Is your CA - CPA - IPA membership still worth it? Here’s what over 60 accountants really think

Is it still worth paying for your CA, CPA or IPA membership?

That’s the question over 60 accountants debated recently in a Facebook thread that quickly caught fire.

Some said they’d already cancelled. Others admitted they stay out of habit — or fear of what might happen if they let it go. A growing number said they’ve moved to alternatives like NTAA and haven’t looked back.

With membership fees rising and perceived value dropping, the profession is quietly asking: what am I actually paying for?

In this article, we unpack the shift — the frustrations, the risks of leaving, and why bookkeepers seem to be getting more support from their member bodies than most accountants.

This isn’t about slamming the big three. It’s about asking if the model still works for the way modern firms run today.

What’s behind the frustration

A lot of the commentary boiled down to value for money.

CA, CPA and IPA memberships cost hundreds — sometimes thousands — of dollars each year. And many practitioners are starting to ask if the return is still there.

Here’s what we heard the most:

• CPD doesn’t feel usefulMany say their CPD is just a tick-box exercise. It’s not targeted, not practical, and not relevant to the way modern firms work.

• Lack of advocacySome feel like the major bodies are quiet when they should be loud. Especially when it comes to legislative changes or compliance burdens that hit small firms hard.

• Unclear benefitA few people asked outright — “what am I paying for?” They weren’t being sarcastic. They were genuinely unsure.

Still, no one said the bodies had zero value. Most agreed they play an important role. The frustration is more about relevance. For sole practitioners and smaller firms, the support isn’t always tailored to what they actually need.

NTAA is gaining ground

One name kept coming up in the thread: NTAA.

The National Tax & Accountants’ Association offers a Fellowship + Public Practice Certificate for around $264 per year. That’s a fraction of what most other memberships cost.

What you get for that price:

• TPB registration covered

• Tax-focused support, webinars and tools

• A certificate that lets you certify most documents

• No CPD requirements

• No fluff

The tone from NTAA members in the thread was generally positive. For many, it ticked enough boxes without breaking the bank.

It’s not a perfect replacement. You won’t get limited liability coverage. You can’t call yourself a “qualified accountant” under the Corporations Act. But if your work is mostly tax and compliance, and your clients don’t ask questions about your letters after your name, it’s enough.

Real feedback from the community

We’ve anonymised some of the strongest comments from the thread to protect the contributors’ privacy. Here’s a mix of what people said:

From those who left:

“I ditched mine after 22 years. Zero regrets.”

“Clients don’t care who I’m a member of.”

“I get more practical insight from free Facebook groups and tax banter than I do from my CPA body.”

“I don’t need to be a ‘qualified accountant’ to do great work.”

From those who stayed:

“I’ve had to decline audit work because I wasn’t CPA qualified. That matters.”

“The limited liability scheme gives me peace of mind.”

“I’ve invested a lot into getting my CA. I’m not giving it up just to save a few bucks.”

It’s not a clear-cut decision. It depends on what kind of work you do, how your business is structured, and whether your membership is adding value to how you serve clients.

Bookkeepers report a different experience

Interestingly, a few people in the thread compared their accounting memberships with their bookkeeping memberships — and the feedback wasn’t the same.

Bookkeepers in the group spoke highly of providers like ICB and ABN.

Here’s what stood out:

• Clear value for money

• Strong community support

• Practical CPD that aligns with real work

• Consistent communication and updates

• Tailored resources for small businesses and solo operators

That contrast says a lot. It’s not that accountants are anti-membership — they’re just asking for more relevant support. Bookkeeping bodies seem to be closer to the mark in how they serve their members.

What you might lose by leaving

Leaving a CA, CPA or IPA membership isn’t without consequences.

Here’s what you could lose:

• Limited liability schemeMany practitioners use the scheme provided by their professional body to protect their personal liability. Leaving removes that protection.

• Audit or assurance workSome tenders, audits and assurance jobs require a recognised qualification under the Corporations Act. Without it, you may have to turn down work.

• “Qualified accountant” titleYou can’t legally use the term in certain legal or financial contexts if you’re not a member of a recognised body.

• Perceived credibilityWhile clients might not care, lenders, recruiters and legal frameworks sometimes do.

For firms that rely on trust accounts, audits, valuations or court-admissible reports, this can matter a lot.

What you might gain by switching

On the other side of the fence, here’s what accountants say they gained after cancelling:

• Thousands of dollars saved per yearMany are reinvesting that money into better systems, tech or education they actually value.

• Freedom from rigid CPD requirementsThey’re still learning — just from places that feel more relevant and practical.

• Less bureaucracyNo complex renewals, reviews or red tape. Just run your firm, get support when you need it, and move on.

• Community from other placesSome have found more value in peer groups, private training programs and online content than their old memberships ever offered.

What to ask yourself before making the call

If you’re wondering whether to stay or leave, here are a few simple questions to guide the decision:

• Do I rely on audit, assurance or trust account work?

• Does my business structure require limited liability coverage?

• Am I doing work that legally requires me to be a “qualified accountant”?

• Do I get real value from the CPD, events and updates I currently receive?

• If I left, would I replace that value through another provider or community?

• Am I staying for practical reasons — or just because I feel I should?

There’s no right or wrong answer. There’s just what works for you, your clients and your business.

The bigger picture

The real issue isn’t membership. It’s relevance.

The accounting industry has changed a lot in the last decade. Firms are smaller, more digital, more remote and more agile. What people value in a membership body has shifted — but not all the bodies have kept up.

When we see bookkeepers feeling supported, informed and empowered, it shows that professional support can be done well.

That doesn’t mean CA, CPA or IPA are redundant. It just means they need to evolve if they want to stay essential — not just historical.

Final thoughts

We're not trying to cause a riot with this article. We're here to help showcase real conversations happening in the industry; right now.

Accountants aren’t ditching their memberships out of protest. They’re doing it because it no longer aligns with how they work, what they value, or what their clients expect.

For some, professional membership will always matter. For others, the practical benefits just aren’t there anymore.

Either way, the conversation is worth having — not just online, but in your firm, your networks, and your industry bodies.

Have you made the switch? Considering it? Join the discussion inside The Firm and let’s talk about what professional support really looks like in 2025.