similar to Tax, I'm either slow (25-30% utilization) or swamped (125% utilization); but I always work minimum 45 hours, maximum about 75

may be difficult to move to assurance, as they may not support my salary, since I am a manager

Overall, though, for the non-accountant trying to break into the CPA world, this is a great place to do it.

I'll Pass Eventually
REG (67, 66), BEC (79), FAR (5/26/10), AUD (August 2010)

[Lilysmommy]

Does anyone have any comparables for a part timer? I used to work full time and then went to part time after I returned from maternity leave. I work in a smaller town in Michigan and make $19.00/hr. No benefits but I also only work 20-25 hrs per week. I have almost five years experience in public accounting. Our firm has around 20 professionals. I will get a 10% increase when passing the CPA exam and got a $1,500 bonus this year. I also get reimbursed for CPA exam fees upon passing. I am trying to determine if my hourly rate is comparable to other part timers.

[Anonymous]

‘Does anyone have any comparables for a part timer? I used to work full time and then went to part time after I returned from maternity leave. I work in a smaller town in Michigan and make $19.00/hr. No benefits but I also only work 20-25 hrs per week. I have almost five years experience in public accounting.”

I work for a local firm in FL, there are 25 employees, 17 CPA's, 3 partners. I worked part time while going through school and based at $15/hr for the first year when I was a junior in college. My second year (senior in college) I received a raise to $20/hr plus bonus based on productivity budget. Benefits received was only the bonus and I worked 25 hrs/week.

[Anonymous]

I was trying to find a related topic in forum, but couldn't. Do you, guys, get any incentive bonuses for passing CPA exam? Maybe within 1st year? In my company it's 4K if you pass within first year of employment.

And I got 50% discount for Becker.

[Anonymous]

We have a $5,000 bonus available if you pass all the sections within your first year of employment. I think there is still a $1,000 bonus available if all sections are passed within the first two years. The firm pays directly for either Bisk or Becker, but also will reimburse up to $1,400 for expenses incurred for another approved review course. They also reimburse you for exam fees if you pass on the first time, which can potentially save up to $800-$900 depending on the state.

[gmb]

How about this:

Qualifications:

– Masters in Accounting

– Masters in Business Administration

– Passed three parts of CPA exam (waiting for REG score)

– 7 months experience in public accounting.

Benefits:

– 1 week vacation (but boss will take vacation days away when he closes the office for unofficial holidays. Example: Thankgiving = official holiday, Friday after Thanksgiving = unofficial holiday = take a vacation day away, without the option of coming in).

– No set personal or sick leave.

– No reimbursement for CPA exams or prep. material.

– No 401(k)

– Health Insurance 100% paid.

– $36,000 a year salary.

– 40 hour a week work week, but not during the busy season.

How would you rate this compensation package on scale of 1 – 10?

FAR-88, AUD-94, BEC-87, REG-90

[zena]

It doesn't sound so great, gmb! The one week vacation is really lame! Is this one of the Big 4? If not, how large/small is the firm? What area of the country is it in also?

FAR 86 | BEC 94 | AUD 90 | REG 85
All done! used Becker

[Anonymous]

Gmb, this is small CPA firm I assume? I don't know which state you are in, but package does not sound very competitive… especially for your credentials.

[Author]

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