I have just been routing around on the ICB website and in the Fees 2010 article they show a new category of Certified Payroll Agent. I currently have MICB + CB Dip & PM Dip.
I realise that CB Dip is going but am I right in thinking that to be able to do payroll I am going to have to pay an additional £60 or is this for those that only want to do payroll as a stand alone subject?
It is ironic that you should have just posted this as I have just emailed the ICB to ask for more information on it. Once I receive it I will post up a reply, but in the meantime if anyone else wants to add anything please feel free.
I have also written to the ICB for clarification on this one, as I want to know that if I lose my membership, which I was forced to take up to do the self assessment module, what would happen to all these exams I have been taking without a word from them re the changes...
....but I do believe that the fee will be payable either way!
I sent two messages about the ACCA question. Didn't get a reply for ten days so phoned yesterday to get the complete c**p about bookkeeping having nothing to do with accountancy.
That's like saying belts have got nothing to do with trousers.
Absolutely disgusted with them.
__________________
Shaun
Responses are not meant as a substitute for professional advice. Answers are intended as outline only the advice of a qualified professional with access to all relevant information should be sought before acting on any response given.
I've been so concerned with the bad press ICB have had recently, especialy their changes to membership grade that I approached the IAB and they have told me subject to receiving an application form they would accept me in at MIAB grade and possibly a higher grade on confirmation of my ICB qualifications.
Having said that, I personally have not had a problem with them.
Shaun, I can certainly understand your frustration at their response I found these two articles in their FAQ section
Bill
Q.
If I am an accountant can I automatically become a member?
A.
No. An accountant is obviously normally qualified to a far higher standard than a bookkeeper. However, the Institute needs to ensure that all applicants are competent bookkeepers and it could be that your accounting qualification did not cover bookkeeping in enough depth for our membership purposes. You will therefore need to apply for membership, enclosing a copy of your CV, copies of any relevant qualification certificates, and details of two referees who are willing to act as referees and who are familiar with your bookkeeping work carried out within the last two years. Both referees should be a Chartered or Certified Accountant. You will also be required to complete a Membership Entrance Paper, which is required of all applicants.
Will my qualification taken with another organisation exempt me from the Institute's examination?
A.
The Institute will only accept you solely on the basis of your qualification if it was awarded by a recognised awarding body, matches the syllabus requiremets of our qualifications (the ICB will assess this), and was completed within the last two years. You should forward to the Institute COPIES, not originals, of your qualification certificates. An up to date CV and details of two referees familiar with work carried out by you within the last two years, will assist your application. You will need to complete the application form which can be found here
Forgot to mention when I first wrote this, that if they are changing the membership gradings and becoming more aligned with the bench marks set by other bodies and setting themselves up in a more elitist position. I would like to see more emphasis on promoting the Institute within the accounting profession. The amount of money that must come in world wide has got to be seen to be spent for the benefit of the members .
As they are listed at companies house I wonder if its possible to see what returns are filed? If every member of the institute world wide was only a student, that would rake in £6.75 million
-- Edited by Wella on Thursday 11th of February 2010 05:10:01 PM
Sorry, been a busy day today (banking not bookkeeping) so not much time to answer my fan mail (lol)
I've just heard from Premier training (Amanda's recommendation there) that with my qualifications I'm ok'd to start AAT training at level 4 if I wish (although they did seem somewhat confused as to why someone whose PQ ACCA would be going in the wrong direction!). Anyway, I think that means that if I tried hard I could be MAAT in June and then dump these jokers at the ICB.
I scored 99% on my level I ICB and 98% on level II. The only materials that I used for my revision were ACCA textbooks! The ACCA covers EVERYTHING that the ICB do but to a far deeper level.
As you say, they are trying to reinvent themselves but they seem to have forgotten why people chose to join them over the alternatives. Namely that their qualification was more accessible to people with other commitments. Why would anyone choose them over the AAT if they are trying to reinvent themselves as the AAT!
And from you're first quote above don't you think that it's strange that accountants exams are not good enough to get ICB exemptions but it has to be an accountant, not another bookkeeper whose already qualified who signs off that the bookkeeper is competent at bookkeeping!
Still not had a reply from either of my messages to them which I just find plain rude. They won me over again after dropping the Christmas surprise of doubling the exams to get a practicing certificate. Now I'm really back to thinking that going the ICB route was a huge mistake and AAT MIP is where I should have been.
Got to go now and pick up the toys I've thrown out of my pram.
Talk later,
Mutley!
__________________
Shaun
Responses are not meant as a substitute for professional advice. Answers are intended as outline only the advice of a qualified professional with access to all relevant information should be sought before acting on any response given.
I am so glad I am not the only person feeling I made a mistake with going with ICB.
I am a bookkeeper, I started my business part time at 1st and built it up over the years, when MLR came in thought i would be better of going with them as opposed to AAT as would gain my practising certificate easier. Once got it was told that as long as I kept up CPD would not need to take further exams, I feel I am to old for keeping house with teenagers and running a busy self employed business. Without taking more exams.
I thought the conference in London was a joke in the expense it would of been if I went. £175 for a dinner come on we are bookkeepers not accountants. I costed out the conference, hotel and trains would be over a grand without frocks etc for an expensive dinner. Let alone cost of finding cover for my payroll clients and my kids who are to young to be left alone yet to old for child care.
I understand they want to make the ICB more in line with AAT but in my view I am a bookkeeper not an accountant, always been a bookkeeper.
I rang them the other day as my memebership is due for renewal to ask about the Payroll as I already have PM.dip and was told by a youngish sounding girl that as far as she knows it is for Payroll only members. Though she did not know as "does not get told anything"
-- Edited by Julies bookkeeping on Friday 12th of February 2010 01:14:47 AM
