Clean Audit! (Almost) And Then Some

Well I submit our first copy of final draft for our annual audit report to our auditors and Finance Committee. I'm guessing since the auditors haven't given me any heads up saying anything was wrong that there are no adjustments for FY08. The fat lady hasn't sung yet, but I think it's safe to say that if there were adjustments, they would have informed me so those adjustments would translate to the financial statements I put together. That said, there will be some items in the management letter but that's to be expected. We don't pay $15,000 for nothing. We expect the auditors to provide feedback on how we can improve. But there were no sufficient deficiencies, no material weaknesses, and no violations to internal controls. And no adjustments. That says "A" to me. WHOOT WHOOT!!! I'm so happy! Now I can focus on the next thing, the 990, which needs to be done before my winter break. As of 12/19 I will be out of the office (at Toy-n-Joy - YAY!!) and not returning till Monday, January 5th. SWEET! I really look forward to that time of year to relax and spend time at home. It's the only time of year I can take two weeks off for the price of one. Actually just four days. We get four paid holidays and three days are "employee appreciation." Then I'm taking four vacation days. So I have to crank out the 990 before that and material close November. When I come back I can focus on ironing out Oct and Nov, fixing the budget, and getting Dec buttoned up. After that it's business as usual and the only two projects I'll have are contracts and creating my how-to manual.

Just in time for my MBA program to end and Becker to begin. Did I mention I start class on my 29th birthday? Since my 29th will not be celebrated I plan on doing a HUGE thing for my 30th. I'm talking week long party, spa treatments, champagne toast, dress to the nines (but funeral style since we will be mourning the passing of my 20's), B-I-G party! Back on track, so I'll actually attend the classes for Business and Financial before....wait. A diagram:

The CPA Exam - for those who don't give a hoot about becoming a CPA
The CPA Exam is divided in to four timed sections:
Business - 2.5 hours
Financial - 4 hours
Auditing - 4.5 hours
Regulation - 3 hours
A long time ago you had to sit for all the exams at once. Not so anymore. The exams can be taken all at one time or spread out. The exams are administered by computerized exam leader Prometric. If you've taken a C++ or gotten your medical certification then you are familiar with Prometric. Becker CPA Review recommends you take their class and then study for 1 - 2 weeks before testing. There are 9testing months a year, non-testing months being March, June, September, and December. When you apply to take the test, once approved, you get a NTS, or "Notice to Schedule," that is valid for only six months. So you have to make sure you are ready to take all your exams when you get your NTS but you need your NTS at least two months before you take your first exam because you need to reserve your spot. A definite song and dance to work everything out.

Now back to the original post
...I sit for the exam. I couldn't quite work it out to sit for the business exam in the time allowed so I decided to double up on Business and Financial, give myself 3 weeks to study and take both exams on the same day or back to back days at the end of April. Then I'll take Audit and allow myself 1 week to study and take that exam in mid-May. The idea behind this is if I cut myself short 1 week of study time, I'll be able to take advantage of a full three-day Memorial Weekend with NO studying and NO homework since my next class, Regulation, won't begin till June. I will finish Regulation in June with a week or so to study and take the exam at the beginning of July. ~PHEW~ I'm excited and scared out of my mind and nervous and terrified and exhausted. I can't believe after all this time it's finally here. It wasn't real till I sat down and scheduled the days that I'm taking the exam. I'M TAKING THE CPA EXAM!!!! Wow.

So not to put the cart before the horse or anything, but I wanted to book my celebratory or at the very least well-deserved "you worked hard" slash 2nd anniversary vacation now while I had the time to consider the details. Once Feb comes I won't be able to focus on anything but the exam. I wanted to take about 4 weeks off in July and "check out" after all I have done these past 6 years. Further, I wanted a trip where I didn't have to think - someone told me where to go, we could leave our luggage in one place, we didn't have to worry about transportation, and someplace in Europe. Originally Dane was going to get a new Mercedes, but we've tabled that idea for now. So back to the drawing board we decided that a cruise was the best way to go. Low and behold I got a "Travel with Alan" special email just this morning. Observe:



Click to enlarge

So Dane and I booked the trip. I can make payments and I already have some money socked away for this trip, even though I didn't know what it would be till now. So we are really excited. I've always wanted to go to St. Petersburg in Russia and to have 2 days there! Awesome! Not to mention all the countries we'll hit up. Sweet.

I'll post more later as stuff comes in. I want to post something about Cmas and a few other things.