FollowForensic Accountants in Government – Five Employing Agencies
- State Police, Numerous States
- Central Intelligence Agency
- Federal Bureau of Investigation
- US Federal Reserve
- Internal Revenue Service
The special abilities provided by forensic accountants are utilized in many areas and work environments today. One particular area that employs a considerable volume of today’s forensic accountants is that of the government. For those interested in government positions devoted to this particular role, here are five government agencies or departments consistently in need of this professional’s services.
Related resource: Top 10 Online Master’s in Accounting Degree Programs
1. State Police, Numerous States
In numerous states, the state police employ varying investigators specialized in “white-collar” crime concerns or crimes that are generally of an administrative nature. One such investigator quite helpful here, in many cases, is the forensic accountant. Caseload, demand in white-collar crime, budget, and several other factors dictate which state police agencies do or do not employ forensic accountants directly.
2. Central Intelligence Agency
The Central Intelligence Agency is a federal law enforcement and specialty information agency that employs virtually every kind of specialized investigator to some frequency. Forensic accountants here may be tasked with any number of case types to help solve in which numbers and paper-trails are among the only, fleeting clues. Due to the sensitivity and secretive nature of work at the CIA in general, those working here can expect to also hold special security clearances and heed special rules on the use and spread of information related to their work.
3. Federal Bureau of Investigation
The Federal Bureau of Investigation also employs its fair share of forensic accounting professionals. Much like work with the CIA mentioned above, those working within the FBI must also abide by clearance and sensitivity rules and regulations. Aside from this, forensic accountants here may find themselves working in association with or directly for any number of the FBI’s numerous branches and departments.
4. US Federal Reserve
The United States Federal Reserve, often simply referred to as “The Fed”, is responsible for overseeing the nation’s monetary and banking systems. To that end, The Fed is also an important overseer of individual banks and other financing operations, and when there are potential crimes or concerns here, The Fed can deploy a system of investigation to then uncover the truth of the circumstances in question. Forensic accountants are thus employed by The Fed directly and sometimes even indirectly, as outside contractors, in order to get to these truths.
5. Internal Revenue Service
The Internal Revenue Service is the United States’ federal government department devoted to handling federal taxation. Built into the IRS is a rather expansive Criminal Investigation Department. Here, a multitude of professionals like forensic accountants are employed and work together to determine if tax laws have or are presently being broken. Directly put by the IRS: “Today’s sophisticated schemes to defraud the government and the American economy demand the financial analytical ability of forensic investigators to wade through complex paper and computerized financial records.”
Forensic accountancy is an important profession that assures the procurement of truth in an often complicated and initially confusing arena of data and assertion. As the government is ultimately tasked with maintaining justice and order across the land, this important specialty field is often an important tool in getting to the hidden truth and maintaining that justice and order. The five government bodies named here among some of the top government-based employers of forensic accounting professionals today.
