MSCPA Financial Literacy Program

Many Americans lack a basic understanding of how to prepare for their short and long-term financial needs. CPAs can provide tips on how to better manage your money, improve savings and investment strategies, prepare for disasters and save on taxes. The MSCPA has created the following programs and initiatives to improve financial literacy across Massachusetts. Utilize these programs and learn how a CPA can impact your financial status.

MSCPA Members Offering Tax Assistance

The MSCPA is offering free personal income tax assistance for members of the Massachusetts National Guard that are deployed overseas. Be prepared to show military / dependent I.D. and deployment orders as proof of membership and deployment. Interested members or their families should contact Kara Daszkiewicz at 800.392.6145.

The MSCPA has several brochures available to help you better plan for financial success:

• Financial Planning Tips for a Lifetime
• Setting Your Financial Records Straight
• Ten Ways to Protect You Business

Request a CPA to Speak

Are you looking for a dynamic speaker to discuss current accounting issues at your group's next meeting? Inivte a CPA. As a public service to clubs, chambers of commerce, businesses, civic and educational organizations, the Massachusetts Society of Certified Public Accountant's Speakers Bureau provides CPAs to serve as speakers - free of charge. MSCPA members are professionals qualified to speak on a variety of business and personal financial topics. Career presentations are also available for all ages of students.

Topic examples include:

• Financial planning (preparing a personal budget, saving and investing, retirement planning, etc.)
• Small business advice (start-up issues, strategic planning, tax implications, etc.)
• Nonprofit assistance (budgeting and financials, how to work with an audit committee, tax planning, etc.)
• CPA services and careers (how to become a CPA, accounting education, school presentations, etc.)

If you would like to request a speaker for your event, please complete and submit the speaker request form. If you have any questions contact Kara Daszkiewicz, karad@MSCPAonline.org.

Find A CPA

While most people use the terms accountant and CPA interchangeably, there are several big differences. The CPA credential carries enormous weight in business and financial circles. CPAs are considered some of business' most trusted advisers offering a large variety of services. Specifically, small business owners rely on their CPA for business counsel ranking just slightly behind one's spouse or family member.

Articles

The CPA Credential: Not All Accountants Are CPAs

How to Choose and Use a CPA

Find A CPA Directory

The Find A CPA Directory is an interactive database of participating MSCPA members. Individuals and business owners can use this directory to find the perfect CPA to partner with. Find A CPA in your area that specializes in a particular service or industry.

Find A CPA to Serve on A Board of Directors

Public companies and public charities can submit an opportunity for MSCPA members to serve on a Board of Directors or Audit Committee. Interested CPAs will receive your submission by e-mail and will respond to you directly with their qualifications.

Find A Volunteer CPA for Your Non-Profit

MSCPA members have dedicated their time and expertise to countless non-profit organizations throughout Massachusetts. The MSCPA posts volunteer opportunities to the Web site free of charge and if space allows, will also list it in the Society's weekly e-mail newsletter distributed to more than 8,000 accounting professionals.

Informational Sources

Tax Center

Download state and federal tax forms, "How-to" publications, the latest tax changes and the latest IRS and DOR tax publications.

Record Retention Guide

Wondering how long to keep your records? This publication was developed by the MSCPA's Federal Taxation Committee.

Disaster Recovery: A Guide to Financial Issues

This online publication is offered to public as a service of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), AICPA Foundation, the American Red Cross, and the National Endowment for Financial Education (NEFE). This booklet is written to help the public regain a sense of financial balance following a disaster by offering suggestions on steps to take immediately, what to do in the initial weeks and months, and how to begin planning again for the future.

Boston.com Partnership

For tax season, the MSCPA partners with Boston.com to sponsor the online Tax Center. The "Tax Center," operational from January 15 - April 15, includes tax tips, tax questions and answers, related articles, and an interactive "Ask a CPA" forum. The public is able to ask CPAs their personal tax and finance questions through the online forum and during live chat sessions. For the remainder of the year, the MSCPA hosts the "Ask A CPA" portion of the Tax Center. View the questions asked in the Ask a CPA Forum. Visit the archived Tax Center.

AICPA Resources

Feed the Pig

The goal of the campaign is to encourage the 40 million Americans age 25 to 34 to take control of their personal finances. The campaign, Feed the Pig ™, is a new component of the 360 Degrees of Financial Literacy effort which aims to educate Americans about how financial issues affect their lives.

360 Degrees of Financial Literacy

A national volunteer effort of the nation's Certified Public Accountants to help Americans understand their personal finances and develop money management skills. It focuses on financial education as a lifelong endeavor- from children learning about the value of money to adults reaching a secure retirement.

Financial Literacy For Women

Women today control individual and family spending, run the majority of small businesses in the country and an increasing number of corporations, select their own investments-and need solid information about personal and business finance.

Resources