Online Government Accounting Courses
These courses are designed to help you learn about government accounting, which is different than business or consumer accounting. To succeed in this field, you’ll need a background in basic math, statistics, and financial literacy. You also need extensive knowledge of the practices used by the government to keep track of its finances.
The first step to succeeding as a government accountant is understanding how the government’s accounting system differs from private companies. The second step is learning about the specific processes involved in government accounting, such as budgeting, auditing and reporting. Finally, you’ll need to know how to use specific software programs that are common within this industry.
Courses Free Online Government Accounting Courses
Introduction
If you’re interested in learning more about government accounting, there are several educational options available to you. This article will give you an overview of free online courses and resources that can help you learn more about the subject.
Introduction to Government Accounting
Government accounting is the process of keeping track of government funds. Government accounting is different from commercial accounting and is a specialized field. Commercial accounting uses generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) to account for business transactions, while government accounting uses modified GAAP known as GASB 74 to keep track of how money is spent by governments and state agencies. Government financial statements are published on a regular basis to provide information about what kind of assets a government holds, how much debt it has incurred and whether or not the budget forecast was met or exceeded. This type of transparency helps citizens understand what their local governments are doing with public funds so they can hold them accountable if necessary
Government accounting requires knowledge across many fields including finance, economics and law since there are many laws that govern how public monies must be used.
Federal Government Accounting System
- Types of accounting standards
- Types of financial reporting
- Types of financial accounting
State and Local Government Accounting Systems
The accounting principles and methods used by state and local governments are the same as those used by the federal government. State and local governments use accrual accounting, which means that they record revenue when it is earned rather than when it is actually received. This method allows for a more accurate picture of revenues collected during a certain period of time.
State and local governments also follow modified methods of accrual accounting: the modified cash method, modified modified cash method, or simple equity method.
Federal Budgeting
You can learn more about federal budgeting and the budget process by enrolling in courses offered by U.S. government agencies and nonprofit organizations like the National Association of State Budget Officers (NASBO). NASBO offers free online classes on its website that cover topics such as federal budgetary policy, budgets and tax expenditure, state fiscal policies, and accounting for public revenue sources. These classes are designed to help you develop your understanding of government finance so you can better understand how your local government operates.
The federal spending process involves several steps:
- The executive branch proposes a budget outline to Congress early each year; the request includes specific funding levels for various programs as well as recommendations for new initiatives or spending cuts.
- Congressional committees consider proposed expenditures from multiple perspectives before crafting their own bills with recommended budgets for each agency within their jurisdiction (this is often referred to as “appropriating” funds).
- The House of Representatives proposes one version of these bills after holding committee hearings concerning them; this bill is known as an appropriations bill because it appropriates money from specified funds into accounts within individual agencies’ budgets where spending needs have been identified through appropriations hearings by members of Congress from both parties working together across different committees within one chamber who share responsibility over different areas related but not exclusive: military construction projects; health care services provided through Medicaid programs; educational opportunities provided through Pell Grants given out according to financial need ranking criteria established by law administered by Department Education officials; etcetera ad infinitum ad nauseam until someone sees sense enough stop playing politics long enough get work done which won’t happen anytime soon since politicians thrive off standing out individually instead following direction without question like good little sheeple followers should do when told what think think think!”
Cost Analysis for Public and Nonprofit Organizations
Cost analysis is the process of analyzing the cost of an item or service. It’s used to determine the total expense of a product, service or project. Cost analysis is commonly performed in public and nonprofit organizations.
The following courses will teach you how to conduct cost analyses:
- How to Analyze Real Estate Investments (Video)
- How To Analyze Investments (Video)
free online government accounting courses
If you are looking for free online government accounting courses, this article is for you.
The following are some of the best free online government accounting courses available:
- Accounting 101: A Beginner’s Guide to Financial Statements
- Introduction to Governmental Financial Management (PDF)
- How to Prepare Financial Statements and Workpapers for Governmental Entities in the United States (PDF)
Conclusion
free online government accounting courses
