accountants
They balance books
Accountants are professionals who maintain and analyze financial records.
They prepare tax returns, audit books, and advise on fiscal matters.
The term covers a range from bookkeepers to certified public accountants (CPAs) who must pass rigorous exams.
The accountants found discrepancies in the quarterly reports.
Accountant carries connotations of meticulous, numbers-focused work—sometimes invoked as shorthand for cautious or unimaginative: Leave it to the accountants to kill the creative budget.
Financial record book
- journal entriesRecorded personal observations
- double-entryAccounting with paired entries
- debitsRecorded account reductions
- creditsUnits toward graduation
balance sheet · general ledger · accruals · adjustments · financial statements · trial balance · posting · reconciliation
Formal accounts examination
- complianceAdhering to requirements
- oversightSupervision or inadvertent omission
- verificationProving something accurate
- reviewCritical written assessment
examination · internal controls · risk assessment · due diligence · attestation · certification · assurance · inspection
Top corporate money officer
- controllerDevice directing a system
- treasurerFinancial steward of organization
- financial analystProfessional assessing investment value
- budget analystReviews organizational spending plans
Big Four · Deloitte · KPMG · partnership · billable hours · engagement · client · firm
Federal tax collector
- deductionsConclusions from reasoning
- exemptionsReleases from obligation
- returnsProfits from investments
- filingStoring documents systematically
withholding · tax bracket · taxable income · capital gains · estate tax · 1040 · W-2 · itemize
Moral soundness and consistency
- professionalismWorkplace conduct standards
- confidentialityQuality of protecting secrets
- objectivityFreedom from personal bias
- independenceFreedom from external control
fiduciary · code of conduct · duty of care · whistleblowing · corporate governance · ethical standards · transparency · trustworthiness
Estimating future conditions
- overheadLocated directly above
- expenditureMoney paid out
- appropriationUnauthorized claiming or allocation
- fiscal yearAccounting calendar period
surplus · deficit · cash flow · projections · spending · revenue · profit margin · break-even
ledger
Financial record book
- journal entriesRecorded personal observations
- double-entryAccounting with paired entries
- debitsRecorded account reductions
credits · balance sheet · general ledger · accruals · adjustments · financial statements · trial balance · posting · reconciliation · cashbook
audit
Formal accounts examination
- complianceAdhering to requirements
- oversightSupervision or inadvertent omission
- verificationProving something accurate
review · examination · internal controls · risk assessment · due diligence · attestation · certification · assurance · inspection · scrutiny
CFO
Top corporate money officer
- controllerDevice directing a system
- treasurerFinancial steward of organization
- financial analystProfessional assessing investment value
budget analyst · Big Four · Deloitte · KPMG · partnership · billable hours · engagement · client · firm · practice
IRS
Federal tax collector
- deductionsConclusions from reasoning
- exemptionsReleases from obligation
- returnsProfits from investments
filing · withholding · tax bracket · taxable income · capital gains · estate tax · 1040 · W-2 · itemize · standard deduction
integrity
Moral soundness and consistency
- professionalismWorkplace conduct standards
- confidentialityQuality of protecting secrets
- objectivityFreedom from personal bias
independence · fiduciary · code of conduct · duty of care · whistleblowing · corporate governance · ethical standards · transparency · trustworthiness · responsibility
forecasting
Estimating future conditions
- overheadLocated directly above
- expenditureMoney paid out
- appropriationUnauthorized claiming or allocation
fiscal year · surplus · deficit · cash flow · projections · spending · revenue · profit margin · break-even · operating budget
- office lifecubicle, desk job, desk jobs, office job, full-time job
- Licensed Occupationsdoctors, nurses, lawyers, dentists, pharmacists
- affluent professionalsdoctors, lawyers, executives, consultants, architects
- finance prosfinancial analysts, investment bankers, stockbrokers, stock brokers, traders
- occupationsdoctor, teacher, baker, lawyer, nurse
- financebank, CFO, banks, controller, finance
accountantsentrepreneurs
Those who launch ventures
visionaries · artists · creative directors · venture capitalists · designers
accountantsdaredevils
Those who seek thrills recklessly
thrill-seekers · free spirits · wild cards · mavericks · adventurers
accountantsspendthrifts
Habitual money wasters
profligates · squanderers · bankrupts · debtors · big spenders
- tax accountantLevy calculation professional
- chartered accountantCredentialed financial auditor
- public accountantLicensed financial reporting professional
- certified public accountantLicensed financial professional
- certified accountantsLicensed finance professionals
- forensic accountantInvestigates monetary crimes professionally