I am looking to start on my own as self employed bookkeeper/accountant. I am AAT qualified and have been working in practice for 2 years now. I have general experience such as recording sales, purchases, bank recs, payroll. I have never done self assessments or year end accounts on my own, only helped. Same with VAT returns, never done it on my own, only helped in recording the vat receipts.
My question is from where do I start? It would be lovely if somebody shares their experience.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
-- Edited by Sarah5 on Tuesday 18th of December 2018 04:52:59 PM
-- Edited by Sarah5 on Tuesday 18th of December 2018 05:07:46 PM
Bad time of year for lengthy responses, silly season is here.
Regulars back stories are all on here.
First suggestion to getting started is to apply for your AAT licence. That will tell you what you can and can't do anyway, given your lack of experience in certain areas.
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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
Loads of stuff on here about starting out just need to have a look around
Other thing to consider is if you are going to stay on employed while your business takes off is whether your contract will allow you to set up on your own
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Doug
These are only my opinions of how I see things and therefore should not be taken as advice
Oh no Doug, unfortunately not this time, absolutely no time to spare for baking , which is soooooo very annoying as usually its a bake off feast at mine house at this time of year, just to meet the orders from my family in Bath, never mind the rest of the gannets! Might try to fit some in between Christmas and New Year, although the plan is just to get very drunk and eat cheese, pate and posh nibbles.
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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
You do know though, dont you John, that the best laid plans........
I so hate that term, every time I hear it reminds me of back in secondary school (Yes I still call it secondary school) when we had to read the book 'Of mice and men' and I hated it, that was over 35 years ago and now my daughter is having to read it at her school
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Doug
These are only my opinions of how I see things and therefore should not be taken as advice
You do know though, dont you John, that the best laid plans........
I so hate that term, every time I hear it reminds me of back in secondary school (Yes I still call it secondary school) when we had to read the book 'Of mice and men' and I hated it, that was over 35 years ago and now my daughter is having to read it at her school
Can I ask why? I didn't do it at school, but was encouraged to read it about 17 years ago and appreciated it.
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John
Any advice given is for general guidance and professional advice should be sought applicable to your circumstances.
Can I ask why? I didn't do it at school, but was encouraged to read it about 17 years ago and appreciated it.
Hi John
I don't think it was the case of the book, not that I remember to much about the content to be honest.
I just remember hating having to go into English and reading it because I found it so boring, but I think at the age of 15 I probably would have disliked any book they had made us read, apart from sport I hated everything to do with school
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Doug
These are only my opinions of how I see things and therefore should not be taken as advice
Yes, maybe at the age of 15 I may have found it boring too, although English was my favourite subject.
We used to have modules that were on A3 card made into a 4 page booklet, with a story and then a series of questions afterwards. Me and a couple of other lads were in competition with each other so we were racing through them ten to the dozen.
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John
Any advice given is for general guidance and professional advice should be sought applicable to your circumstances.
My English teacher (well one of them) used to go on about seeing God!
We had Reading Lists - several books we had to read each year, in the school holidays. Hated the fact we had to do so in the hols but we read some fab books, more appreciated since I got older. The Hobbit, Lord of The Rings, 1984, Great Expectations, Little Women, The Triffids, Anne of Green Gables, Heidi, Lancashire Witches and Anne Frank amongst them.
Quite enlightened for a bunch of nuns! When an old school pal and I did one of those daft Facebook quizzes on classic books read, we both got in the top 90% and realised we must be quite well read.
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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
, which is soooooo very annoying as usually its a bake off feast at mine house at this time of year, just to meet the orders from my family in Bath, never mind the rest of the gannets! Might try to fit some in between Christmas and New Year, although the plan is just to get very drunk and eat cheese, pate and posh nibbles.
