Those credentialed by AIPB earn the Certified Bookkeeper (CB) designation. Those who earn licensure through NACPB gain the Certified Public Bookkeeper (CPB) title. The benefits that bookkeepers receive depend entirely on the industry in which they work.

• Test-takers must complete the first two parts of AIPB’s CB exam in person at a Prometric testing center.
• If you become a QuickBooks Live bookkeeper, you can work from home based upon an agreed schedule at a set hourly rate based on your location, interview, and experience level.
• This experience will help individuals reach hourly certification minimums efficiently.
• Candidates can then finish the final two parts at home in a workbook.
• In addition, smaller businesses may use single-entry bookkeeping, while larger businesses are more likely to use double-entry bookkeeping.
• Some bookkeepers may also have to facilitate financial transactions and ensure  transactions are legally compliant.

You get a free Bookkeeping Tips every week—a practical bookkeeping, accounting, recordkeeping or employment tax tip. Let us know what type of degree you’re looking into, and we’ll find a list of the best programs to get you there. Test-takers must complete the first two parts of AIPB’s CB exam in person at a Prometric testing center. Candidates can then finish the final two parts at home in a workbook. Featured or trusted partner programs and all school search, finder, or match results are for schools that compensate us.

Want More Helpful Articles About Running a Business?

For preparatory courses and workbooks, AIPB charges $254 for members and $314 for members. The final two parts of the exam are free and included in the workbooks. Annual renewal applications cost $25 for NACPB members and $50 for nonmembers. Membership also professional bookkeeper gives you access to resources that can help you prepare to become a CPB. Maybe you enjoy the idea of being your own boss, or you’re still wondering if it’s for you. As an independent business owner, you’ll have to learn how to do your freelancing taxes too.

Self-taught bookkeepers use a variety of courses, seminars, books, and other online resources to learn about bookkeeping and accounting. You can also learn how to use accounting software, like QuickBooks, which can teach you about the basics of bookkeeping as well as the technology used by many businesses. As an alternative to accounting, bookkeeping is an appealing field for professionals who want to work with financial statements and computers. This profession has fewer entry-level requirements than accounting, meaning that individuals may be able to become bookkeepers more quickly than they would accountants. Highly organized and professional office manager bookkeeper with strong accounting knowledge and numerical ability.

Certified Bookkeeper Certifications (CPB and CB)

Usually, the entry-level salary for both bookkeepers and accountants tends to be similar; however, the earning potential of an accountant tends to increase as their career progress. It is not uncommon for an experienced bookkeeper to make a career transition into accounting or another profession. As bookkeepers work closely with raw data, they tend to develop a good understanding of how a business works. Some bookkeepers pursue certified bookkeeper certifications offered by two national bookkeeping associations. The NACPB offers a certified bookkeeping professional (CPB) designation, and AIPB confers a certified bookkeeper (CB) license. For instance, they must understand how to produce balance sheets and income statements, as well as record organizational debits and credits.

Did you know that you can learn how to become a bookkeeper in less than one year with no experience? This makes bookkeeping a popular choice for those without degrees or those ready for a career change. Most remote QuickBooks Live bookkeepers work from home which means you need a reliable hard-wired internet connection and a landline phone. Intuit will provide a laptop with all the technology and software required to meet your responsibilities.

How to Become a Bookkeeper (A Complete Guide)

To make the topic of Bookkeeping even easier to understand, we created a collection of premium materials called AccountingCoach PRO. Our PRO users get lifetime access to our bookkeeping training videos, cheat sheet, flashcards, quick tests, tests for prospective employees, guide to bookkeeping concepts, and more. As you can see, the steps of how to become a bookkeeper and creating your own virtual bookkeeping business are quite simple. Every bookkeeping skill you need to become a bookkeeper can be found in your home. Becoming a certified bookkeeper enhances your credibility and increases your earning potential.

Professionals looking to brush up on bookkeeping fundamentals can enroll in this introductory course from edX. Free, self-paced, and designed for part-time completion in six weeks, edX’s course covers topics including banking processes, payroll, ledger accounts, and reconciliations. The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants developed this course. Qualified applicants receive an « authorization to test » letter and any study materials they purchase in the mail. Using the eligibility ID included in the letter, bookkeepers can schedule the first and second parts of their exam with Prometric.