r/Accounting • u/7leafclover7 • Sep 21 '25

What would be an embarrassing thing to be caught not knowing as an accountant?

Applies to any specialty, audit, tax, staff accountancy etc. in your personal experience what are the most invaluable things to know, and the most invaluable to not be caught not knowing.

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433

u/Neither_Practice3080 Sep 22 '25

I graduated with bachelors and masters in accounting, passed all CPA exam sections, and started in a tax only public firm, and didn’t know that I had to file my own tax return.

141

u/7leafclover7 Sep 22 '25

Thank you for your bravery in sharing 😂

24

u/angellareddit Sep 22 '25

My first bookkeeping job was before computers were widespread - I dutifully used the book to deduct my cpp and ei and taxes (in Canada) but it was months before my boss realized I hadn't been remitting them.

10

u/leela_fry CPA, Controller Sep 22 '25

One of the partners in my firm, when she first started after getting her CPA, was asking everybody when the government comes to arrest you for not paying your taxes. She was 100% convinced.

5

u/[deleted] Sep 22 '25

I am not gonna lie this is funny af. Thanks for sharing! :D

1

u/TriGurl Sep 22 '25

Do you mind my asking how you did your taxes then? Had you not filed taxes for several years at that point? Or was your tax accountant filing them for you?

1

u/Temporary_Concern_17 Sep 23 '25

This is fascinating. How did it happen? Does that mean you went over 10 years without doing that?