Like many others, I have been following this forum for a long time and I have been very impressed with the way the forum operates and the help that you all provide both between yourselves and to others.
It is only now that I have found the courage to actually introduce myself and join in with the fun, so here goes with a little bit about myself.
I spent over 30 years in the Construction Industry and for 10 of these in partnership of a building firm where I did all the bookkeeping and accounting, I had to close the business after an operation and decided to open my own Bookkeeping and Accountancy business dealing mainly with sole traders and partnerships within the building trade, I started this just under a year ago.
I have completed AAT levels 2,3 & 4 and also IAB/Sage Level 3.
I enjoy working with Tax matters and I am currently doing ATT having passed the Business Tax Exam last November and sitting the Personal Tax exam this May.
I hope this will do as an introduction and that I have not bored you and ruined your Sunday, looking forward to contributing to the forum both by asking questions and hopefully giving some answers
Doug
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Doug
These are only my opinions of how I see things and therefore should not be taken as advice
I have found ATT a big step up from AAT as they go into a lot more detail, I did the AAT Business Tax module and it consisted of just one book to study, I did the ATT Business Tax and it was 6 folders, so a big step up but worth it as it went into far greater detail and had a lot more depth to it, which for me is what I wanted.
Cheers
Doug
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Doug
These are only my opinions of how I see things and therefore should not be taken as advice
Some like to race through and get the badge at the end, if I try to cram information it leaves within 5 minutes.
Are you using Tolleys? If you are can I ask you a question, if you don't mind?
When you are using their distance study method ( I assume that is what you're using) are you able to ask general questions, or will they only answer questions within the folders?
Say you've a reading a question on a no loss, no gain disposal and the text says the married couple must be living together, if you prod for further understanding will they point you to section 58, or will they tell you you'll need to be studying CIOT to find the answer?
In the past I had a question (Kaplan) and it was a general question, so as to get a better understanding of my thoughts, and I was told they'd only answer questions in relation to the study text and further answers would be found when studying CIMA!!!!
I was quite miffed, especially since I'd never asked anything of them before!
Sorry for the questions
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Johnny - Owner of an overly-active keyboard.
A man who can read, yet doesn't, is in no way wiser than a man who can't.
Some like to race through and get the badge at the end, if I try to cram information it leaves within 5 minutes.
Are you using Tolleys? If you are can I ask you a question, if you don't mind?
When you are using their distance study method ( I assume that is what you're using) are you able to ask general questions, or will they only answer questions within the folders?
Say you've a reading a question on a no loss, no gain disposal and the text says the married couple must be living together, if you prod for further understanding will they point you to section 58, or will they tell you you'll need to be studying CIOT to find the answer?
In the past I had a question (Kaplan) and it was a general question, so as to get a better understanding of my thoughts, and I was told they'd only answer questions in relation to the study text and further answers would be found when studying CIMA!!!!
I was quite miffed, especially since I'd never asked anything of them before!
Sorry for the questions
Isn't this down to the provider? A good provider will assist you in related questions as long as they don't stray too far from the subject matter to aid your understanding.
i suspect the question you posed of Kaplan might've been because the tutor didn't know, how much easier to use another excuse to save face!! When my son was doing his AAT he couldn't get the answer the book gave, he even watched the live online recording and saw the tutor answer it (wrongly, going round the houses and confusing the hell out of all her students) and so he gave it to me and I wrestled with it for a bit thinking i had it wrong, but realised the answer in the book was wrong. So he approached said tutor who feigned not even getting what question he was talking about, then gave a couple of other excuses and eventually went quiet. He checked in the end with a chartered pal and yep we both confirmed that the book and tutor had been wrong. Clearly she should've said 'oops I don't know'!!!
-- Edited by Cheshire on Sunday 19th of February 2017 03:23:11 PM
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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
Yep, then around 6 months after publication Kaplan issue corrections online for their texts. Sometimes you, or at least I, need a real life situation to apply something to. Sort of learning through making connections. The thing is though education, even through distance learning isn't cheap so it wouldn't hurt for them to stray off course now and then.But then again who is it at the end of the phone? Could just be reading a script like other customer service providers....That's my moan anyhow! :)
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Johnny - Owner of an overly-active keyboard.
A man who can read, yet doesn't, is in no way wiser than a man who can't.
I do use Tolley study material but I self study and do not use a provider, I just buy the study books and then book the exams myself, I used a training provider when I first started AAT level 2 and found it to be so expensive and that when I did ask a question via email it sometimes took weeks for them to reply and by then I had already figured it out, so decided to just self study for levels 3&4.
So I carried this way of study onto ATT and if I do get stuck on something I have the Tolleys Tax legislation books to fall back on and also I use the Alan Melville Taxation book which I find very useful.
Cheers
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Doug
These are only my opinions of how I see things and therefore should not be taken as advice
Yep, then around 6 months after publication Kaplan issue corrections online for their texts. Sometimes you, or at least I, need a real life situation to apply something to. Sort of learning through making connections. The thing is though education, even through distance learning isn't cheap so it wouldn't hurt for them to stray off course now and then.But then again who is it at the end of the phone? Could just be reading a script like other customer service providers....That's my moan anyhow! :)
Unfortunately with a lot of providers of education (not all!) they are just concerned with getting people through exams and not teaching them the actual core subject so that they can understand it. Its just the same in schools these days!!! Dont get me started on that though. Now what you mean about real life and making the connections - harder to do sometimes on your own but more satisfaction gained when you do! I do say to quite a few people, if you are able to get more than one providers books then that can help, which is where Doug is at. Can make it expensive though!
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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
I think that these days any form of study will work out expensive but I still like the option of the flexibility that I am working to my own schedule and if I can not afford to buy the paper or take the exam then I don't have to.
With AAT it was different as you were allowed to book the external exams whenever you want so the quicker you studied the more it cost in fees and study books over a short period, but with ATT they only have the 2 sittings each year so although it will take longer to complete I will spread the cost over an 18 month period as there is only 3 written exams to take (1 down 2 to go)
The choice to self study was purely a financial one to begin with, but after trying it for AAT decided to carry it through to ATT, self study has worked for me and I enjoy it but I do know a few people who have tried it and have hated it.
Cheers
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Doug
These are only my opinions of how I see things and therefore should not be taken as advice
Yes Joanne I think Kaplan and BPP try to beat each other to market - I understand why, yet it can be a headache for those who are studying. You can spend 45 minutes on a question you believe is right, yet the book says you're wrong, when infant you are right.
How has your son gotten on? Has he completed the qualification?
Did you yourself study AAT?
I do like to self study, personally I don't see much value in paying for tutor support after past experiences.
If I was to get onto CIOT, that could change.
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Johnny - Owner of an overly-active keyboard.
A man who can read, yet doesn't, is in no way wiser than a man who can't.
I prefer the self study route - always had to do it to get on in my former career so its second nature.
Ive done many a course and exams across my career and indeed still doing some, latest one I am studying is ACCA, although I probably wont do all of them and its a bit for (sort of) fun, not with the aim to be practising at that level given Im such an old bird (52), looking to retire early (again!), this is my hobby business (lol) and given my main career was a long one (very long, 28 1/2 year) in Corporate Finance. So Ive covered a real mixed bag - BEC with 2 years Accounting, Law, AAT and ACIB (thats Chartered Banking, including Accounting btw - NOT to be confused with ICB in ANY way). I started doing my Dad's books and wages from being 15 and have ripped apart many a sets of Audited/unaudited Accounts, managements and CFFs in my job, so I guess you could say its something I feel at home with.
My son did his level 2 AAT and worked for me for a while and took to it like a duck to water. Had a client of his own, but that client took him under their wing after seeing his potential and offered him a job earning good money so now he works in the Search Engine industry. Tried to persuade him to do his level 3 but he has too many other things going on his life to study it seems.
Looks like you have it all sussed Doug! Trouble is, these days I find very little time for study but when I do some I then get withdrawal symptoms. Even been toying with the idea of losing a few more clients so I can study more. I also quite like helping other students out. Not enough hours in the day.
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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
I think I am far from having it sussed more like making it up as I go along, but I am fortunate enough that accounts are not my only source of income as I have a part time job so I am in the lucky position of being able to grow the business without pushing it to fast as well as finding time to study, I was thinking of packing in ATT after the Business Tax paper but found that I missed the study time and actually realised there was still so much more to learn.
Cheers
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Doug
These are only my opinions of how I see things and therefore should not be taken as advice
Get your Chartered badge that way if you only ever intend on working for yourself.
................
Stick with it Doug, you'll kick yourself if you give in halfway through.
How are you finding the law and ethics Doug?
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Johnny - Owner of an overly-active keyboard.
A man who can read, yet doesn't, is in no way wiser than a man who can't.
No, not gonna give up now found my second wind and enjoying it again.
As for Law & Ethics, got both the books but not taken the CBE yet, I read the ethics book and it was okay, a lot of the stuff was the same as AAT but in a lot more detail but hopefully won't have a problem with it.
Law now that's another matter I don't think I have ever been so bored with a book in my whole life every time I started to read it I would find an excuse to do something else couldn't manage more than a few pages at a time before putting it down, got about half way through it but as I was studying for the November exam decided to put it (happily) on the back burner.
It seemed that I was studying to be a Lawyer and not an Accountant.
My new plan for Law now is to get the May exam out of way and then have a couple of weeks intense reading and then take the exam, not sure if this will work but it's the only way I think I can bring myself to do it.
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Doug
These are only my opinions of how I see things and therefore should not be taken as advice
My plan it to go onto ATT after I have finished AAT. I love tax :D well I do at the moment, I may say differently when I get those 6 folders in front of me! I do find AAT sift over quite a bit, and find myself reading further to properly understand what I am studying.
Cheshire wrote:
When my son was doing his AAT he couldn't get the answer the book gave, he even watched the live online recording and saw the tutor answer it (wrongly, going round the houses and confusing the hell out of all her students) and so he gave it to me and I wrestled with it for a bit thinking i had it wrong, but realised the answer in the book was wrong. So he approached said tutor who feigned not even getting what question he was talking about, then gave a couple of other excuses and eventually went quiet. He checked in the end with a chartered pal and yep we both confirmed that the book and tutor had been wrong. Clearly she should've said 'oops I don't know'!!!
-- Edited by Cheshire on Sunday 19th of February 2017 03:23:11 PM
I found this a few times with my AAT at First Intuition. When I have questioned they have been quick in admitting I was right and the answer wrong :)
