I work with a company that is expanding and they would like me to become their accountant.
I completed the AAT 4 years ago but never became a full memeber in practice. The work I have been doing is a mixture of admin and bookkeeping: (I submit the Sage file for the accountants and file VAT returns). I am 39 years old.
Can anyone tell me if it is possible to train to become a full accountant within this business and if so what is the best method? I'm just starting the research so any information is useful to me.
Accountant isn't a protected name so there's no reason why you can't. If you want to be a chartered accountant they are protected so you would need the qualifications for that, maybe have a look at CIMA?
What's more important is how confident you feel in fulfilling the role. Would you be confident and knowledgeable enough to file the CT600, bearing in mind that the regulations have changed (Its now FRS 102 - or 105 if filing for a micro entity)
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John
Any advice given is for general guidance and professional advice should be sought applicable to your circumstances.
Hi Rowland
Are you looking at being their Internal Accountant / doing what you do now and also then filing the year end Accounts etc as employed by them?
or being self employed and just looking after them as a client with what you do now or even taking on other clients?
Reason I ask is there are several issues or should I say considerations with each different option.
AAT is a good start for being self employed and dealing with sole traders/partnerships and smaller limited companies, with say a bolt on tax qualification such as ATT. If going for Chartered status you will need to set aside some considerable amount of time to complete your studies and some carry restrictions as to what you can do until such practice certificates are held (eg ACCA - only allow you to go up to TB, so you would not be able to progress the Accounts further than you do now, until you have the exams and your practice supervision period under your belt/all signed off)
But the other reason that I asked how far through the Accounting process you would go, ie the final accounts part, was in part to consider the ethics side of this one as my question is - how can an internal accountant provide the objectivity and independence to be able to complete the year end position? Certainly worth checking closely, as part of your research what the views of the likes of AAT, ACCA, CIMA, ICAEW are.
I do not believe there is any legal obligation on a company to engage an external accountant to prepare its year end accounts etc, unless of course its of a size which is subject to an audit, but whether it would be wise is another issue of course, given what John has indicated above and the disclosures you would have to make within the accounts as to your position.
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Joanne
Winner of Bookkeeper of the Year 2015, 2016 & 2017
Thoughts are my own/not to be regarded as official advice,which should be sought from a suitably qualified Accountant.
You should check out answers with reference to the legal position
