Accountant
By Gianlucca Bardales
Accountant
Accountants prepare and examine financial records. They ensure that financial records are accurate and that taxes are paid properly and on time. Accountants assess financial operations and work to help ensure that organizations run efficiently. Accountants Examine financial statements to be sure that they are accurate and comply with laws and regulations. Compute taxes owed, prepare tax returns, and ensure that taxes are paid properly and on time. Inspect account books and accounting systems for efficiency and use of accepted accounting procedures. Organize and maintain financial records. Assess financial operations and make best-practices recommendations to management. Suggest ways to reduce costs, enhance revenues, and improve profits. In addition to examining and preparing financial documentation, accountants and must explain their findings. This includes face-to-face meetings with organization managers and individual clients, and preparing written reports.
accountants held about 1.2 million jobs in 2010. Most accountants work in offices, although some work from home. Auditors may travel to their clients’ places of business. Most accountants work full time. In 2010, one in five worked more than 40 hours per week. Longer hours are typical at certain times of the year, such as at the end of the budget year or during tax season.
The median annual wage of accountants was $61,690 in May 2010. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $38,940 and the top 10 percent earned more than $106,880. Most accountants work full time. In 2010, one in five worked more than 40 hours per week. Longer hours are typical at certain times of the year, such as at the end of the budget year or during tax season