What is the primary role of a Certified Public Accountant (CPA)?

The primary role of a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) is to ensure that financial statements comply with accounting standards. This responsibility is critical, as financial statements need to accurately reflect a company's financial position and performance while adhering to Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) or International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). CPAs are trained to scrutinize various aspects of financial reporting, ensuring transparency and reliability to stakeholders, including investors, regulators, and the general public.

While providing tax preparation services, conducting audits for regulatory compliance, or managing corporate financial strategy are important functions that some CPAs may perform, they are not the primary focus of the profession. Instead, ensuring compliance with financial reporting standards is foundational to the role of a CPA, as it underpins trust and accountability in financial disclosures across industries.