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What does a portfolio accountant do?

Updated January 8, 2025
8 min read
Quoted expert
Terri Walsh

Portfolio accountants must have effective communication and time management skills in addition to a bachelor's degree in accounting. They maintain and improve processes and systems by keeping and compiling records on monthly and quarterly reports. They also prepare financial statements, assist in fund pricing, and calculate losses, profits, and net asset values.

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Portfolio accountant responsibilities

Here are examples of responsibilities from real portfolio accountant resumes:

  • Manage and monitor accounting procedures for compliance with Sarbanes-Oxley and coordinate and facilitate external audit requirements.
  • Verify accrual parameters against Bloomberg.
  • Utilize Bloomberg to research information regarding different financial instruments.
  • Record equity, derivative and corporate action transactions in an accurate and timely manner.
  • Perform fund management for financial services institutions, including cash position reconciliations link to trade executions.
  • Prepare recoverable income reconciliations, which include understanding tenant lease provisions as well as ensuring accurate calculations.
  • Work effectively with brokers and traders to reconcile securities and cash positions in private and institutional accounts daily.
  • Reference information management for proper pricing of securities, setup of securities corporate action implications and investment manager issues.
  • Prepare financial highlights for multiple companies to assure their performance fee calculation is being allocate accurately between restrict and unrestrict investors.
  • Deliver daily yields, NAVS, shares outstanding and net assets to clients and NASDAQ.
  • Utilize ledgers to ensure all accounts are balanced and that all NAVs are disseminated in a timely and accurate manner.
  • Notify the custodians T+1 of all trades via email and fax by sending the DTC confirmations or spreadsheets.
  • Identify trade differences and book cash in lieu entries using APL.
  • Perform routine account maintenance within APL including reconciliation for a specific range of accounts.
  • Research and calculate bond income discrepancy interest payments and contact DTC for incorrect interest payments.

Portfolio accountant skills and personality traits

We calculated that 12% of Portfolio Accountants are proficient in Reconciliations, Financial Reports, and Real Estate. They’re also known for soft skills such as Analytical skills, Communication skills, and Detail oriented.

We break down the percentage of Portfolio Accountants that have these skills listed on their resume here:

  • Reconciliations, 12%

    Prepared Personal property tax and reserve reconciliations for assigned accounts, Gathered conversion data from newly acquired business portfolios

  • Financial Reports, 9%

    Ensured proper processing of month-end financial reports and year-end tax reports - Participated in system enhancement and process improvement projects

  • Real Estate, 7%

    Increased effectiveness of company's financial reporting process by aptly addressing real estate accounting related matters to respective company's personnel.

  • Journal Entries, 7%

    Prepared monthly / quarterly financial statements for residential properties including journal entries and reconciliation on all accounts.

  • Yardi, 6%

    Managed accoutningtransition from Quickbooks to Yardi.

  • Accruals, 4%

    Calculated and prepared monthly accruals, dividend reconciliation, interest receivables, realized and unrealized gain/loss reports.

Common skills that a portfolio accountant uses to do their job include "reconciliations," "financial reports," and "real estate." You can find details on the most important portfolio accountant responsibilities below.

Communication skills. Many portfolio accountant duties rely on communication skills. "accountants and auditors must be able to listen to and discuss facts and concerns from clients, managers, and other stakeholders," so a portfolio accountant will need this skill often in their role. This resume example is just one of many ways portfolio accountant responsibilities rely on communication skills: "e-mailed daily reconciliations to clients, and gained great communication skills through addressing any questions or concerns they had. "

Detail oriented. portfolio accountants are also known for detail oriented, which are critical to their duties. You can see how this skill relates to portfolio accountant responsibilities, because "accountants and auditors must pay attention to detail when compiling and examining documents." A portfolio accountant resume example shows how detail oriented is used in the workplace: "completed detailed bank and ledger account reconciliations on a monthly basis. "

Math skills. portfolio accountant responsibilities often require "math skills." The duties that rely on this skill are shown by the fact that "accountants and auditors must be able to analyze, compare, and interpret facts and figures." This resume example shows what portfolio accountants do with math skills on a typical day: "calculated the net asset value, total returns and other statistics of the funds. "

Organizational skills. Another common skill required for portfolio accountant responsibilities is "organizational skills." This skill comes up in the duties of portfolio accountants all the time, as "strong organizational skills are important for accountants and auditors, who often work with a range of financial documents for a variety of clients." An excerpt from a real portfolio accountant resume shows how this skill is central to what a portfolio accountant does: "interacted with clients and utilized excellent customer service and organizational skills. "

Most common portfolio accountant skills

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Compare different portfolio accountants

Portfolio accountant vs. Finance analyst/accountant

In a company setting, a finance analyst/accountant is in charge of handling and monitoring financial activities, ensuring efficiency and accuracy. Their responsibilities revolve around preparing financial reports, performing audits and risk assessments, and identifying any errors and inconsistencies, resolving them promptly and efficiently. They also conduct research and analysis to identify new business opportunities, evaluate the existing procedures to determine its strengths and weaknesses, and recommend solutions to optimize operations for financial growth. Furthermore, as a finance analyst/accountant, it is essential to uphold the company's policies and regulations, including its vision and mission.

We looked at the average portfolio accountant salary and compared it with the wages of a finance analyst/accountant. Generally speaking, finance analyst/accountants are paid $6,902 lower than portfolio accountants per year.While their salaries may differ, the common ground between portfolio accountants and finance analyst/accountants are a few of the skills required in each roleacirc;euro;trade;s responsibilities. In both careers, employee duties involve skills like reconciliations, financial reports, and accruals.

While similarities exist, there are also some differences between portfolio accountants and finance analyst/accountant. For instance, portfolio accountant responsibilities require skills such as "real estate," "journal entries," "yardi," and "balance sheet." Whereas a finance analyst/accountant is skilled in "financial analysis," "payroll," "account reconciliations," and "balance sheet accounts." This is part of what separates the two careers.

Finance analyst/accountants really shine in the finance industry with an average salary of $78,897. Comparatively, portfolio accountants tend to make the most money in the finance industry with an average salary of $91,157.The education levels that finance analyst/accountants earn slightly differ from portfolio accountants. In particular, finance analyst/accountants are 5.9% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree than a portfolio accountant. Additionally, they're 0.3% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Portfolio accountant vs. Accountant/consultant

Accountants/consultants perform accounting tasks for organizations or companies. The accountants improve accounting practices and prepare financial statements at the end of every year. They analyze financial data and offer advice on regulatory compliance issues to the finance department. It is their job to make sure that the online system is secure. Most of the day, they organize invoices, prepare statements, and supervising systems. They should be equipped with analytical skills, industry knowledge, critical thinking, and interpersonal communication.

On average, accountant/consultants earn a $5,579 lower salary than portfolio accountants a year.Only some things about these jobs are the same. Take their skills, for example. Portfolio accountants and accountant/consultants both require similar skills like "reconciliations," "financial reports," and "journal entries" to carry out their responsibilities.

In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences worth noting. For example, portfolio accountant responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "real estate," "yardi," "accruals," and "balance sheet." Meanwhile, an accountant/consultant has duties that require skills in areas such as "account management," "product knowledge," "strong analytical," and "leveraged." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.

Accountant/consultants earn a lower average salary than portfolio accountants. But accountant/consultants earn the highest pay in the finance industry, with an average salary of $68,479. Additionally, portfolio accountants earn the highest salaries in the finance with average pay of $91,157 annually.In general, accountant/consultants achieve similar levels of education than portfolio accountants. They're 2.3% more likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 0.3% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for portfolio accountants in the next 3-5 years?

Terri WalshTerri Walsh LinkedIn profile

Professor/Program Manager, Accounting, Seminole State College of Florida

I think EXCEL is a must for all business graduates, especially for accounting graduates, but often they have not been exposed to much of it in their degree. Besides, with technology continually changing, a dual major in accounting and information technology will be sought after, so I recommend a bachelor's degree accounting major NOT pursue an MBA, but an information technology degree or programming data. The rise of Big Data and issues surrounding cybersecurity risks will require the accounting profession, and accounting roles, to rely more on students with strong computer skills and logic/analytical thinking. As mentioned before, they will need to master EXCEL, as spreadsheets are widely used in accounting and are the foundation for more advanced software. We are already seeing TABLEAU being used in accounting books, even in the foundational courses which have EXCEL already. There is powerful interrogation software, such as IDEA and ACL, which can pull data from multiple sources; and knowing these tools or their capabilities will be required in the future. Also, strong technological skills need to be communicated once data is retrieved, and this will require persuasive writing and verbal skills.

Portfolio accountant vs. Accountant internship

An accounting intern is responsible for assisting an organization's accounting department, observing practical applications and processes, and performing accounting duties under the supervision of tenured accounting staff. Accounting interns support the accounting operations by preparing and organizing financial reports, helping with accounts reconciliation, researching financial and stock market trends, utilizing various accounting software, and managing feedback from their mentors. An accounting intern must be detail-oriented and a fast-learner, immediately adjusting to the company's culture and actively cooperating with the team to ensure a smooth flow of operations.

On average, accountant interns earn lower salaries than portfolio accountants, with a $36,393 difference per year.Using the responsibilities included on portfolio accountants and accountant interns resumes, we found that both professions have similar skill requirements, such as "financial reports," "journal entries," and "gaap.rdquo;

The required skills of the two careers differ considerably. For example, portfolio accountants are more likely to have skills like "reconciliations," "real estate," "yardi," and "accruals." But a accountant internship is more likely to have skills like "r," "account management," "powerpoint," and "renewable energy."

Accountant interns make a very good living in the media industry with an average annual salary of $36,253. On the other hand, portfolio accountants are paid the highest salary in the finance industry, with average annual pay of $91,157.accountant interns typically earn similar educational levels compared to portfolio accountants. Specifically, they're 0.1% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.3% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Portfolio accountant vs. Fixed asset accountant

A fixed asset accountant is responsible for processing statement reports for the company's assets, organizing account records, and handling bank reconciliations and disputes. Fixed asset accountants must have excellent knowledge of the accounting principles to determine and track the assets dispositions in various accounting systems for reference. They also ensure the accurate balance and calculate the value of all fixed assets for reports. A fixed asset accountant should be highly analytical to measure asset obligations and provide recommendations for asset acquisition.

Fixed asset accountants typically earn lower pay than portfolio accountants. On average, fixed asset accountants earn a $10,186 lower salary per year.While their salaries may vary, portfolio accountants and fixed asset accountants both use similar skills to perform their duties. Resumes from both professions include skills like "reconciliations," "financial reports," and "accruals. "

Even though a few skill sets overlap between portfolio accountants and fixed asset accountants, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, a portfolio accountant might have more use for skills like "real estate," "journal entries," "yardi," and "balance sheet." Meanwhile, some responsibilities of fixed asset accountants require skills like "asset system," "account reconciliations," "cip," and "asset accounts. "

Fixed asset accountants enjoy the best pay in the energy industry, with an average salary of $65,229. For comparison, portfolio accountants earn the highest salary in the finance industry.The average resume of fixed asset accountants showed that they earn similar levels of education compared to portfolio accountants. So much so that theyacirc;euro;trade;re 3.6% more likely to earn a Master's Degree and less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree by 0.1%.

Types of portfolio accountant

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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