California changes: Q&A regarding new CPA exam, educational requirements.

• Position: Licensingupdate - Interview

In this follow up to the May 2011 California CPA article Ready jiff 150?, we discuss with Dana Jarvis the countdown to the new educational rules and how you can prepare as a CPA Exam candidate. Jarvis, a CaleCPA member. is the operations and planning leader at Burr Pilger Mayer and serves as the firm's CPA Exam expert. In this piece, we ask some important questions regarding the Jan. 1, 2014, changes.

Q What are the most recent updates on the 2014 education changes?

Candidates should be aware that the California Board of Accountancy has two legislative proposals pending that could affect them:

* Successful passing of all four sections by Dec. 31, 2013: As long as you have passed the CPA Exam by this date. you will be allowed to apply for CPA licensure under the current pathways. If passed, this would give the applicant a two-year window to Finish any experience requirements and apply with the CBA.

* Candidates who are enrolled in a live-year program that awards the master's and bachelor's degrees simultaneously may be allowed to sit. for the exam without having officially received their bachelor's degree as long as the school provides acceptable documentation that all requirements for the bachelor's degree are complete and the candidate is otherwise qualified.

These are expected to be approved by October 2013.

Q What steps can candidates take to determine if they will meet the new education standards?

Dust oil the old transcripts and see where their total units Etre out. The CBA has recently designed and released Self-Assessment Worksheets for the CPA Licensure Educational Requirements, a self-reporting worksheet to assist applicants. Candidates should review their transcripts line by line, and bucket their units into accounting, business, ethics and other units.

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One of the most valuable things included in the worksheet is a completed example for both a master's student and an undergrad student (with 150 units plus). Each example walks candidates through how the CBA suggests they allocate their units---including the new 20-unit requirements in accounting studies and the 10-unit requirement in ethics.

Also all units are eligible for review, as long as they are from an accredited university and credit was issued. This includes units candidates have taken at an accredited junior college or an extension program.

There is no grade requirement imposed by the CBA; it focuses on the total credits issued. Candidates planning...