Becoming a Financial Investigator
The corporate world employs financial investigators to discover the source of various financial problems as well as in areas as diverse as fraud investigation, financial audits, loss prevention, and employee investigation. These investigators are often Certified Public Accountants (CPAs).
Education, Training & Degrees for Financial Investigators
Although there are no specific requirements to obtain this position, most employers requiring the services of a financial investigator will desire some indication of competence in the field. A bachelor's degree in accounting or a master of business administration (MBA) with a concentration in accounting can serve this purpose, as can obtaining Certified Public Accountant (CPA) certification. (For more information on requirements, please see the section on CPA.)
Job Responsibilities and Desired Skills for Financial Investigators
The term financial investigator can cover a wide variety of tasks depending on the venue and the assignment. Corporate investigators, for instance, are often employed by businesses to conduct investigations within that company. These can include fraud investigation or financial audits, among other tasks. Corporate investigators can be full-time employees of a company or CPAs contracted by the company for specific tasks or for long-term, wide-ranging, ongoing internal audits or investigations.
Financial investigators are occasionally employed or contracted by one company to develop confidential financial profiles of other companies that are parties to prospective mergers or acquisitions. Among additional functions, they might search for assets to recover damages awarded by a court in fraud or theft cases, investigate for evidence of embezzlement or other financial irregularities, or perform internal financial audits.
To succeed in this role, a financial investigator should have a good education in the fundamentals of various aspects of accounting, auditing, bookkeeping, and other specialties as required. The investigator should possess excellent powers of observation, research and analysis, and should be detail-oriented, patient and persistent, and have a problem-solving mentality.
Financial Investigator Salary Range and Employment Outlook
Since the tasks required of a financial investigator can vary from company to company and from assignment to assignment, and as these services are often contracted on a temporary basis, salaries can range from minimal for small, short-term tasks to full-time positions which pay extremely well for investigators with proven abilities, the proper credentials and a history of successes.
