Your CPA exam scores expire based on when they were taken. In order for them to have any value at all to you they need to be from an “accepted” test date. These accepted tests are those that you took and passed within the last sixty days of taking them. So if you took the test in January and it expires in June, your score expires in the same month. Since most people take these tests in January, this means that you must get them submitted well in advance of testing to keep your score valid!
The only problem with getting the scores submitted in this manner is that you are not guaranteed a score once they become old enough. The testing company that publishes the exams will determine if your scores will expire upon submission. In order for you to ensure that your scores will stay valid, you can hire someone to submit the exam for you. The person will not charge you any money upfront, but he or she will need to pay for the test if it is not successful.
Getting your scores from an accredited testing site online will guarantee that they are from an accepted exam and will remain valid for six months after the test is over. If you wait six months and do not submit the exam before it expires, your score will be outdated and will not be accepted by most credit card companies. It is better to get them submitted early than having them expire.
In addition to the test fees, you will have to pay for the paper work that comes with the exams. This includes the test book, test guides, CDs, and additional materials. Sometimes there are additional costs if you want to get more materials. The fees will vary, but you can find out about this before you pay for the exams. You should also pay attention to any announcements that come regarding changes to the test.
Once you know when your score expires, you must figure out what to do with it. You may have lost your job, so you probably won’t have enough credit to get another loan. Some employers will forgive the late score, but many of them will tell you that you have to wait until you get your score certified again. That means you will have to get your scores back before you apply for a new job. Most credit card companies will forgive at least some of the late payments, but if you need a loan immediately, you will have to wait.
Keep in mind that most people will not be able to wait two years to get their scores back. Many students are unable to wait that long, but others may have no choice. If you have a lot of open lines of credit, you may still be able to wait two years, but that will probably mean higher interest rates and fees. Many of the major credit cards have expired dates soon, so if you have a lot of balances on them right now, you should be prepared to lose your credit. If you transfer your balances to other low or zero rate cards, you can prevent a temporary loss of points from occurring.
After your exams, you can expect the credit score report to be released on a date that is typically close to when your credit score is calculated. Once you receive your scores, be sure to check them over thoroughly to make sure nothing has been reported that shouldn’t be. You also want to make sure you don’t have any errors on your report because mistakes happen. If you discover an error on your report, you can request a free credit score report to remedy the problem.
