442.02 Certified public accountant, definition.

(1m) A person shall be considered to be in practice as a certified public accountant, within the meaning and intent of this chapter, if any of the following conditions is met:

(a) The person holds himself or herself out to the public in any manner as one skilled in the knowledge, science, and practice of accounting, and as qualified and ready to render professional service therein as a certified public accountant for compensation.

(b) The person maintains an office for the transaction of business as a certified public accountant or, except as an employee of a certified public accountant, practices accounting, as distinguished from bookkeeping, for more than one employer.

(c) The person offers to prospective clients to perform for compensation, or performs on behalf of clients for compensation, professional services that involve or require an audit of financial transactions and accounting records.

(d) The person prepares for clients reports of audits, balance sheets, and other financial, accounting and related schedules, exhibits, statements or reports that are to be used for publication or for credit purposes, or are to be filed with a court of law or with any other governmental agency, or for any other purpose.

(dm) The person provides or offers to provide an attest service.

(e) The person, in general or as an incident to such work, renders professional assistance to clients for compensation in any or all matters relating to accounting procedure and the recording and presentation of financial facts.

(f) The person signs or affixes his or her name or any trade or assumed name used by the person in his or her business or profession to an opinion or certificate attesting to the reliability of any representation or estimate in regard to any person or organization embracing financial information, financial transactions or accounting records.

(5m) Subsection (1m) (f) does not prohibit any officer, employee, partner, or principal of any organization from affixing his or her signature to any statement or report in reference to the affairs of that organization with any wording designating the position, title, or office that he or she holds in that organization.

(6) Every member of a firm who, as a member of the firm, does any of the things enumerated in sub. (1m) (a) to (f), shall be considered to be in practice as a certified public accountant.

History: 1979 c. 162 ss. 7, 38 (7), (9); 1999 a. 85; 2001 a. 16.