What is a Chartered Accountant (CA)?

A chartered Accountant professional refers to the international Accounting standard that’s given to the expert accountants in different countries across the world. The CPA enjoys the same level of attention and popularity as the chartered accountant in the US. Having completed the CA qualifications and achieved the certification for the same, the individual gets the right to file the Tax Return for the company, review and edit financial statements, and give advisory services to the customers. The professional started gaining immense popularity after they were launched in Scotland in 1854. The numbers of companies and international organizations that work with chartered accountants have grown in numbers recently.

The procedure for qualifying as a chartered account varies by country. In each country, the individual pursuing CA has to pass a series of tests and outperform other accounting aspirants to secure their position as a qualified chartered account. For a person to qualify as the chartered account in New Zealand, they must achieve their bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in business and accounting subjects. Once they have completed the required exams, they must participate in the CA program to get practical knowledge of practicing accountancy for private and public companies. These programs are specifically designed to provide the candidates with proper training in modern accounting.

Procedure of Becoming a Chartered Accountant

The process is a little different for Canadian CA aspirants. Students who want to pursue CA are supposed to complete their graduation in accounting and business subjects. Even undergraduates can sign up for the educational programs designed for accountants. The top four fields where the professional chartered accountants are supposed to work on include:

• Taxation
• Audit and assurance
• Financial accounting and reporting
• Management accounting

Based on the qualifications and specialty, the CA might cater to all requirements of the company’s accounting. For example, some accountants manage all accounts of the company or Handle or work as freelance accountants that manage the accounting requirements for different clients. CA might execute work in private and public settings.

The role of CPA and CA differ significantly, but they might perform the same functions in certain countries. For example, both are considered the same in the United States. However, the person handling multiple financial accounts of the company in the US is called CPA. People who qualify for chartered accountancy in New Zealand, Australia, and Canada can work for the US-based companies in America as CPAs. The definition of CPA could also vary from country to country. In some regions, CPAs refer to chartered professional accountants, while in other regions, the abbreviation is used extensively for the certified practicing accountant.

While the process of becoming a professional accountant is different in different countries, there are quite a few similarities in the qualification and training of a CA. For example, graduation is a mandatory requirement for each individual that’s pursuing CA in almost every country. A 3-4 year of the training course is, then, required.