What is a Certified Bookkeeper (CB)?

In 1998, the American Institute of Professional Bookkeepers (AIPB) set the first and only national standard in advanced bookkeeping: The Certified Bookkeeper Program.

A Certified Bookkeeper has the proven ability to handle the books for a company of up to 100 employees.

To become certified, a bookkeeper must:

• KNOW basic bookkeeping, including double-entry accounting, before undertaking certification;
  
  
• PASS three, 2-hour national exams in advanced bookkeeping;
  
  
• HAVE at least 3,000 hours (2 years) of on-the-job experience in bookkeeping;
  
  
• SIGN a Code of Ethics that assures commitment to integrity;
  
  
• CONSISTANTLY update skills by earning 30 Continuing Education Credits every year.
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A Certified Bookkeeper has the proven ability to:

• HELP you get accurate financial statements and tax returns. A CB is trained to record your year-end adjustments and prepare your adjusted trial balance – the last step before the financial statements and tax returns are prepared.
  
  
• FIND and correct any accounting errors in your company’s books. A CB can find and correct errors in your books, trial balance and bank statements. You have a bookkeeper who can correctly perform your monthly bank reconciliation.
  
  
• DO your company’s payroll. A CB can help you complete and file key federal forms, avoid misclassifying employees as independent contractors, save on overtime pay by knowing what paid time to include – or not to include.
  
  
• MAXIMIZE depreciation for your financial statements and taxes. A CB can set-up and maintain depreciation schedules for your company’s property, plant and equipment. .
  
  
• RECORD and cost out your merchandise inventory. A CB can record merchandise inventory under the perpetual or periodic methods and cost out inventory under LIFO, FIFO, LCM, weighted or moving average.
  
  
• HELP you avoid costly losses from fraud and theft. A CB can help you set-up internal controls and is trained to prevent or spot employee theft of cash or other assets, check fraud by employees or customers, credit card fraud by customers and many vendor scams.
  

What this means for your company:

• YOU can base important decisions on your financial data because it is accurate
  
  
• YOU avoid problems with the IRS or filing amended returns because your CPA was given accurate books the first time
  
  
• YOU can give your bank, investors or other interested parties accurate financial data
  
  
• YOU make sure that you catch errors on a timely basis – before they cost you money
  
  
• YOU avoid late-filing penalties and interest with payroll related taxes
  
  
• YOU minimize or avoid employee theft