A government accountant prepares budgets and financial statements.
Government accountants review financial documentation on behalf of the government and taxpayers. Their work can range from auditing tax accounts for accuracy and completeness to investigating financial accounts at government agencies for signs of financial irregularities. Working as a government accountant generally requires a college degree and may involve special licensing depending on the position and the agency. You may also need to pass a background check to become a government accountant.
Government accountants have post-secondary education in finance or accounting.
Within government agencies, government accountants are involved in the process of preparing budgets and financial statements. This can be important for agencies planning activities over a certain financial period, such as a quarter or fiscal year. These same reports are also important to legislators who may be responsible for allocating funds. Some are open to members of the public interested in how the government spends its money, while others may be confidential because they may contain information related to national security.
A government accountant may be required to sign a confidentiality agreement to be hired.
Individual agencies need government accountants to prepare financial statements, handle payroll, and carry out similar activities. This job requires a thorough understanding of all relevant laws and agency policies so that the accountant can provide accurate and complete statements. The government accountant may network with human resources staff and other agencies to discuss concerns and exchange information about new hires, changes in the pay level of existing staff, and other matters of importance.
Legislators and government agencies can also request audits. In an audit, a government accountant evaluates all the financial information of a branch, including bank statements, accounting records, etc. Government accountants look for any indicators that an agency is spending funds illegally and check for signs of embezzlement and other illegal activities. These audit accounts become part of the records associated with the agency and can be subject to legal sanctions if the members of the agency commit crimes.
Taxpayers may be subject to review by government accountants. Tax agencies typically select accounts at random for further analysis in an audit and may initiate investigations in response to public concerns or reports. Accountants come to the site to collect financial documentation, compare it to tax returns, and look for evidence of hidden accounts or other illegal activities. In investigation, a government accountant can seize assets and receive court-ordered judgments against targets who failed to pay taxes or filed incorrect returns.