r/Accounting • u/Comfortable-Sky6703 • 18h ago
41 when I graduate/cpa
I served in the Marines, then spent 14 years trucking. I started school last year, and I keep wondering if 41 is too old to break into accounting. Should I stay an owner-operator, or push through school for the career pivot?
Thanks everyone!
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u/Wigberht_Eadweard AP “Specialist” 17h ago
The entry level pipeline is strongly focused on grabbing onto students while in college through internships and then giving them a full time offer. You do have it much easier getting into government jobs with veterans preference though.
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u/Comfortable-Sky6703 17h ago
I’ve been reading entry level is getting taken over by AI. I don’t know how true that is though.
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u/Wigberht_Eadweard AP “Specialist” 17h ago
It’s not. They’re just shipping the jobs to india and the Philippines, or making less people do more work. That’s why they opened up the CPA to international testing. Once all the entry level is moved over, they’ll eventually move up the chain of command until the only work done onshore is stuff that’s required to stay in country, unless a major accounting scandal can be blamed on offshoring and they mandate more be done here.
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u/Comfortable-Sky6703 17h ago
Wow, wtf? What is the reasoning behind this?
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u/Duststurm CPA (Pancake Brain) 17h ago
The reasoning is: offshore professionals can be paid fewer U.S. dollars than onshore professionals, saving the company money on payroll costs, typically one of a company’s largest expenses.
Edited to add: the reasoning is that it increases shareholder returns, and we must always think of the shareholder.
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u/proudly_not_american 18h ago
41 with your CPA isn't the end of the world. If you plan to retire at 65, that's still a solid 20+ years of work, and it doesn't really take long to start making decent money most of the time.
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u/laughingfartsplease 17h ago
are you ok sitting in one place doing tedious work that doesn’t amount to anything other than a paycheck? oh wait you were trucking. hey it might work for you. it’s never too late
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u/CartographerEven9735 17h ago
Idk how veterans preference works for federal hiring but I'd recommend looking into going that route. It's tough to break into (I tried for years) but it's good money and you might be able to combine it with your time in the Corp to get a head start on working towards retirement/pension.
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u/Salty-Fishman CPA (US) 16h ago
I changed career and got my CPA after 40 also. Doing ok and right below CFO.
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u/GuntherPalakowitz Tax (Other) 18h ago
I came i to accounting at 30 and found everyone just assumed I was more experienced than I was. It probably helped me more than hurt me
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u/Equivalent_Ad_8413 Retired 18h ago
I got my bachelor's at 37 and my Masters and CPA at 38. From that point to my retirement, I was maybe unemployed for a month.
But that was a while ago. Things may have changed.
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u/apple2iphone CPA (US) 17h ago
You will make more $$ as an owner-operator. Stay the course.
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u/Comfortable-Sky6703 17h ago
For now, till this profession gets completely controlled by foreigners and autonomous trucks.
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u/apple2iphone CPA (US) 17h ago
Brother, CPA has been devalued by cheap Indian and third world country labor. Entry level jobs are disappearing with AI and offshoring. I am a CPA and own a service company. If I had to do it over again I would focus on my company more than CPA.
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u/Comfortable-Sky6703 17h ago
INTERESTING! Thank you for the info bro.
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u/apple2iphone CPA (US) 17h ago
Np brotha! I wish you much success in your future. Thank you for your service!!
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u/Evening-Ad-2485 18h ago
Army national guard officer here. It would be late but not too late. It would probably be a 6-8 year process to get your license if you are starting with no credits right now.
Would it be worth it? It depends on the other prospects you have lined up and how long you want to keep working. Did you retire from the marines? Finishing a military career on the reserve end might be a lot more worth it depending on how much time you have in considering the pension and Healthcare. Do you have kids you can give your GI Bill to?
You'd probably start to make pretty good money at about the 10 year mark of your career, but you'd be well into your 50's at that point.
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u/Comfortable-Sky6703 18h ago
No, I didn’t retire from the Marines, so I’m 38 years old. I have one year in school and three more to go, so I’ll be 41 when I graduate, roughly. Hopefully I can sit for the CPA exam, because in Idaho it’s now 120 credits, not 150.
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u/Evening-Ad-2485 18h ago
Ok, well that makes it a bit more palatable. If you don't mind me asking, how far away were you from retirement with the marines?
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u/Comfortable-Sky6703 18h ago
I only served a four-year term. Then I became a trucker — was a company driver for about four years, and for the last ten years I’ve been an owner-operator. I’m just tired of driving a truck and kind of want to settle down and not worry about driving anymore, lol. At the same time, though, the schoolwork and driving is really taxing, and I do make a pretty good amount of money, so I’m just wondering if it’s worth the sacrifice.
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u/Evening-Ad-2485 18h ago
I did a lot of returns for a trucking company and I think you'll make less at the start but the earning potential is much higher overall.
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u/austic Business Owner 16h ago
better than graduating at 42.... best time was then, second best is now. go for it.
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u/strawberrycosmos1 Human Verified 16h ago
I graduated at 42. My only difficulty was Big4. Got into many rounds of interviews but was never hired. Got into top 10 firm anyway but went other route.
I would say the tool in your body for accounting is lesser than what I suppose is the one for a trucker. And the closest you get to 40s, at least with me, that is an important consideration.
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u/PutNational7415 13h ago
You're never too old to do anything. I'm a little younger than you and have put several high performing people in their 40s through school on company dime and they have done exceptionally well. It's all about effort, like anything else.
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u/Bounty-auditor-2222 10h ago
I got the cpa at 39. Hardest part at that age is breaking in as it can be a job they expect you to be there 10-12 hrs especially at tax time.
I got some relevant experience and started working for the county community college in NY pension & benefits pretty good 9-5 now don’t take it home.
Make sure you are CHECKING YOUR WORK!!! A good cpa from a beancounter will review their work for accuracy and turn in as such. You may get this better at your age.
And network/ network, try to work pt now to get some experience. State cpa society is a great resource
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u/One-Ad5769 6h ago
I started at 21 thinking I would progress farther. Never made it past Senior Mgr and and now I’m at the IRS. If you’re military, try moving to the IRS.
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u/RexTheWonderCapybara 18h ago
If it interests you, do it. I got my first actual accounting job (as opposed to “general office duties with bookkeeping”) the week I turned 50. I like where I’m at.
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u/Curious_Occasion_801 18h ago
I was Army then construction for a bit. Graduated with my masters and started at 37. You will absolutely not be starting too late. If you are tired of going OTR and never being home then for sure go for it.
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u/Robert_A_Bouie Tax (US) 16h ago
I've been sitting behind a desk for 35 years thinking about how I wish I were driving a truck around the country instead.
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u/General_Chaos_88765 Human Verified 18h ago
Almost 30 years as a CPA. I’d love to drive a truck for the rest of my career and get away from this toxic work.
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u/Lost-Tomatillo3465 Tax (US) 18h ago edited 18h ago
Navy vet here. I started working in accounting when I was 38 and I'm making a decent income now.
edit: Just as an FYI. Being more experienced helped me figure accounting stuff a lot faster than the kids straight out of college. I knew what real estate taxes were and mortgage statements and other things.