
The AICPA has
launched new certifications to demonstrate one's skills and competencies at performing single audits and employee benefit plan audits. Each certification is, itself, subdivided into several categories. The single audit certification, is divided into an Intermediate Single Audit Certificate and Advanced Single Audit Certificate. The employee benefit plan certifications, meanwhile, are split into Intermediate Employee Benefit Plans Audit Certificate; Advanced Defined Contribution Plans Audit Certificate; Advanced Defined Benefit Plans Audit Certificate; and Advanced Health and Welfare Plans Audit Certificate.
To get the certification, applicants will need to pass a three and a half hour exam. For the
single audit and
employee benefit certifications, it costs $239 for AICPA members and $299 for non-members to take the exam. Those who pass will not get a physical certificate that can be framed but, rather, a "
digital badge" that links to their member profile.
“The launch of these programs helps fulfill the AICPA’s goal of helping auditors of governmental entities and grantees and employee benefit plan auditors improve audit quality by demonstrating their capability and competence,” said AICPA Senior Vice President for Public Practice and Global Alliances Susan Coffey, CPA, CGMA. “Nearly 80 percent of auditors who took part in a recent AICPA webinar poll expressed interest in a benefit plan audit certificate program. And we believe the certificate programs will generate the same level of enthusiasm among CPAs who are single audit specialists.”