Florida officials advise checking for credentials before hiring a CPA
With the 2016 tax season in high gear, the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (FDBPR) is warning Floridians of the danger of hiring unlicensed certified public accountants, or CPAs, to assist with their personal and business financial needs. Residents are being urged to ensure their CPA has a professional license.
“As tax season approaches many Florida families and business owners are facing the arduous task of preparing their financials and may need to hire a CPA,” said Ken Lawson, Secretary of DBPR. “There are many financial and tax professionals that can assist with various financial needs, but only CPAs are licensed by the state and can provide specific services.”
Licensed CPAs have successfully passed the Uniform CPA Examination, in addition to meeting the necessary education and experience requirements mandated by Florida law. CPAs are licensed to perform audits, reviews and compilations, as well as express opinions of financial statements that provide a level of assurance regarding the reliability or fairness of the financial information at hand.
Before any work necessitating a licensed CPA is performed, consumers should always verify the individual’s State of Florida professional license, which can be verified online at www.myfloridalicense.com or by calling 850.487.1395.
The Department of Business and Professional Regulation’s mission is to license efficiently and regulate fairly. The Department licenses and regulates more than one million businesses and professionals ranging from hotels and restaurants, real estate agents and certified public accountants to veterinarians, contractors and cosmetologists. For more information, please visit www.myfloridalicense.com.
