The need for a forensic accountant has grown in the last two decades, with more expected in the future. From oil well spills to divorces - from stealing trust funds to partnership disputes - forensic accountants are needed to find and calculate losses. They are financial detectives that are needed to explain the money story to attorneys, judges, and juries.

If you are interested in starting a forensic accounting practice or adding on this service to your existing firm, this course is for you. In this presentation, you will know what service to provide possible clients, how to find those clients, and the cost-effective ways to start the forensic accounting practice.

Your instructor has over 20 years of experience as a special agent with IRS-Criminal Investigation where he conducted investigations into tax and money laundering crimes across the globe. After his successful investigative career, he started a CPA firm from scratch that focused on forensic accounting. He shares the successes and failures in starting a forensic accounting practice, including getting the right credentials, various ways of marketing to potential clients, closing the deal with engagement letters, and delivering the service to the client.

Program Content:
The major topics covered in this course include:

  • What equipment is needed to start a forensic accounting practice
  • The common services needed by clients
  • Using your current skillset, identify the type of services you can provide
  • How to market your services to a particular segment of possible clients
  • Best practices in starting a forensic accounting practice

Who should attend: CPAs who want to start forensic accounting practice.

Learning Objectives
  • Recognize and recall the definition of forensic accounting.
  • Recognize the various aspects of forensic accounting.
  • Identify the credentials needed to start a forensic accounting practice.
  • Identify possible markets for forensic accounting services.
  • Discover and prepare a marketing plan to obtain clients.
  • Identify the basic equipment, software, and best practices for starting a forensic accounting practice.
Last updated/reviewed: March 11, 2024
Prerequisites
Course Complexity: Foundational
No advanced preparation or prerequisites are required for this course.
Education Provider Information
Company: Illumeo, Inc., 75 East Santa Clara St., Suite 1215, San Jose, CA 95113
Contact: For more information regarding this course, including complaint and cancellation policies, please contact our offices at (408) 400- 3993 or send an e-mail to .
Instructor for this course
Course Syllabus
INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW
  Introduction to Start a Forensic Accounting Practice with Confidence9:16
  How it All Started15:36
  Personal Dilemma5:20
  Characteristics of Forensic Accounting16:42
  What is Forensic Accounting21:36
  Expert Witness Vs Consultant8:18
  AICPA Standards for Forensic Services and Court Rules18:52
  Areas of Expertise21:48
  Common Certifications and Tools to Start9:20
  Common Problems with Clients3:34
MARKETING PLANS
  Initial Setup Plans14:42
  Marketing16:35
  Networking20:00
  How to Give Great Presentations13:18
  Writing a Book22:54
  Why a Podcast15:54
CONTINUOUS PLAY
  Start a Forensic Accounting Practice with Confidence3:53:45
SUPPORTING MATERIAL
  Slides: Start a Forensic Accounting Practice with ConfidencePDF
  Start a Forensic Accounting Practice with Confidence Glossary/IndexPDF
REVIEW AND TEST
  REVIEW QUESTIONSquiz
 FINAL EXAMexam