Wisconsin - Become a CPA

Becoming a CPA in Wisconsin is much the same as other states, with 150 semester hours required to sit for the Uniform CPA Examination. However, staying a CPA in Wisconsin is easier – there are no formal continuing education requirements so you can simply focus on doing a good job for your clients as you work as a CPA.

Wisconsin Education Requirements

1. Attend an accredited institution

The Wisconsin Accounting Examining Board recognizes degrees from accredited educational institutions. For master’s degrees in accounting, the program or department must be accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. If you’re seeking a bachelor’s degree or higher in accounting or business, the program or college must be accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, the International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education, or the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs. It’s important that you verify your college or university is accepted by the Wisconsin Accounting Examining Board prior to beginning your application process.

2. Complete the education requirements

To qualify to become a CPA in Wisconsin, you will need to complete all of the state’s education requirements. Many CPA's started their education by getting an Associate’s Accounting Degree (AA) and then moved on to earning a bachelor's. You are expected to attain a bachelor’s or higher degree and take a minimum of 150 semester hours of qualifying coursework. All of the following options are acceptable:

- An master’s degree in accounting from an accredited college or university
- A bachelor’s degree or higher in business from an accredited program or college, including:
- At least 24 undergraduate-level semester hours in accounting, a minimum of 15 graduate-level semester hours in accounting, or an equivalent combination of both undergraduate and graduate-level semester hours in:
- Financial Accounting
- Cost or Managerial Accounting
- Taxation
- Auditing
- Accounting Information Systems
- A bachelor’s degree or higher from an accredited program or college, including:
- A minimum of 24 undergraduate-level semester hours in accounting, a minimum of 15 graduate-level semester hours in accounting, or an equivalent combination of both undergraduate and graduate-level semester hours in:
- Financial Accounting
- Cost or Managerial Accounting
- Taxation
- Auditing
- Accounting Information Systems
- A minimum of 24 undergraduate-level semester hours in business, a minimum of 15 graduate-level semester hours in accounting, or an equivalent combination of both undergraduate and graduate-level semester hours in:
- Economics
- Finance
- Statistics or Data Analytics
- Business Law
- Information Technology

In general, courses in financial accounting, cost or managerial accounting, taxation, and auditing must be in addition to introductory accounting courses required of all business majors.

Candidates who completed a minimum of 150 semester hours and earned a bachelor’s or graduate degree in accounting from a recognized accrediting agency prior to June 1, 2017 may also qualify for candidacy as long as their CPA application materials are submitted prior to October 1, 2018.

Additionally, if your current program does not meet the Wisconsin Accounting Examining Board accreditation requirements, you may still qualify for candidacy. Your completed coursework can be submitted to Board, which will then determine whether your credit hours are sufficiently equivalent to the state’s content and semester hour requirements.

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CPA Examination Requirements

1. Complete course requirements

Applicants who intend to sit for the Uniform CPA Examination must complete at least 120 semester hours of education that includes coursework in accounting and business. To qualify, you must either:

Earn a master’s degree in accounting from an accredited institution, a bachelor’s degree or higher in business from an accredited institution, or a bachelor’s degree or higher in accounting from an accredited institution. All options must include:

- The following accounting courses:
- Financial Accounting
- Cost or Managerial Accounting
- Taxation
- Auditing
- Accounting Information Systems
- The following business courses:
- Economics
- Finance
- Statistics or Data Analytics
- Business Law
- Information Technology
- Complete a minimum of 120 semester hours towards a bachelor’s or higher degree, including:
- The following accounting courses:
- Financial Accounting
- Cost or Managerial Accounting
- Taxation
- Auditing
- Accounting Information Systems
- The following business courses:
- Economics
- Finance
- Statistics or Data Analytics
- Business Law
- Information Technology

2. Apply for the exam through CPAES

Once you’ve met the education requirements, you can apply to take the Uniform CPA Examination online through CPA Examination Services (CPAES). You will need to create a user account and complete your application via the online tool. Be prepared to submit the following:

Official transcript(s) from the institution(s) you’ve attended – these must be sent directly from your college or university to CPAES

Application and examination fees for each section you plan to take

- 1 Examination Section - $412.40
- 2 Examination Sections - $643.80
- 3 Examination Sections - $875.20
- 4 Examination Sections - $1,106.60

The Testing Accommodations Request Form, if applicable - this form must be sent from you to CPAES

Application materials should be shipped to the following address:

CPA Examination Services – WI

PO Box 198469

Nashville, TN 37219

3. Wait for your Notice to Schedule

Once your application has been submitted, you will receive an email confirming receipt of your materials. You can expect a processing period of two to four weeks. After your application has been reviewed and approved, you will receive a Notice to Schedule (NTS). Your NTS will instruct you to schedule your CPA Uniform Examination date via the Prometric website, where additional processing fees may apply.

4. Take your examination

You must complete all four sections of the Uniform CPA Examination during an 18-month period, which begins once the first section has been passed. A minimum score of 75% is required. If you fail to pass any section(s) within the 18-month period, all passed sections will expire and need to be retaken.

Your scores will become available for you to request and review via the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA).

Wisconsin Work Experience Requirements

1. Complete work experience requirements

To qualify for a CPA license in Wisconsin, you are required to work professionally in the accounting field for at least one year. During this time, you should gain experience providing advice or services in accounting, attest, compilation, management advising, financial advising, tax, or related consulting skills. Upon your written request, the Wisconsin Accounting Examining Board will assess your work and notify you if additional experience is needed.

CPA License Application Process

1. Verify you have all application documents

In order to apply for a CPA license in Wisconsin, you must submit the following items:

- An Application for Certified Public Accounting License form
- A credential fee of $150 paid via check or money order and made payable to the Department of Safety and Professional Services – this includes the $75 Initial Credential Fee and the $75 Ethics Exam Fe
- An Experience Record form
- A Verification of Employment and Experience form with Part I completed by you and Part II completed by your employer
- A Required Course Work in Accounting and Business Subjects form, unless you earned a master’s degree in accounting from an institution accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business
- Official transcripts (will be sent by NASBA unless additional documentation is requested)

2. Take your ethics examination

A passing score of at least 80% on an ethics examination is also required. The test consists of 50 questions pertaining to Wisconsin Statutes and Administrative Code. Once you’ve submitted your application documents, you’ll receive an authorization passcode and instructions on how to take the open book, online examination via email.

Obtaining a CPA job needs a lot of prep work and preparation. Exactly how does one go about that? Below are some CPA work needs and also just how to become a CPA.

To be a CPA, one must have an education in accounting. Typically you will need to take courses in both organisation and also financing. If you have been operating in company or have a degree in accounting, you may not need to take courses in finance or economics. Nonetheless, if you wish to come to be a CPA, then you need to take classes in those areas.

Accountants do a great deal of clerical help companies. There are lots of tasks in the accounting field that entail typing, economic reporting, as well as various other accounting functions. The accounting division can add an incredible quantity of value to a business because it will help them get paid quickly and also accurately. They will likewise be able to help with taxation problems. Accounting is used daily in many organisations.

Most companies make use of economic statements to tell the truth about their possessions and also liabilities. These declarations are a public record. They must always be prepared correctly. If they are unprepared properly, your service might suffer a lot of monetary troubles.

You need to be able to comprehend economic declarations. You should recognize how they are prepared. You likewise need to know just how to use them appropriately. This indicates that you will certainly require to read the monetary declarations often to maintain to day with all the information.

You ought to always try to find jobs that need CPA training. It is also required to get training in software programs that handle economic reporting. Having the proper skills for software application use is important. This is due to the fact that it will certainly guarantee that you have a terrific profession.

You can come to be a CPA without a college degree. You will certainly require the standard knowledge of the basics of accounting, business and finance. You will certainly additionally need to ensure that you stay on top of the present patterns in the industry.

Before you can also begin to function as a CPA, you will require to discover a task. You will need to be prepared to compete for each job that finds your workdesk. This is since your competitors will certainly have much more qualifications than you.

Lots of people in this field wind up in the reduced level placements or just merely unemployed because they do not obtain the leading paying positions. The best way to start in the field is to be prepared to work your way up. Bear in mind that no matter what you do, there will constantly be a demand for you.

You can become a CPA and begin in the personal accounts of your customers. You will need to discover how to take care of and also work with financial documents and other monetary tools. Some accounts include huge amounts of cash and also need a good deal of ability. If you do not have these abilities, after that you will certainly not be very successful.

Being a good accountant is challenging. It takes some time and practice. You must have the personality and also the motivation to do well.

As you can see, several individual accountants need to come to be a CPA prior to they are able to achieve the success that they desire. To become a CPA as well as come to be effective, you will need to continue your education as well as study. The best method to get going is to look for your CPA task requirements and enter into a program that will prepare you for the test. CPA accreditation can be your own if you prepare to take it.

Typically holds a Certified Public Accountant certificate; establishes methods to manage economic records astutely, and assurance perfect practices are utilized when preparing tax obligation records. Personal Accounting expert Deals people by preparing annual tax responsibility documents; can operate at an accounting company or as an independent accountant. Deals financial advice as well as also reporting help and is needed to have a CPA certification.

To acquire the problem of Certified Public Accountant (Certified Public Accountant), students require to complete 150 hours of coursework. While a great deal of bachelor's levels fail by 30 hrs, candidates are not needed to complete a master's level to start certification, yet they will definitely need to complete the extra hrs before using. Undergraduate pupils should certainly keep in mind that these additional hours ought to go to graduate level.

Lots of trainees checking out online may currently be working in an accounting position and likewise will complete the on-line level while still used. Look for an on-line bookkeeping degree. Before signing up, however, it is very vital to meticulously assess each institution and likewise program of rate of interest to make certain that the on-line education you get is superb quality.

Many book-keeping departments post faculty bios. Extremely very carefully examine these to see if teachers have operated as CPAs, controllers, audit managers, CFOs, and additionally a great deal extra for a selection of business, from little firms to massive companies to governmental agencies. This type of authentic globe experience can give on the net trainees added practical understanding as well as these professors could furthermore come to be helpful coaches or network calls release college graduation.