TRANSFORMATION TRENDS WHEN CPAS ARE ASKED TO HIDE THEIR CREDENTIALS OWNERSHIP, REGULATION & PUBLIC TRUST BY DONNY C. SHIMAMOTO, CPA, CITP, CGMA, INSPIRATION ARCHITECT, CENTER FOR ACCOUNTING TRANSFORMATION FOR MOST CPAS, THOSE THREE LETTERS AFTER OUR NAME are more than a credential—they’re a symbol of ethics, achievement, and trust. But in some firms and states, CPAs are being asked—or even required—not to use the designation in business communications. Why? The answer lies in a mix of outdated state rules, alternative practice structures, and private equity pressures. And the consequences affect not just CPAs, but the public’s trust in our profession. THE PRIDE—AND PROBLEM—OF “CPA” Many CPAs remember the excitement of first adding “CPA” to their business cards or email signatures. It was a milestone that reflected years of education, experience, and exam preparation. But in some alternative practice structures—where firms split into licensed and unlicensed entities to allow non-CPAs to be owners—professionals working in consulting or tax are told they cannot use “CPA” at all, even if fully licensed. Add to that a patchwork of state rules. Some require CPAs to display their name exactly as listed on their license. Others dictate how or when credentials may be used. Firms that operate in multiple states face additional complexity in trying to comply with all of the states’ rules. Thus, some firms are opting to tell their people not to show their CPA designation. This isn’t a firm issue; it is a regulatory issue. THE TRUST PARADOX Regulators argue these restrictions protect the public from assuming assurance work has been performed where it hasn’t. But how much of the general public actually understands what an 32 Nebraska CPA
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