The difference between a chartered accountant and an internal accountant is clear, as each has different roles and responsibilities. The former represents the company before official entities, while the latter handles internal tasks.
The difference between a chartered accountant and an internal accountant
If you're looking to understand the difference between a chartered accountant and an internal accountant, it becomes evident when you know their respective duties. The chartered accountant represents the company before tax authorities, while the internal accountant prepares its internal accounts and maintains its books.
Trustus Consultancy would be delighted to provide you with detailed information in this article if you're interested in learning more details about the roles of chartered and financial accountants.
We cover the distinctions between internal and chartered accountants by outlining their specific responsibilities and highlighting their roles within your company. This will help you determine your particular needs for each role.
Table of Contents
The Difference Between a Chartered Accountant and an Internal Accountant
We mentioned that the difference between a chartered accountant and an internal accountant lies in their respective duties. The chartered accountant focuses on external accounting details of the company and its transactions with governmental bodies, while the internal accountant is concerned with internal matters and their organization. We will detail the roles of each with specific information below.
Firstly - Chartered Accountant
This is a person who holds an official and government-approved license to practice accounting. He represents the company before tax authorities and handle its financial and legal procedures.
The Role of a Chartered Accountant
The role of a chartered accountant includes:
- Regularly filing mandatory tax statements without delay.
- Archiving tax documents with governmental authorities and retaining them for 5 years.
- Assisting the internal accountant in preparing the company's official budget accounts.
- Monitoring work permits and providing legal consultations related to the company for the employer.
Having a chartered accountant in Turkey is essential for financial transactions between the company and tax authorities, and they are also referred to as financial consultants.
The Importance of a Chartered Accountant
The importance of a chartered accountant lies fundamentally in:
- Providing accurate advisory information to the company they represent, thereby avoiding errors and loopholes in dealings with governmental regulations.
- The presence of a chartered accountant contributes to ensuring proper handling of taxes imposed on the company.
- The chartered accountant serves as a sequential responsible party in case any issues arise for the company.
Tasks of a Chartered Accountant (Financial Consultant) in the Company
The responsibilities of a chartered accountant encompass several tasks, including:
1. Filing Mandatory Tax Data
Preparation of mandatory tax statements for the company and submission to the tax department at the Ministry of Finance. These statements include quarterly reports and others related to profits and various taxes, which only the sworn financial consultant is authorized to file.
2. Organizing Business Records
This involves organizing external commercial documents such as imports and exports, internal documents like sales and purchases, and recording expenses and costs. The chartered accountant is responsible for these matters before relevant authorities.
3. Completing Health Insurance Procedures
This includes:
- Calculating compensations through payroll tables.
- Establishing health insurance files.
- Calculating employee retirement times.
- Preparing health insurance papers.
4. Preparing Financial Statements
The chartered accountant prepares monthly and annual company budget reports and organizes them within the specified timeframe. They also calculate expenses and profits.
5. Monitoring Tax Payments and Social Security Contributions
The financial consultant monitors the timely payment of company taxes and contributions, either through manual payments or bank deposits. They issue tax receipts or verifications for company owners to make payments.
6. Monitoring Work and Correspondence with Official Institutions
This includes registering the company with the Turkish Chamber of Commerce and handling matters related to name or logo changes, stock sales, or liquidation within the company. The chartered accountant manages all transactions involving official institutions.
7. Conducting Commercial Amendments for the Company
The chartered accountant is responsible for various commercial amendments for the company, including:
- Increasing the company's capital.
- Changing the company's address.
- Adding partners and other modifications.
These tasks ensure legal compliance and operational continuity, enhancing the company's ability to adapt to changes and developments in its business environment.
For more details on legal accounting, refer to our article.
Secondly - Internal Accountant
The internal accountant oversees the organization of internal accounting for the company by studying, examining, and evaluating financial data and information. This data is crucial for company managers and investors to make informed financial and managerial decisions.
Every company requires an accountant to accurately assess its profit and loss margins through meticulous recording of all financial transactions within the organization.
Moreover, thorough analysis and summarization of financial operations are essential tasks that rely on the expertise of an internal accountant.
Tasks of the Internal Accountant
The internal accountant is tasked with several key responsibilities, including:
1. Maintaining Accounting Records
The internal accountant plays a crucial role in maintaining organized records of financial operations. This includes calculating net profits or losses for a specific accounting period and assessing the company's financial position at a given date.
2. Internal Audit
In addition to accounting duties, internal employees participate in internal audits of large companies. This ensures all accounting transactions related to the fiscal year are recorded accurately.
Accountants categorize these transactions and summarize them according to accounting policies followed by the organization.
3. Budget Planning
Budget planning is another responsibility of the internal accountant, involving planning business activities and transactions before they occur. Accountants collaborate with management to develop diverse plans aimed at achieving the balance between income and expenditures.
4. Financial Status Verification
Accountants verify company transactions to ensure the financial status of various parties. This may involve internal verification or consulting with external professionals.
5. Other Tasks Performed by Internal Accountants
- Collecting and analyzing financial data.
- Documenting financial movements, purchases, and sales.
- Regularly preparing reports, financial statements, and schedules.
- Maintaining backup copies of financial records.
- Compiling monthly audit reports.
- Supervising and preparing accounting books.
- Providing financial information to administrators.
- Proposing financial procedures for selection.
- Safeguarding the confidentiality of company financial information.
- Inputting data and information into computer systems, such as invoices, financial documents, and entries.
The Importance of Understanding the Difference Between a charted Accountant and an Internal Accountant
Company owners need to understand the difference between a charted accountant and an internal accountant and to ensure effective coordination between them. This is crucial to properly handle the financial and tax transactions of your company within legal frameworks, thereby avoiding financial violations.
As a company owner, you should also recognize that one of the responsibilities of the internal accountant is to collaborate with the legal accountant. When internal matters are well-organized, the financial consultant can perform their duties more effectively.
Conclusion
Based on the above, we can say that the role of the charted accountant differs from that of the internal accountant in companies and institutions.
The charted accountant is primarily responsible for submitting the company’s financial data related to sales and purchases to the tax system for formal approval and registration. Additionally, the charted accountant prepares the official budget based on company’s banking accounts.
As for the internal accountant, their main focus is on coordinating company's internal accounting. This includes calculating salaries, expenses, and all matters related to the operational and developmental activities of the company.
If you need a reliable accountant you can count on, we at Trustus Consultancy are happy to provide assistance to ensure you get the best services in both internal and charted accounting fields.
Just let us know what you need, and we'll secure the optimal accountant for your company’s needs. We understand your requirements and can offer comprehensive services to help elevate your company to the level you aspire to.
Sources: Wikipedia + Accounting Learning Guide
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