As befits a profession that has been around since colonial times, Certified Public Accountants (CPA) have formed a wide variety of national CPA societies over the years. These CPA organizations range from those that cover virtually all branches of accounting to more specialized ones dealing with specific aspects of accountancy or auditing.

If you are an accountant, you have probably become familiar with at least some of these organizations, particularly if you have taken and passed the CPA exam. If you are a business owner, knowing where to find information about any national society of CPAs can be very helpful in utilizing the most qualified accountant for a particular need. Many of these sites feature listings of members and other consumer information.

You should know that:

1. Accountant organizations range in size from the huge to the very small.

2. Most national CPA association websites feature general information to help the public in addition to more specialized information for their members.

3. CPA's can belong to any number of national CPA organizations.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Know where to find listings of CPA organizations

There are quite a few national CPA groups and listings are not that difficult to find.

I recommend: Smartpros, a company dedicated to professional education and corporate training, has an extensive list of the different CPA societies nationwide. Another good reference for national CPA societies can be found at TaxSites.com, with a particular emphasis on CPA associations that deal with tax.

Start with the bigger CPA group websites.

For general accounting information and listings, head to the large certified public accountant associations.

I recommend: The largest player in terms of accouting orgainziations is the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), with over 300,000 members nationwide. Its website contains a large amount of consumer and member information. If you are looking for accountants who practice independently, the National Society of Public Accountants has very helpful information, allows you to find an unaffiliated accountant, and even gives tax advice.

For more specialized needs with CPA associations, go to specialized groups

Most specialized CPA organizations have their own websites that you can access to find what you need.

I recommend: If you are interested in a certified public accountant society specializing in tax practice, the National Association of Tax Professionals offers an extensive and informative site. For information about Chartered Accountants (accountants who can practice in the UK, Canada and Australia, among other places), the Association of Chartered Accountants in the United States has its own site devoted to information and listings of this type of professional accountant

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Remember that information on certified public accountant association sites is not meant to substitute for the advice of a CPA or accounting firm.
• •  Remember that a national association of certified public accountants often has state associations affiliated with it, which you can usually link to through the national CPA association website.