Membership fee.

stardast

Hello everybody.
Would you please advise me if I really need to pay membership fee.
I am working in small business as accounts assistant and after completing AAT Level 4 not planning to progress any further.
I don`t see any benefit from paying £82.00 a year.
May be I am not aware of some rules????
Please give your opinion.
Thank you.

T.C.

It depends if you want to advertise as a MEMBER of the AAT!

janwal

Have you actually completed all the levels and passed all the exams ? or am I reading it wrong.

uknitty

You can't use MAAT if you are not paying membership fees (since the title denotes you are a Member of the AAT)

My colleague is AAT qualified but didn't keep up their subscription fees. To attend courses and seminars that are non AAT costs between £75 to £200 each time . I have managed to attend seminars covering the same subjects for FREE as a member of the AAT.

I don't really understand why anyone would go to all the trouble of sitting the exams that allow you to become a member and then not bother to take up membership ?

aaron0121

One reason for not taking up membership is if you decide to go straight onto ACCA/CIMA, you may only see AAT as
a stepping stone for chartered accountancy

aaron0121

oops double post

uknitty

I'm going on to ACA and I'm definitely going to keep up my AAT membership. I've worked too hard to gain the qualification to not fully use it for the sake of what actually amounts to under £7 a month (less than that again if you are still studying as you get reduced membership fees whilst you study for chartered quals)

Keeping up membership means I can still attend all the courses and access the online webinars. I just received an audio recording from a webinar today about advanced pivot tables which I'll probably take a look at over the weekend.

stardast

Thank you all.
I have completed all 2,3,4 levels last year and about to become full member of AAT.
The only problem that I don`t see much of benefit of it.
10 % off car and home insurance plus some distore discounts.
What else does it give me???
Have you ever attended any seminars or courses for full memebers??
Were they any good??
Can I still use MAAT letters under my name if I stop paying the fee.

Regards to all.

villapb

If nobody paid it then what would happen, no more aat, its like paying union fees. I can see where your coming from but if you have a passion for accountancy like 90% of us, then you would pay the fee, be doing cpd, reading forums, and always have a thirst for knowledge. But if you just want earn a wage and be stuck doing the seem job until you retire or die, then stop paying the fee lol..............you see what im trying to say.
AAT isnt all about passing exams like a college qualification, its about, developing accountancy at a lower more down to earth day to day level.

villapb

ps No you cant use maat, cheeky of what..........if you stop paying

aaron0121

villapb wrote: »

ps No you cant use maat, cheeky of what..........if you stop paying

LOL you sir are a legend

Hi Stardast,

This link provides a bit more information on the benefits of having MAAT,
http://www.aat.org.uk/membership/aat-additions)

uknitty

The letters MAAT stand for MEMBER of the association of Accounting Technicians. If you don't keep up your membership (i.e by paying membership fees) then no - you are not MAAT.

One of the requirements of Membership is that you document your CPD to show that your skills are up to date. You won't be able to fulfill this requirement if you don't keep up to date with membership.

Monsoon

stardast wrote: »

The only problem that I don`t see much of benefit of it.
10 % off car and home insurance plus some distore discounts.

These are incidental.

Have you ever attended any seminars or courses for full memebers??

Yes

Were they any good??

Very.

Can I still use MAAT letters under my name if I stop paying the fee.

Not on your nelly!!

As others have said, the AAT is not just an academic qualification. Part of being in the profession is recognising all your hard work by being a member.

If you plan on having a career in accountancy, then I would pay the fees. If you work in accounts, it's tax deductible at least