When you made the decision to attend an online accounting school you probably did so because you are comfortable in an online environment and you love numbers. The blog resources listed below will allow you to learn more about your field and connect with others who love numbers just as much. You will find basic accounting and valuable retirement information, financial planning and investment information, along with how to budget your personal finances written by some top professional and amateur number lovers.
Accounting
Some of these accounting blogs are written by professional accountants while others are written by amateurs with a passion for accounting. Both types of writers will help you learn more about the field.
- AccMan
This blog is written by a man with more than thirty years in the financial world. He frequently discusses a variety of accounting topics such as taxes and audits.
- CA Student Recruiting Dilemmas
This post discusses the importance of creating a good resume when applying for a position in the field of accounting. The advice is simple and to the point.
- CPA Trendlines
This accounting blog discusses a variety of topics such as the economy, auditing, consulting, marketing, small businesses, and recruiting the best people.
- Accounting Software for Your Business
This post offers nine software solutions for small business owners who are interested in doing at least some of their accounts in house.
- Accounting Coach
This blog offers a variety of free materials and tools to help make accounting accessible to everyone. Topics are question based and the author attempts to answer basic and advanced accounting questions.
Retirement
Many people need to hire an accountant to help them with their retirement accounts or help them find the means to begin a retirement account. Learn more about how people approach retirement with these blogs.
- Retirement Risk Index
This post looks at data collected by the Center for Retirement Research and what the implications of that data is for individuals who are planning for their retirement.
- Are You Saving Enough to Retire
Almost everyone has heard how important it is to save for retirement if one wishes to live comfortably as they grow older. This post examines what is really necessary.
- Calculate Your Retirement Plan with Excel
This post discusses how Excel can be used to help facilitate retirement planning. It includes links to free spreadsheets to supplement those provided by the program.
- 10 Signs You’re Not Prepared for Retirement
This post provides a detailed look at what issues are probably keeping you from being prepared to retire comfortably and how to combat each of these.
- Habits of Successful Retirees
Have you ever wondered just what the people who were able to retire comfortably did to make that transition as painless as possible? This post will provide insight.
- Early Retirement Extreme
This blog is devoted almost entirely to retirement topics. There are numerous detailed guides that give insight into how to revamp your life and your finances as well as your perception of what retirement should be.
- Investing for Retirement
This post gives a variety of methods for the average person to begin investing for their retirement. This is not a cookie cutter solution, instead the author offers a variety of ways to get started.
- Roth Conversion
This post was written specifically for people who are considering changing employers. A Roth IRA conversion is explained as are the benefits of a conversion.
Financial Planning
Most accountants do not help their clients with financial planning, however, without a financial plan those clients would not need an accountant. Learn more about the benefits of financial planning with these bloggers.
- Studenomics
This blog is written primarily for young people, specifically college students, who are just beginning to contemplate financial planning. He frequently discusses debt reduction and credit.
- Checklist to Financial Freedom
Have you ever wanted someone to give you a simple list of rules to follow to create a successful financial plan? This post provides that and is a great place to begin creating your financial plan.
- Financial Check Up List
This post is for those people who are constantly busy and have very little free time to think about financial planning. Each task allows the reader to take a small step in creating a solid plan for their finances.
- Simplify Your Financial Fallouts
This post provides eight strategies to help streamline your finances. This will allow you to become more informed about what your money is doing so you can evaluate and make changes as needed.
- Tools for Personal Finance
Financial planning tools and software can often be quite costly because of their specialized nature. This post offers free and easy tools to use to track your financial goals.
- Balance Junkie
This blog is written by a Canadian with no formal education in financial planning but extensive personal experience. She writes about what she has learned about investing, personal finance, economics and other finance topics.
- How to Find the Best Financial Planner
While many people attempt to be their own financial planner, some people need a bit more help. This post outlines what to look for in a professional financial planner.
Investing
As an accountant you will likely not be investing your clients money but you will have to keep track of how it is growing or shrinking. These blogs discuss the ins and outs of investing.
- Investing Thesis
This blog focuses almost exclusively on various ways to invest money. Some of the methods discussed include equities, funds, commodities, and the American stock market.
- Saving to Invest
The simple concept behind this site is that to accrue wealth one must be willing to save money and then invest it wisely. This blog focuses on how to accomplish both of these goals.
- ETF Base
This blog is written by an experienced blogger and ETF enthusiast. He blogs almost exclusively about ETFs and discusses launches, analysis, trends, strategies, and upcoming legislative or regulatory changes.
- Must Have Investment Guidelines
This post gives eleven guidelines that the author considers essential. These range from defining your needs to determining what investments are best for your portfolio.
- The Sun’s Financial Diary
This blog was originally created to allow the author to maintain a record of their own investments. It has evolved into a well maintained site that focuses on a variety of investment topics.
- Amateur Asset Allocator
The author of this blog spends a lot of time writing about investing and his investments as he attempts to reach financial independence by the time he reaches the age of forty.
- Investment Principles and Rules
The author of this post provides the rules and principles that have worked well for him. The list is short and to the point and a great place for beginners to start.
- Stock Ideas
This post is actually a lengthy list of dividend investments. Virtually every profitable option is on this list as well as a few that may show profit in the future.
- How to Invest Effortlessly
This post provides great tips for how to begin your investment strategy. This is especially useful for anyone who feels a bit overwhelmed with the prospect of investing.
- Money Reasons
This focus of this blog is on the wisdom of saving and how to wisely invest money. Topics include 529s, Roth IRAs, stocks, and other savings and investment topics.
Budgeting
Budgeting is one of the most important aspects of many accounting firms. Learn how various bloggers approach the topic of budgeting and perhaps find a few tips that will be useful as you work towards your degree.
- Change the Impact of Food on Your Budget
Creating a budget is challenging and one of the places people have the most trouble lowering their spending is on food. This post provides six ways to reduce your food budget.
- Living in Poverty
This post discusses how this blogger’s family would budget their money if they were living in poverty as defined by the government. An insightful post with several good suggestions.
- The Best Budgeting Tools
A great budget is one that will work for you. With the tools outlined in this post you will be able to find support to help make your budget successful.
- Tight Fisted Miser
The author of this blog decided on the blog name because he thought he would poke fun at the impression many people have about individuals who budget their money. The blog is a witty look at his budgeting tactics.
- Pro Bargain Hunter
One way to make a budget go further is to look for the best deals available. The author of this blog goes out of his way to make sure he finds the best deals and shares them with his readers. He even has a number of useful shopping tools.
- Budgeting in the Fun
Budgets can be incredibly boring! This blog focuses on the importance on having fun with your money in a fiscally responsible way. The author includes tips and personal budgeting strategies.
Personal Finance
Personal finance writers often write about a variety of topics including accounting and topics related to the field. Visit these bloggers to learn more about their personal finance habits.
- Blogging Away Debt
This blog is a chronicle of how to reduce debt by creating personal finance goals and then working to achieve them. Topics that are frequently discussed include frugality, saving money, and credit cards.
- Me in Millions
This blog is written by a woman in her twenties that is trying to make sense of her personal finances. She frequently posts about her journey and the lessons she has learned.
- Money Beagle
This personal finance blogger got his start in 2008 after becoming unsatisfied with the information he was able to find online. He discusses a variety of topics including savings, budgeting, taxes, and net worth.
- 10 Personal Finance Tips
The author points out that most people enter adulthood with very little understanding about good personal finance. These ten tips provide the basics as well as a few advanced techniques.
- Money Maus
This personal finance blog chronicles the efforts of a young California woman with a passion for saving money, investing, budgeting, and enjoying life.
- Personal Finance Reading List
This list was compiled by a personal finance blogger. It includes other personal finance blogs, inspirational blogs, and books about personal finance.
- Forest on Finance
This blog is written by a personal finance enthusiast. While some advice is sprinkled throughout the blog it is primarily an account of the authors journey to financial freedom.
- Ginger Won’t Snap
This personal finance blog that chronicles the journey of a young woman as she explores how to stay debt free while enjoying her money and her life.
Taxes
One of the primary reasons individuals visit an accountant each year is for tax preparation. Visit these blogs to get an idea what your clients are concerned about and possibly even find some new information yourself!
- Don’t Mess With Taxes
This blog is written by Kay Bell, a journalist and self-described tax geek. She has accumulated a wealth of knowledge and resources which she freely shares on her blog for all of those enamored with, or intimidated by, taxes.
- Marriage Tax Penalty Returns in 2011
This post explains what the marriage tax penalty is, the history behind it, and the future of this penalty. There is also a brief discussion of how to handle the changes that are coming.
- Capital Gains Tax Relief
The post was written by Neal Frankle, the blogger behind Wealth Pilgrim. He discusses techniques that will help people who are struggling with the capital gains tax.
- First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit
This post explains the tax credit in detail and frequently updates this specific post as changes to the credit are applied. The rules and terms are discussed.
- Federal Tax Crimes
The author of this blog, Jack Townsend, discusses his understanding of federal tax crimes for an audience primarily composed of law students and tax professionals.
- Applying Family Tax Credit
This post discusses what the family tax credit it is and when it may be beneficial to apply it. Primarily written for those living in the United States it briefly mentions the benefits in other countries as well.
By earning an accounting degree you will enter into an exclusive group of people. Many of the bloggers in this list have degrees in finance or accounting, however, many do not. The thing that binds them all together is their love for numbers, especially when it comes to money.
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