What types of court cases might use a forensic accountant?

Some of the types of litigation cases where the forensic accountant can be of assistance include shareholder/partner disputes, matrimonial dissolutions, breach of contact, lost profits and damage calculations, white-collar criminal investigations, breach of fiduciary duty, estate litigation and in the bankruptcy arena.

What is the most common credential for forensic accountants?

Many forensic accountants pursue the CPA credential. Offered by the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA), the credential requires 150 credits of postsecondary coursework and passing scores on the four-part CPA exam.

Do forensic accountants go to court?

Forensic accountants examine data to determine where missing money has gone and how to recover it. They may also present reports of their financial findings as evidence during hearings, where they often testify as expert witnesses. Forensic accountants working at some agencies are more likely to testify in court.

Is there a high demand for forensic accountants?

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) predicts 13% job growth for accountants and auditors by 2022. The growth of all forensic accounting jobs should correspond with this rate, if not exceed it due increasing financial regulations, with some estimates predicting a 20% growth in demand for investigative auditors.

What are two types of legal proceedings that might use a forensic accountant?

Fraud

Detecting employee theft and fraud.
Investigating embezzlement.
Looking for inconsistencies in financial filings.
Assessing financial losses.
Assisting with insurance claims and restitution orders or agreements.

What is the difference between a CPA and a forensic accountant?

Forensic accounting uses accounting, auditing, and investigative skills to run investigations for any case of theft and fraud. A CPA (certified public accountant) is a trusted financial adviser who has passed the rigorous CPA Exam and met work experience requirements before being licensed.

Do you have to be good at math to be a forensic accountant?

While you may have heard that you need to be a math whiz to succeed as an accounting major, this is a myth. Accounting is not math.

How does a forensic accountant find hidden assets?

To uncover hidden assets, forensic accountants examine a variety of documents, including tax returns, bank records, real estate records, insurance policies and court filings. Loan applications, employment applications and credit reports also may yield valuable clues about the value and location of a person’s wealth.

Is it worth it to hire a forensic accountant?

It’s better to hire a forensic accountant early on in a lawsuit so that the opposing party does not have the opportunity to retain your expert. In fact, many cases would end much differently without their expert testimony. A forensic accountant is only as good as his or her track record.