aicpa is a global professional association that represents accounting and finance professionals through two bodies, the American Institute of CPAs and the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants. In 2017 those organizations set up a joint international association, bringing together expertise in public accounting and in management accounting. The AICPA traces its origins to 1887, when the American Association of Public Accountants was formed, while CIMA was established in 1919 to serve cost and management accountants.
The association's services cover professional qualifications, continuing education, technical guidance, advocacy and learning resources. It serves accountants, finance professionals, students and organizations, and it promotes professional standards, ethical practices, financial expertise and public trust. Among the credentials it supports are the CPA qualification and the CGMA designation, which the two bodies award jointly, and the Uniform CPA Examination is prepared by the AICPA.
CIMA is based in London, and the AICPA has its headquarters in New York, with offices in Washington and Durham, North Carolina. Membership adds resources beyond the core services, including career support and partner offers from other companies.
