Answer:
A private accountant is employed by a single firm, which could be a sole proprietorship, a partnership, or a private corporation. These entities are often privately owned and can vary in size from small to very large, like Cargill and Mars.
Step-by-step explanation:
A private accountant works for a single firm or agency and performs accounting functions for use in making decisions within that firm or agency. A private company, which the accountant may work for, can take different forms such as a sole proprietorship, a partnership, or a private corporation without publicly issued stock. For instance, a small law firm may operate as a sole proprietorship if it's run by one individual, or as a partnership if owned by a group. While most private companies are small, there are exceptions like Cargill, Mars, and Bechtel, which are large corporations with substantial annual sales.