AAT Licenced Bookkeeper & Self Assessments

DannyT90

I've noticed most bookkeepers offer to do self assessments for people who are self employed.

I have an AAT bookkeepers licence and would like to offer this service but unsure what tier it would fall under.

As an AAT Licenced bookkeeper, can I carry out self assessments? I can't see why not, as I will have to do my own anyways.

Any other AAT Bookkeepers do self assessments?

hal978

Self-assessment comes under Personal income tax or Business income tax, so Licence Tier 2:

https://www.aat.org.uk/about-aat/applying-for-an-aat-licence/services-covered-by-an-AAT-licence

colls10

Does this mean then, that with an AAT licence and AATQB Qualified, you cannot offer self assessment ???

DannyT90

That was my response, as most, if not all, bookkeepers offer self assessments surely??

hal978

colls10 said:

Does this mean then, that with an AAT licence and AATQB Qualified, you cannot offer self assessment ???

No you can't offer it, because Licence tier 2 is not available to AATQB, only MAAT/FMAAT.

DannyT90 said:

That was my response, as most, if not all, bookkeepers offer self assessments surely??

Well if they are then they are offering services outside their licence, which is in breach of the licensing policy and could get them into trouble with AAT.

There are exemptions mentioned in the licensing exemption policy, e.g. you can offer those services if you offer it to other accountancy firms on a subcontractor basis, or if you are regulated by one of the accountancy bodies listed therein.

colls10

This is if you use an AAT licence . Let’s not forget you don’t legally have to be licensed to offer bookkeeping or accounting , but you will be more trusted more being licences. I myself study through and with AAT and achieved my aatqb and I am continuing to gain my level 4 with some great help from AAT. I am a careee changer a bit later on in life due to family circumstances and have found it hard to gain any hands on experience . I have gained a licence though the IAB after completing my compliance programme ,- I can offer services I feel capable of providing . I am regulated for compliance and money laundering with them and have my own P.I in place .

DannyT90

I don't mean AAT bookkeepers. I meant bookkeepers in general.

So if I'm licenced with AAT but then also get myself licenced with say IAB, who allow you to do self assessments, would I be breaching AAT licencing policy?

colls10

You would not be able to use AAT letters such as AATQB or the licence if offering services outside the AAT tiers given to you with the AAT , but with the IAB you would as long as you are only offering services within your knowledge and skill set, again this also is to show you meet the criteria of professional competence .

DannyT90

So if I'm to offer bookkeeping services to someone, I would have to pass them on to am accountant or another bookkeeper?

colls10

Look up the IAB. They don’t set in Stone your tiers etc. You can get licensed with them after meeting their compliance programme . You can offer services you feel comfortable in doing so. Depending on company formation will obviously vary their end of year reports that are statutory or not . I went to i a b as finding it very hard to get the hands on experience to gain AAT licence .

DannyT90

I'll have a look thanks.

But you say if I register with IAB and carry out things like self assessments, I'll no longer be able to be licenced as an AAT Bookkeeper?

colls10

To be honest I am un sure if you would be able to or even why you would want two licences . Basically carrying work outside of AAT licensed tiers under their licence would mean you were operating outside of your limits with tbs AAT. IAB licence would not as no tiers

TreadStone

Why not just call AAT ?

reader

From a strict reading it looks like you can't be AATQB and do self assessments on a self-employed basis. Therefore if you want to prepare tax returns don't go down the AATQB route, i.e. go down the unqualified route or IAB route.

colls10

To be a member of the IAB you either sit their exams or use previous exams from say, the aat as exemptions , so to say Unqualified isn’t true