As a young tax professional, you’ll benefit from digging into the industry and gaining as much experience as possible. If you’re also passionate about using your specialized skills to help others, joining the IRS’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program may be the perfect fit. 

The CPA Exam proves your competency in financial accounting, taxation, and auditing, as well as skills related to data and technology, problem-solving, analytical ability, and research. This thoroughness is intentional, designed to match the knowledge required for modern public accounting. In 2024, the AICPA restructured the CPA Exam to match the profession's trend towards specialization now requiring all candidates to pass three Core sections and choose from one of three Disciplines.

Opportunity Zone investments offer an opportunity to help your clients merge significant tax advantages with community-focused economic development. For the right client, this program can be a cornerstone of a long-term financial strategy, but recent legislative changes and complex rules can make Opportunity Zone investments a challenge. To help you better understand them, we're breaking down what you need to know, from what they are and how they work to recent updates and actionable advice.  

If you're ready to build your expertise and move forward in your career, accounting certifications and licenses are an excellent way to stand out in the profession.

Whether you’ve chosen an accounting major and want to know what the future holds or are considering a shift into the profession, exploring accounting careers is an important step in defining your direction. We've here consolidated a comprehensive source of accounting career paths, designations, specializations, and more; plus additional links to explore areas of particular interest. Start here to explore careers in accounting.

Organizations around the world trust Certified Internal Auditors, or CIAs, to complete internal audits that are meticulously thorough, ethically accurate, and precisely detailed. To maintain this standard of accuracy and stay up to date on best practices, CIAs must fulfill annual CIA CPE requirements.

Once you have put in the work to pass the exam and become an Enrolled Agent (EA), jeopardizing your title by failing to complete continuing education (CE) requirements is simply not an option. Learn more about the Enrolled Agent CE requirements and how you can fulfill these credits, build your skills, and maintain your credential.Before you dive in, check out Becker's top Enrolled Agent CE courses to help you meet your requirements. 

This guest blog features the advice of Stephanie Ng, CPA. She is an experienced public accountant and published author of the book How to Pass the CPA Exam. Full bio below. 

Learn about 2026 CPA Exam changes and the new CPA Exam blueprint from the AICPA.

As an accounting and finance professional, you’re tracking a lot of things at once. It’s easy for lines to blur, but when it comes to your budget vs forecast, you don’t want to get mixed up. Learn the difference between each vital business tool. Summary A budget plans the organization's finances and resource allocation, while a forecast predicts future financial conditions and is consistently measured against the budget to refine business operations.