[OnMyWay732]

Just curious…for those who passed, or are passing soon…when do you add CPA to your title? Your Name, CPA

As soon as you find out you passed #4? Once you get your certificate?

AUD - July 2014 - 76
REG - August 2014 - 82
FAR - November 2014 - 78
BEC - January 2015 - 81

DONE!!!!

Used Becker online. Who needs a text when you can burn your eyes out staring at the screen for months on end?

"Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain't all sunshine and rainbows. It is a very mean and nasty place and it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain't how hard you're hit; it's about how hard you can get hit, and keep moving forward. How much you can take, and keep moving forward. That's how winning is done!"

[Monkey Wrench]

you arn't a CPA till you get your certificate, therefore you are illegally putting it in your title if you havn't received it. Misrepresentation is a bad bad bad thing!

[Kimboroni]

Ditto. When you have a license number, you are a CPA, and not a moment before!

AUD 84 (1/9/14-Wiley books/TB + free materials)
FAR 83 (5/21/14-the above + NINJA 10 Pt Combo Lite)
REG 84 (7/9/14-Wiley books/TB + NINJA Audio/FC/Notes)
BEC 76 (10/5/14-Wiley books/TB + NINJA Audio/FC)

Disclaimer: My ninja avatar is not meant to imply that I have any affiliation with this site other than being a forum member. That's a pic of a T-shirt that my daughter gave me for my birthday. 🙂

[HeartsMimiCPA]

I briefly considered changing my instagram to “Bad A**, CPA (License Pending)” just as a joke but I don't even want to risk that! Not going to put it on anything until I have the certificate in hand.

AUD - 65, 89!
REG - 70, 89!
FAR - 78!
BEC - 77!

Finally!
Experience 06/30/15
Ethics-Done

VA Licensed 09/15/15

[Racergirl]

You need to check your state requirements!

In Illinois you can not represent yourself as a CPA until you have your State of Illinois CPA License. Just obtaining the certificate is not sufficient.

AUD - 76!
REG - 66, 78!
BEC - 69, 69, 75!
FAR - 70, 73, 79!
Ethics Test - 98!

ILBOE Certificate of Certified Public Accounting issued May 5, 2014
State of Illinois License effective August 1, 2014

CPAexcel, CPAreviewforfree, Ninja Notes

[OnMyWay732]

Sounds good…thanks for the info!

Hopefully it'll be here sooner than we think

AUD - July 2014 - 76
REG - August 2014 - 82
FAR - November 2014 - 78
BEC - January 2015 - 81

DONE!!!!

Used Becker online. Who needs a text when you can burn your eyes out staring at the screen for months on end?

"Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain't all sunshine and rainbows. It is a very mean and nasty place and it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain't how hard you're hit; it's about how hard you can get hit, and keep moving forward. How much you can take, and keep moving forward. That's how winning is done!"

[Anonymous]

In WA, you can't call yourself a CPA until you have your license number. You dont have to wait for the paper license but you cant call yourself a CPA just because you passed the exams.

I just got my license number yesterday and promptly added it to my linked in and email signature 🙂

[Anonymous]

Until you can list “WA CPA, License #12345”

[juuustin]

@dscottrogers:

“However, calling oneself a CPA is permitted so long as there is not deception about having a license.”

This is just factually incorrect. You cannot call yourself a CPA when you don't have a license. You should have learned that from your job interview.

MD Candidate: 10/1/14

FAR - 87 (11/23/14)
REG - 87 (1/30/15)
BEC - 89 (4/19/15)
AUD - 98 (5/30/15)

Ethics - 100

Experience - In Progress!

[mla1169]

@dscottrogers, where did you learn that one cal call themselves a CPA if they are not licensed? I'd like to see more authoritative backup to that than “I know a guy who didn't get caught”.

As far as I know you can NEVER call yourself a CPA until you are licensed.

FAR- 77
AUD -49, 71, 84
REG -56,75!
BEC -75

Massachusetts CPA (non reporting) since 3/12.

[Anonymous]

You absolutely, 100% need to be a currently licensed CPA before putting CPA after your name. There are a whole slew of additional terms that are non-allowed as well. These additional restricted terms probably vary from state to state so I won't name specifics. Generally, they are the various combinations of public, certified, and accountant/accounting/accountancy.

In fact, getting caught referring to yourself as a CPA prior to licensure can wind you up the proverbial creek with no paddle.

[acamp]

Don't forget about the CPA Gangs who will beat you up for claiming to be one of them while not actually holding a current license!!! Have you ever been hit in the head with a trial balance?! Its not pretty!

Self proclaimed: Highest ratio of Replies to Others v. Posts Created on A71

California CPA - Big4 Aud Manager Alum - Private Accounting at Startups

FAR, REG and BEC with Ninja Notes + WTB Only

Ninja + Wiley Test Bank: [FAR - 81] [REG - 76] [BEC - 88] [AUD - 73](doh!)

Becker Videos: [AUD - 82]

California CPA

[OnMyWay732]

Nice to see one of my posts got a nice bump from the past.

As an update, I am currently waiting for my former Big 4 to send in my Statement of Experience, and then I will just be waiting a bit more before I finally have that license number!

AUD - July 2014 - 76
REG - August 2014 - 82
FAR - November 2014 - 78
BEC - January 2015 - 81

DONE!!!!

Used Becker online. Who needs a text when you can burn your eyes out staring at the screen for months on end?

"Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain't all sunshine and rainbows. It is a very mean and nasty place and it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain't how hard you're hit; it's about how hard you can get hit, and keep moving forward. How much you can take, and keep moving forward. That's how winning is done!"

[Anonymous]

You need to be careful before and after you get a license number. I don't know of any state that only has one requirement, passing the exam, to be duly licensed. There are three “E's” to getting CPA after your name: Exam, Education and Experience. If even one is missing, you are not a CPA.

I have recently found out that you have to be careful AFTER you get the license number. Some states, Louisiana included, require you to have a firm permit if you offer any attest/assurance services. I thought the firm permit was just a formality. It turns out, I was wrong. I have a pending firm permit, that can be approved by the Director until the Board meets, or the Director can make me wait until the Board meets sometime in April and let them make the decision on their own. In the mean time, I cannot use the letters CPA after my name in any official capacity or on any financial documents. I can still tell people I'm a CPA. I can still compute payroll for my husband. I can still file sales taxes for a friend of mine. But I CANNOT sign anything with CPA after my name. Oh, and I can't get paid for doing those things either until the firm permit is approved. Yay Me!

So it turns out that you have to be careful before you get the number and even more careful after you get it. I worked too damn hard for too damn long to screw it up now.

[Tncincy]

Can't get paid? what? why not? You should still be able to function as a bookkeeper or tax practitioner even though you are waiting.

It begins with a 75
Been here too long as a cheerleader.....time to pass

It begins with a 75
Been here too long as a cheerleader....ready to pass

[Anonymous]

@Kricket, do you have Comma-CPA on your business calling cards by now?

[Author]

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