Want to Be a Forensic Accountant? What You Need to Know

Want to Be a Forensic Accountant? What You Need to Know

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What is forensic accounting? How would you define it?

Forensic accounting is an investigative methodology to follow money or proceeds, conducted under the premise that the results of the investigation may be used in a court of law.  Regardless of the purpose of your engagement — civil or criminal — forensic accounting is usually all about following the money.

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What should people know about a forensic accountant career?

This job will keep you on your toes. There really isn’t a typical day in forensic accounting. Some days you might be crunching numbers, some days you might be conducting interviews, and on other days, you might be reviewing documents. You also have to stay on top of the financial industry and markets to know how changes, 

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What should people know about a forensic accountant career?

such as new or updated regulatory compliance mandates, can affect the finances of a company or individual.

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What attracts people to the forensic accountant role?

One particularly fascinating aspect of the job is how finance and accounting work hand-in-hand with the real-life decisions that people make. Personally, I enjoy the variety that comes with working in multiple industries, as well as the challenge of solving financial "mysteries." The forensic accountant job can get exciting at times. While 

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What attracts people to the forensic accountant role?

I worked for the FBI, for example, I handled cases involving drug dealers, organized crime, terrorists and Wall Street professionals. For the last 10-plus years, I have also enjoyed my work in the private sector protecting the assets of clients for Protiviti.

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What do you need to succeed in forensic accounting jobs?

First, you need to have a desire to investigate. Naturally, you’ll also need a degree and/or background in accounting and finance. While you don’t have to be a CPA for the forensic accountant role, having that expertise could set you apart from the competition when you’re applying for jobs — especially if you also have a background in internal investigations and financial crime matters.

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What do you need to succeed in forensic accounting jobs?

Many employers also look for candidates with forensic accounting credentials, such as the Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) designation. It’s also important to a forensic accountant’s success to stay abreast of trends in the financial industry. Additionally, you’ll want to take advantage of professional development opportunities in 

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What do you need to succeed in forensic accounting jobs?

your field to maintain a firm grasp on banking, investment or accounting transactions.

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Forensic accountant job seekers?

According to the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners’ latest Report to the Nations, 5% of revenue, or approximately $4.5 trillion, is lost globally to fraud each year. So, the need is there.

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