Personal Tax Rounding?

Devlin
Devlin Registered Posts: 24 Dedicated contributor 🦉
Hi

I've looked through the forums and see the question on rounding for the exams has been asked a few times, but there doesn't seem to be a definitive answer on what is right and wrong.

The sample assessment really doesn't help, especially with the question on car benefits using different rounding rules within the same task.

I'm just distance learning and all I've got to go on is the Osbourne book and what's on the AAT website. So I was just wondering what any students are getting told on how to round their answers, or if there's been any official word from the AAT.

I'd hate to lose easy marks over something simple like rounding, but I've got my exam in a couple of days and so far I can't tell if you round up, round down or if standard rounding rules apply, as there's no consistency with the AAT material.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Comments

  • Devlin
    Devlin Registered Posts: 24 Dedicated contributor 🦉
    Thanks, that's what I'll go with.

    I just wish the AAT could make their minds up on the matter, or at least let everyone know how the exams will be marked.
  • CeeJaySix
    CeeJaySix Registered Posts: 645
    As a rule of thumb always round in favour of the taxpayer.

    Whilst I don't know for certain, I would be surprised if you don't get at least some credit in the exams for answers that are just rounded the wrong way.
  • Bamboogarden
    Bamboogarden Registered Posts: 4
    I know which question you're talking about. I showed my teacher and she said that the exams should allow for different rounding up/down. I hope she's right and while practising assessment papers I have found they tend to round up.
  • Devlin
    Devlin Registered Posts: 24 Dedicated contributor 🦉
    Thanks for the responses, I sat this exam last Wednesday and was quite pleased that only one of the questions that is automatically marked required any rounding, so hopefully it shouldn't make a difference to if I passed or not.

    I would like to think your teacher would be right, and the exam wouldn't mark you down for rounding up or down. It would be nice though if the AAT could have confirmed this somewhere, or maybe have it written somewhere in the text at the start of the assessments, as there's enough to learn and stress over when preparing for an exam without having to worry about rounding.
  • Kelly7
    Kelly7 Registered Posts: 218 Beyond epic contributor 🧙‍♂️
    The assessment on here uses both which does not help. I emailed AAT three times asking and never got a response. Not good when it could be the difference between a pass and fail x
  • NickCraggs
    NickCraggs Registered, Tutor Posts: 62 Regular contributor ⭐
    The actual rule is that you round in the favour of the tax payer, so you would round any income, such as BIK down, and any allowable expenses up.
    Nick Craggs FMAAT AATQB ACA, AAT Branch Member and Distance Learning Director at First Intuition

    firstintuition.co.uk/
  • HeatherMac
    HeatherMac Registered Posts: 1
    My Tutor had a response regardnig this"I have had a reply from the AAT Personal Tax eam. They have confirmed that you may round up or down in your answers and that the assessment platform has been programmed to accept both answers. "
Privacy Policy