Check here for what is Finance in Accounting: The most significant parallels and divergences between jobs in Finance vs Accounting will be examined in this guide. These are two of the most popular options for college grads, and each one provides a gratifying professional path for different reasons. Please look through the information below to properly plan your career.
Finance
For people, businesses, and governments, finance refers to the administration of finances and investments. Careers in finance for professionals include wealth management, investment banking, and financial planning and analysis (FP&A). Regardless of whether these specialists work for enterprises or individuals, it is their duty to make sure that there is sufficient funding (capital) to meet the demands of the situation and that the funds are distributed as efficiently as possible. Their responsibility is to provide value by managing money in a way that generates higher risk-adjusted returns than anticipated.
Accounting
Accounting involves keeping track of a company’s financial records and reporting on them. Accountants may work for private clients, in-house at corporations, or for other companies as part of a public accounting company (such as the Big Four). These experts are in charge of making sure that all financial transactions are accurately recorded in the general ledger, that account balances are accurate, and that financial statements are right.
Finance vs Accounting Summary
Below is a summary of the main differences you should be aware of:
| Accounting | Finance | |
|---|---|---|
| Clients | Individuals, businesses, governments | Individuals, businesses, governments |
| Main Employers | Public accounting firms, corporations | Banks, corporations |
| Financial Statements | Responsible for preparing them | Responsible for analyzing them |
| View Point | Backward looking | Forward looking |
| Focus | Accuracy, reliability | Insights, analysis |
| Business Purpose | Communicating the financial position | Figuring out how to add value |
| Thought Process | Rules based | Analysis based |
| Attention to Detail | High | High |
| Designations | CPA | MBA, FMVA |
Employers and Clients
Both accounting and finance professionals have clients that are individuals, corporations (businesses), governments, and non-profits. When it comes to their employers, however, there are significant differences. The most common types of employers for each group are listed below.
Finance
- Banks (retail, commercial, and investment)
- Insurance companies
- Research companies
- Operating companies (regular businesses)
Accounting
- Public accounting firms (that audit large companies)
- Personal tax filing firm
- Operating companies (businesses)
Role with Financial Statements
Accountants are generally responsible for preparing financial statements, whereas finance professionals are largely responsible for assessing them. This is one of the key distinctions between how accounting and finance experts approach financial statements.
Being an accountant can be a good fit for you if you enjoy gathering and organizing enormous volumes of data, such as all of a company’s invoices, receipts, and financial records.
Finance may be the field for you if you enjoy studying and interpreting data to determine how well a firm is operating or coming up with suggestions for how it may perform better.
Types of Finance vs Accounting
Below is a detailed comparison of the various types of each profession.
Finance
- Personal
- Corporate
- Public
- Behavioral
- Social
Accounting
- Financial
- Public
- Forensic
- Management
- Tax
- Audit
Backward vs Forward-Looking
Because they construct their reports using historical financial data, accountants are by nature retroactive. The statistics could be many months old by the time their reports are released.
Finance experts, on the other hand, are forward-thinking due to their practically impossible task of making predictions.
If you appreciate researching the history, you could enjoy accounting employment, whereas if you enjoy speculating about the future, you might prefer finance work.
Read More: 14 Cloud-based Accounting Solution for Small to Big Business
Personality Differences
One of the biggest differences in Finance vs Accounting careers is the types of personalities that are drawn to each of them.
Finance
- Analytical
- Inquisitive
- High attention to detail
- Thinks about scenarios
- Concerned with adding value
- Business development skills
- Problem-solving
Accounting
- Accountable
- Detail-oriented
- Rules-based thinking
- Risk management
- Procedure-oriented
- Concerned with accuracy
Corporate Functions
Below are the primary corporate job functions and responsibilities for each of the respective professions.
Finance
- Funding the business
- Raising capital (debt and equity)
- Optimizing the firm’s Weighted Average Cost of Capital
- Seeking the best risk-adjusted returns
- Corporate strategy
- Budgeting and forecasting
- Mergers and acquisitions
Accounting
- Bookkeeping
- Tracking of revenues and expenses
- Internal reporting
- Financial reporting
- Auditing
- Risk management
Finance vs Accounting Decision
Making the choice between finance and accounting might be challenging, particularly if you have never worked in either sector previously. Ultimately, you should carefully weigh all of the information shown above, taking into account both the similarities and differences, and choose the choice that best suits your personality, interests, and objectives.
