which optional unit??

kerryhill100
kerryhill100 Registered Posts: 121 Dedicated contributor πŸ¦‰
Hello,

I am about to sign up for technician level but unsure of the best optional unit to do. I have completed unit 15 under the old standards but am now moving over to the new qualification so will only need to do 1.

I dont fancy audit so it seems to be a toss up between the 2 tax modules.

can any one offer any advice or guidance?

Thank you so much (in advance!)

Comments

  • jenny3549
    jenny3549 Registered Posts: 472 Dedicated contributor πŸ¦‰
    Hey Kerry,

    I was in exactly the same boat last week so posted the same question! Pretty much everyone advised Personal Tax out of the two as they found it easier than Business Tax so that's what I've gone for.

    Opened my new book last night - going ok so far apart from the fact one of my cats seems to be obsessed with it and keeps sitting on whichever open page I'm trying to read!

    Is this an omen?
  • kerryhill100
    kerryhill100 Registered Posts: 121 Dedicated contributor πŸ¦‰
    thank you so much for your reply!

    Im really panicing starting this year!

    (still have FRA CBE to sit in few weeks for intermediate!)

    What does personal tax involve?
  • jenny3549
    jenny3549 Registered Posts: 472 Dedicated contributor πŸ¦‰
    thank you so much for your reply!

    Im really panicing starting this year!

    (still have FRA CBE to sit in few weeks for intermediate!)

    What does personal tax involve?

    Well, I'm only 3 chapters in so far but it was the one I was looking forward to the most. (I'm cheating by starting with this rather than MAC or DFS!).

    It's basically about allowances, capital gains tax, tax on property rental etc. I think it's good as you can relate at least part of it to every day life, even if it's just how your own salary is taxed.

    I do think Business Tax would have been interesting as well and would have chosen to do that if I was on the old route and had to take two options but, since I only needed one I plumped for this.

    Don't worry about FRA, I'm sure you'll be fine!
  • kerryhill100
    kerryhill100 Registered Posts: 121 Dedicated contributor πŸ¦‰
    that sounds great! I worked in personal finance for 5 years looking at wage slips every day so at least i understand that part!!
  • jenny3549
    jenny3549 Registered Posts: 472 Dedicated contributor πŸ¦‰
    I'm just glad to find someone else who's doing Technician on the new standards - don't feel all alone now!

    :biggrin:
  • beavis182
    beavis182 Registered Posts: 130 Dedicated contributor πŸ¦‰
    Am also due to start Technician level under the new standards in the next few weeks through distance learning. I have been keen to start learning about personal tax as well. Im not sure what other optional unit to take, whether auditing or the credit management part... Im not to bothered about which unit is more relevant to my current job as im hoping to be job hunting when im MAAT in a year before moving on to ACCA. I assume credit management might be better as its just a project rather than an exam??
  • jenny3549
    jenny3549 Registered Posts: 472 Dedicated contributor πŸ¦‰
    Am also due to start Technician level under the new standards in the next few weeks through distance learning. I have been keen to start learning about personal tax as well. Im not sure what other optional unit to take, whether auditing or the credit management part... Im not to bothered about which unit is more relevant to my current job as im hoping to be job hunting when im MAAT in a year before moving on to ACCA. I assume credit management might be better as its just a project rather than an exam??

    Hi Beavis. Excellent, we're multiplying!!!

    Can't advise on audit but I did credit management at Intermediate and it was fairly straight-forward although, I have to say, not the most interesting unit in the world!

    Personally, I'd do anything to avoid a project but that's just me - I'm dreading unit 10!
  • beavis182
    beavis182 Registered Posts: 130 Dedicated contributor πŸ¦‰
    Hello Jenny

    Not sure which units what really but i shall be leaving Budgeting and Financial Performance until last as im guessing these are a follow-on from ECR on Intermediate level? (which i hated)

    I hate exams in general really as i just panic about them so having a couple of projects to do might help a little.
  • kerryhill100
    kerryhill100 Registered Posts: 121 Dedicated contributor πŸ¦‰
    Hello Jenny

    Not sure which units what really but i shall be leaving Budgeting and Financial Performance until last as im guessing these are a follow-on from ECR on Intermediate level? (which i hated)

    I hate exams in general really as i just panic about them so having a couple of projects to do might help a little.

    I enjoyed ECR did it in 4 weeks. maths Im good at english Im not!!!

    Do you know if you have done unit 15 then you only have to do one optional unit?
  • kerryhill100
    kerryhill100 Registered Posts: 121 Dedicated contributor πŸ¦‰
    oh and I have spoken to my tutor today and will be starting with unit 10 to get it out of the way!!!

    we have a little study group forming here lol
  • jenny3549
    jenny3549 Registered Posts: 472 Dedicated contributor πŸ¦‰
    oh and I have spoken to my tutor today and will be starting with unit 10 to get it out of the way!!!

    we have a little study group forming here lol

    That's what I was thinking - we'll be able to help each other through although I know we'll also get help from all the other lovely people on here too (thanks in advance guys!).

    Must admit, I know I shouldn't, but I'll probably end up leaving unit 10 til last as I know I'm going to hate it!
  • kerryhill100
    kerryhill100 Registered Posts: 121 Dedicated contributor πŸ¦‰
    gt t out they way 1st then not so much to stress about!!
  • jenny3549
    jenny3549 Registered Posts: 472 Dedicated contributor πŸ¦‰
    I know, I know, but I'm weak!!!
  • zara5034
    zara5034 Registered Posts: 170 Dedicated contributor πŸ¦‰
    Hello everyone

    I'm in the same boat, just completed intermediate via distance learning so I also only need to do 1 optional Unit, unfortunately the college I will be starting at state that you have to choose between 2 sets of options, so you either take audit, or personal tax , Then you either take Cashflow or business tax. As I dont want to take audit I will have to take personal tax, which should be ok, but I was sort of interested in business tax as I now work for a Ltd company so it may have been quite relevant.

    As for Unit 10, I bought the Osborne book from a past student on here and it is brilliant, I have more or less completed my project already.

    I'm quite looking forward to starting college next month, it will be quite a change from distance learning!

    Cheers

    Zara
  • jenny3549
    jenny3549 Registered Posts: 472 Dedicated contributor πŸ¦‰
    zara5034 wrote: Β»

    I'm quite looking forward to starting college next month, it will be quite a change from distance learning!

    Especially after the distance learning provider we had (who shall remain nameless!). I'm sure you'll enjoy college. I'm still DL but with Kaplan now so should be ok.

    Well done on getting ahead with unit 10 - that's it, go on, just make me feel worse!!!

    :biggrin:
  • zara5034
    zara5034 Registered Posts: 170 Dedicated contributor πŸ¦‰
    Especially after the distance learning provider we had (who shall remain nameless!). I'm sure you'll enjoy college. I'm still DL but with Kaplan now so should be ok.

    Well done on getting ahead with unit 10 - that's it, go on, just make me feel worse!!!

    :biggrin:

    Awwww sorry!

    I'm quite lucky though, the subject was really easy to choose as I've just been employed to set up, sort out and eventually run a payroll system for my new employer as they don't currently have any sort of system in place, so I had a field day writing the report and the Osborne book made it really easy. I just hope I haven't gone off on a tangent and done it all wrong lol
  • jenny3549
    jenny3549 Registered Posts: 472 Dedicated contributor πŸ¦‰
    Excellent - that's great timing for it. I'm probably going to have to do some sort of case study since I've been at my place for 8 years so all the systems and changes I put in place are too old to count.
  • kerryhill100
    kerryhill100 Registered Posts: 121 Dedicated contributor πŸ¦‰
    right its official I bullied my other half in to paying fees for tech level last night so all material out in the post today!!! no backing out now!!!
  • sianisian
    sianisian Registered Posts: 11 New contributor 🐸
    Oh can I be part of this gang? :)

    I am about to start level 4 - I'm doing it unit by unit as I am too skint to fork out for the whole level in one go. I have picked financial statements to start with...

    Very interested to learn that doing unit 15 under the old standards means you only have to do one optional unit - I did not know that!
  • kerryhill100
    kerryhill100 Registered Posts: 121 Dedicated contributor πŸ¦‰
    Oh can I be part of this gang? :)

    I am about to start level 4 - I'm doing it unit by unit as I am too skint to fork out for the whole level in one go. I have picked financial statements to start with...

    Very interested to learn that doing unit 15 under the old standards means you only have to do one optional unit - I did not know that!

    of course you can be part of our 'gang'!!!
  • jenny3549
    jenny3549 Registered Posts: 472 Dedicated contributor πŸ¦‰
    of course you can be part of our 'gang'!!!

    Come on in, the water's lovely!

    More the merrier.

    :biggrin:
  • sianisian
    sianisian Registered Posts: 11 New contributor 🐸
    Aww thanks! I often browse these forums but I've never dipped a toe in until now!
  • zara5034
    zara5034 Registered Posts: 170 Dedicated contributor πŸ¦‰
    Oh can I be part of this gang? :)

    I am about to start level 4 - I'm doing it unit by unit as I am too skint to fork out for the whole level in one go. I have picked financial statements to start with...

    Very interested to learn that doing unit 15 under the old standards means you only have to do one optional unit - I did not know that!

    Hello! I'm also looking at financial statements, I've heard this one is quite difficult so thought I'd get some back-ground knowledge in before college starts, I'm also dreading the costing unit, I think it's ok once you get the hang of it, it's just getting your head round it first time.
  • jenny3549
    jenny3549 Registered Posts: 472 Dedicated contributor πŸ¦‰
    zara5034 wrote: Β»
    Hello! I'm also looking at financial statements, I've heard this one is quite difficult so thought I'd get some back-ground knowledge in before college starts, I'm also dreading the costing unit, I think it's ok once you get the hang of it, it's just getting your head round it first time.

    For background Steve Collings recommends Clare Finch's book 'A Student's Guide to IFRS'. I'm going to get this when I start on that unit as everyone has said it's really good. Available on Amazon apparently.
  • ali the hero
    ali the hero Registered Posts: 14 New contributor 🐸
    hi all,
    just thought id ask on this thread, is it possible to do all 4 optional units?
    just that i thought given they give some exemptions from aca it would be easier to do them now lol
    thanks
  • zara5034
    zara5034 Registered Posts: 170 Dedicated contributor πŸ¦‰
    For background Steve Collings recommends Clare Finch's book 'A Student's Guide to IFRS'. I'm going to get this when I start on that unit as everyone has said it's really good. Available on Amazon apparently.

    Yes I'm now trying to get hold of that book, I saw the previous thread about it. I think I will need all the help I can get with this unit. Has anything changed since the book was published like any of the IFS's?
  • zara5034
    zara5034 Registered Posts: 170 Dedicated contributor πŸ¦‰
    hi all,
    just thought id ask on this thread, is it possible to do all 4 optional units?
    just that i thought given they give some exemptions from aca it would be easier to do them now lol
    thanks

    I have wondered this myself, I don't see why you can't, depending on whether your at college or distance learning, there may be a way of purchasing the additional units. you can certainly buy individual units to study by distance learning.

    I feel that the other 2 units that I'm not taking may be quite useful in the course of my job, which has made choosing quite difficult, however, I am more interested in personal tax than Audit, so I know which unit I will be choosing! (as I have to pick one of the two)
  • jenny3549
    jenny3549 Registered Posts: 472 Dedicated contributor πŸ¦‰
    hi all,
    just thought id ask on this thread, is it possible to do all 4 optional units?
    just that i thought given they give some exemptions from aca it would be easier to do them now lol
    thanks

    I asked the same thing myself as I had wanted to do both tax units but only need one option. Apparently, once you have completed Technician you can contact the AAT to re-open your ability to take more units.

    Just bear in mind that you won't get anymore exemptions for doing the additional units than you would otherwise. So, don't do it for that, but if you want to do them for your own benefit, like Zara does, then go for it!
  • beavis182
    beavis182 Registered Posts: 130 Dedicated contributor πŸ¦‰
    Just sent off the first draft of Unit 10 to my assessor. The company i work for has a whole long list of weaknesses that need to be improved upon so it wasnt too hard (well saying that, i hope the 4000 i managed were ok and on the right track)

    Fingers crossed for good feedback from Premier Training.
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