Accounting and finance each have significant responsibilities related to the firm's financial performance; however, the accountant's role is informational, while the financial analyst's role is critical and investigative. Therefore, we can say that:

A) the accountant's job stops at the presentation of information.
B) the analyst must rely on the accountant to assist in analyzing the financial statements because the accountant is more familiar with their content.
C) the financial analyst assesses the information presented in the accountant's financial statements to seek out problems and their ramifications for the firm.
D) financial analysts qualified to practice as CPAs may undertake both responsibilities and eliminate any overlap of similar tasks.

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Aaron Tavizon · Accepted Answer

Final Answer : C, Explanation :  The accountant's role is primarily to present the financial information in a clear and accurate manner, while the financial analyst's role is to investigate and analyze the information presented by the accountant. The financial analyst assesses the information to identify problems and their potential impact on the firm, contributing to the firm's strategic decision-making process. While there may be some overlap between the roles of accountant and financial analyst, they are distinct and complementary. Financial analysts who are also CPAs may have a broader range of skills and knowledge, but they still perform distinct functions in the firm's financial management.

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