Start A Forensic Accountancy Service - Business Ideas

Updated: September 15th, 2022
Start A Forensic Accountancy Service

Please note that the data provided in this article are estimates and may vary depending on various factors, and should not be considered as perfect or definitive.

A forensic accounting service investigates fraud, bribery, money laundering, and embezzlement by analyzing financial records and transactions and tracing assets.

The demand for forensic accounting services is growing because of the tightening economic conditions and the increasing scrutiny of how companies are governed. Businesses and governments hire forensic accountants and auditors to help them in detecting and preventing or helping them take legal action against wrongdoing.

To become a forensic accountant, you must earn a master’s degree in an accredited accounting or financial program.

Starting a forensic accountancy service requires a great deal of effort, dedication, and most importantly passion.

If you're interested in how to sell forensic accountancy, or selling forensic accountancy online, you can use this page as a guide for everything you'll need to know.

Key Stats

market size
$108B
starting costs
$11.7K
gross margin
90%
time to build
210 days

Startup Costs

Min Startup Costs Max Startup Costs

Office Space Expenses

$0

$7,000

Employee & Freelancer Expenses

$150

$250

Website Costs

$223

$7,015

Business Formation Fees

$600

$4,700

Software Expenses

$162

$2,894

Advertising & Marketing Costs

$0

$1,400

Total Startup Costs

$1,135

$23,259

Successful Businesses

Business URL Rank

AICPA CPE & Learning Products

aicpastore.com

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Wellpath

wellpathcare.com

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502 Bad Gateway

mdd.com

1,002,402

Bader Martin

badermartin.com

1,031,461

Discover Accounting: Accounting Degree Education and Career Guide

discoveraccounting.org

1,054,727

Top Business Accounting Firm in Chicago

portebrown.com

1,833,420

Forensic CPA Society

fcpas.org

2,340,594

Madison Associates, Inc.

maiassistance.com

2,475,687

Lowers Forensics International

lowersforensics.com

2,836,322

FSS

forensicstrategic.com

3,754,289

FRA

forensicrisk.com

3,871,161

Pros & Cons

Pros Description

Flexibility

You can put as much time into the business as you'd like. If you like the work and have some initial experience, you can start small and manage all aspects of the business on your own.

Ability to start your business from home

It's not necessary to have a physical storefront or office space to get your business started. You can do everything from the comfort of your own home, at least in the beginning!

Little startup costs required

The cost to start a forensic accountancy service costs significantly less money than most businesses, ranging anywhere from 62 to 23,259.

Rewarding work

Starting a forensic accountancy service can be really rewarding work. After all, you are solving an immediate issue for your customer and you're working on something you truly care about.

Scalable

With businesses and processes changing daily, there will always be demand for new features, products and services for your business. Additionally, there are several different business models and pricing tiers you can implement that will allow you to reach all types of customers.

No overhead costs

To get your forensic accountancy service started, there are no costs associated with overhead, storage, packaging, etc. This will save you a lot of time and money!

Cons Description

Crowded Space

Competition is high when it comes to your forensic accountancy service, so it's important that you spend a good amount of time analyzing the market and understanding where the demand lies.

Longer Sales Process

A forensic accountancy service can be a big time and money investment for your customer, so it's important you plan and predict a longer conversion funnel and stay in communication with potential customers.

Work can be inconsistent

As a forensic accountancy service, the amount of work assigned to you and schedule tends to be more inconsistent, which may make your income less stable. It's important to set boundaries and budget accordingly based on the amount of work you plan to have.

Lack of benefits

With a forensic accountancy service, you are typically self-employed and responsible for finding your own insurance, which can be quite costly and time-consuming.

Isolation

Often times, as a forensic accountancy service, you typically work alone and do not have much face-to-face interaction with other team members.

Taxes

As a forensic accountancy service, you typically pay self-employment taxes which can be quite high. It's important to understand what you will be paying in taxes each year so you can determine if the work you're taking on is worth it.