<p>I want to be my own man, my own boss. Is it unusual for a new grad to open a public acounting firm? Or anykind of accounting firm? Or just like do solo practice?</p>
<p>I'm very self-motivated, especially when I reap the rewards of my own labor. Like if got a lot of good undergrad interships would I have just enough experience to start practicing? </p>
<p>Or would it be a really bad idea because I would need "guidance" the first few years I'm working as a public accountant?</p>
<p>Absolutely. There’s a place for people who practice public accounting without being CPA’s. It’s called “prison”. </p>
<p>In pretty much every state you need a few years of experience doing public accounting work under the supervision of a licensed CPA.</p>
<p>Who do you think will hire you based on a few internships? If you want to compete with H & R Block in doing low end tax returns, sure. If you’re hoping for lucrative corporate clients I’d recommend some experience.</p>
<p>Not going to happen, not credible enough.</p>
<p>Agree with what the posters above me have said. Gonna need a lot of experience if you want to start your own accounting firm.</p>
<p>So would the ideal experience track be to get a job as an IRS agent? (I want to do taxes, probably for corporations since they may the most)</p>
<p>If I left the IRS as a GS 11, would that be sufficient to say make like $80,000-90,000 in the private sector as a tax accountant owning his own practice?</p>
<p>Is it hard to get a job with the IRS?</p>
<p>You should work for a company that looks like the one you hope to own. Doing corporate taxes on a high level you would earn multiples of $90K. Ideally, work for a big 4 for corporate accounting.</p>
<p>You need experience. They’re hiring you because they think you’re an expert when you do work like this, and the big 4 will teach you how to be an expert. You’ll have a lot more credibility and you’ll need that to get any clients. </p>
<p>The IRS is for people who refuse to work long hours and have no further ambitions, as in they want to work for the IRS their entire life. You’ll learn more in big 4, anyway.</p>
<p>How can you say IR Agents have no further ambitions other then to work for the IRS? The experience in tax law gives them the “other guys” perspective when they begin working for corporations in tax laws.</p>
<p>Also staying with the IRS for life seems better then life at a Big 4. You get to retire after 25 years of service. And the earning potential is high. I can start at the GS-9 level and earn $41,000; then I can get up to GS-13 earning $91,000. Also the work or job title may be different, but an IR agent can even get up to level GS-15 earning $130,000!</p>
<p>Plus theres all the government benefits. Overtime work is paid with time-and-a-half. Holidays = 100% pay increase per hour worked.</p>
<p>Retire after 25 years!</p>
<p>Why would you not want to work for the IRS?</p>
<p>Are you in college yet? You will find that no top accounting grads will seek the IRS jobs. They can make much, much more in an accounting firm.</p>
<p>The thing is though if I could have perfect job security (which the IRS has) then I will be happy on a lower salary.</p>
<p>I mean I’m really interested in being a “special agent”. Its a law enforcement officer that an IR agent. Would you suspect top grads gonig for this job?</p>
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<p>You can have perfect job security even in an accounting firm. </p>
<p>As hmom mentioned, I too, have never met an accounting major who wanted to go into the IRS.</p>
<p>DH is a CPA. Once the IRS agents were at his office for a client’s case. After the serious business, there was some casual/social conversation at the end. When knowing DD would major in accounting, one of the agent asked, “So your daughter want to be one of us after graduate?”. DH laughted, “No, thanks. She will be one of us!”</p>
<p>I don’t understand… why? I always wanted to work in law enforcement, wouldn’t being a special agent be different?</p>
<p>IRS aren’t law enforcement, they’re robbery enforcement.</p>
<p>“IRS aren’t law enforcement, they’re robbery enforcement.”</p>
<p>!!!?? Thats completely false! The IRS agents ARE law enforcement officers. Most of the work the officers do is investigate crimes, and they act primarily as forensic accountants. Robbery enforcement (although that is not what IRS agents typically due) would still be considered a area that law enforcement officers do.</p>
<p>Robbery is theft through physical threat. Most financial crimes would be committed through fraud - not robbery.</p>
<p>Once the forensic accountant beleives there is sufficient evidence to prosecute, the agent has the authority to arrest the person who intentionally misrepresented the “figures” hence the IRS agent is a LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER!!!</p>
<p>The previous poster was obviously kidding. </p>
<p>Law Enforcement officers enforce laws, therefore Robbery Enforcement would be enforcing robbery, as in the IRS robs people. At least, that is how I took it.</p>
<p>a_mom you make absolutely no sense. People in public accounting, industry and government get their CPA. </p>
<p>Secondly, for the first 5 years a federal job makes almost equal, or sometimes more than big 4 counterparts, have excellent job security, better benefits and less hours. After that time, they can easily be hired by the big 4 in tax. </p>
<p>Third, the big 4 and next tier firms have had multiple rounds of layoffs for the last 2 years and there will be coming layoffs this coming week for tax folks. </p>
<p>Fourth, not everyone likes the practices of large accounting firms such as fraudulent billing.</p>
<p>Fifth, most will not make multiples of 90k BECAUSE most do not stay past 5 years.</p>
<p>southpasdena, you missed the point. DH means our daughter would prefer the public accounting route rather than the IRS/government.</p>
<p>Did I ever say only folks in public accounting get their CPAs?</p>
<p>I don’t see why everyone seems to be bashing on working for the IRS. It is a respectable job and does have great benefits. Where else can you get a sick pension after working only like 20-25 years? I applaud the poster for thinking long term - better security, work-life balance, and retirement. Sometimes, the path less traveled is the one that ends up being the best route. Of course, this is all dependent on the individual’s goals and risk appetite. On that note, working for the SEC is I think even better (higher pay).</p>