My husband has his own Ltd. company with two employees. Him as a 'Design Engineer' and me as 'Bookkeeper'. I want to know exactly what I am doing, gain a recognised qualification AND possibly look at taking in extra bookkeeping work in the future from small businesses or other 'design engineers'.
Have a look at the AAT. You can do their bookkeeping qualification and once you have got so far you can then orocess things up to Trial balance and your Accountant can then do the rest. Suggest the Accountant also does the payroll. If you decide you want to go down that route, look at the CIPP qualification. You can do both qualifications via distance learning and there are a few options of just DL, access to pre recorded lectures or even live online ones from the comfort of home.
You will need MLR and PII cover in place as soon as you start doing the work on a self employed basis.
-- Edited by Cheshire on Monday 19th of September 2016 09:17:14 AM
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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
I have just signed up to AAT book keeping course with The Distance Learning College. I have spent weeks/months wading through the different qualifications and providers. It will weigh you down but keep with it. I looked at ICB, IAB and AAT. In the end the AAT held more weight if I didn't pursue a freelance career, leaving me free to make that decision when I get qualified. Have a look into all of them and see which one suits you and your requirements.
Joanne, is correct in that the AAT Bookkeeping qualification will offer you the route to self employment, but you would be able to go beyond Trial balance and actually complete accounts for sole traders. That includes Profit & Loss Account and Balance Sheet. Their Level 3 Advanced Bookkeeping course covers these aspects.
I get the feel that you are not looking to seek accounting work withinn the financial sector and another route for self employment as a bookkeeper is the range of ICB qualifications. Joanne mentioned the element of payroll and they can also offer a qualifiaction that would allow you to offer a service in this area to prospective clients. You'd also be able complete accounts for not for profit organisations and partnerships under the ICB umbrella.
Both qualifiactions have accredited training providers if you are looking for supported learning and there are also self study options as well as face to face study options. Within each qualifiaction website you can see what options would suit you best.
I'm sorry, I need to add a correction as Joanne is correct in AAT will only cover you to Trial Balance under their Bookkeeping qualifiaction. many apologies.
with the utmost respect if people are looking to keep the option of employment open then they really shpouldn't be looking at ICB... Or for that matter IAB, or Pitmans, or City and Guilds, or the Open University, or even the AAT Bookkeeping qualification.
The main one that impresses potential employers is the AAT qualification that reselts in the member becoming an MAAT.
I would even say that route is even better for people than PQ via one of the higher bodies such as ACCA or CIMA where you encounter issues of finding yourself over qualified for the roles.
I think that Caroline has made a fine choice and we should all be wishing her the very best in her studies rather than confusing matters with options that are nowhere near as good as the route that she has already chosen.
One other minor point. I'm sure that you are doing it completely sub consciously but it also appeared in your post after mine lat night so I think that I need to say something.
You state "Joanne is correct" last night you said "Shaun is correct", That unfortunately comes across as though you are in some sort of position of authority over us. I appreciate fully that you are used to dealing with entry level career changers and it's easy for the mannerisms to spill over when talking to people who are not in the same category (I've done it myself when talking to people overseas then continued to speak in simplified English to my colleages without thinking about what I was doing). As I say, it's very easy done but I thought that I needed to mention it as both Joanne and Myself come from senior positions in multi trillion turnover companies so we're really not the sort of people who would be looking for your approval or validation of our statements.
Just wanted to mention it as sure that you had not noticed the way that it might come accross to the casual reader.
kindest regards,
Shaun.
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Shaun
Responses are not meant as a substitute for professional advice. Answers are intended as outline only the advice of a qualified professional with access to all relevant information should be sought before acting on any response given.
Oh crickey bomb it Brian! Good thing I had to wander upstairs to get my glasses after seeing your response as I thought I was going to have to slap your hand.
Yes only up to TB for Limited.
Actually I must also just add something for anyone reading this that I think is confusing a lot of people including many AAT level three students. You can apply to be an AATQB member when you have passed the level 3, BUT this does not give you an automatic licence to practice as self employed - you have to apply and each case is judged on its merits, which includes experience.
On another aspect I did suggest the AAT route as this qualification opens more doors to getting work from Accountants so even if the poster did not want to work in an Accountancy practice a valuable source of work are of course the Accountants round about. Some of course do work well with ICB students and some will provide work to only those that they have first hand of/knowledge of their work standards/ethics etc, but in the main Accountants are looking at for the AAT quals.
Although - this appears to be another poster who has asked such a question and not been back on to the site.
__________________
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
Please be assured that I assume no authority over anyone in this forum. In relation to this thread I suggest that you re-read the first and third post as they are from two different people, the first was actually looking for advice on which route to take and this is who I was aiming my reposnse to.
I appreciate fully that you are used to dealing with entry level career changers and it's easy for the mannerisms to spill over when talking to people who are not in the same category (I've done it myself when talking to people overseas then continued to speak in simplified English to my colleages without thinking about what I was doing). As I say, it's very easy done but I thought that I needed to mention it as both Joanne and Myself come from senior positions in multi trillion turnover companies so we're really not the sort of people who would be looking for your approval or validation of our statements.
Just wanted to mention it as sure that you had not noticed the way that it might come accross to the casual reader.
kindest regards,
Shaun.
Lol Shaun
I get interrupted by a client and once again you beat me to it with you post - I must be getting very slow in my old age.
Your comment about the entry level career changes had me thinking back to an old school pal of mine - the eldest of four sisters (their poor Father is all I can say about that bit!). One of them got a job as a reception class teacher and OMG when we went out to the pub with her we had to slap her....often.....as she would be in 'speak to four year old' mode for about 5 hours after work if you didnt nip it in the bud.
Never mind the time my pal made it to Corporate Finance before I had even heard of the place. When I asked him how it was going and how hard the work was he very proudly stated he had just had a mortgage signed off for 27. Me....all young sweet and innocent said oh what £27000 (yes ok Im old and it was many years ago and no Im not talking house mortages, but you could easily buy a house for that then!) Errr no he said - £27,000,000! Reckon though the multi trillion industry is hard for many to get their heads around.
-- Edited by Cheshire on Friday 30th of September 2016 12:05:37 AM
__________________
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
Hello Rachel Dont let all this chatter on about 'stuff' batter your head again. Keep focussed, enjoy the course when it arrives. As you rightly said earlier today - you have kept your options only by doing what you are doing - you get can further advice down the line.
Actually I could've sworn I did a post to you earlier to ask you what module you thought you might star with or are you going to wait until the books arrive? I'm sure you will enjoy it and feel free to ask if you get stuck with anything.
-- Edited by Cheshire on Friday 30th of September 2016 12:30:00 AM
__________________
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
