AITI Qual only?

rrocksy9

Hey I've got a question (as people sometimes do on the boards....)

I'm considering doing the AITI as a stand alone qualification (without a
accountancy qual.)....in your experience, am I backing myself into a corner, regarding the work I'll be doing?

Cheers.

Fruiti

OKay well I work in a tax dept but have both ACA and AITI as do most people in the dept. If you go into a big 4 firm, you will be in the minority as most people complete both qualifications. however, if you are sure you want to work in tax (forever!) then having only AITI will not prevent you from being promoted and progressing to a certain level (in my firm anyway). the only thing is, from a general viewpoint, having the ACA is a fantastic advantage and given that tax work involves quite a lot of accounting based logic, it's probably more useful to have the two. in addition, if you have an accounting/business degree, you will gain exemptions from the ACA exams which in turn will give you exemption from part 1 (aiti). I did everything in 3 years so it doesnt actually add on that much time in terms of study. good luck!

The CCAinsider

It is a big decision to make this early in your career, you will be stuck in practice and in large practice at that…forever. IATA is an excellent qualification but only as an add on. You may decide that you do not like practice or indeed tax. IATA is straightforward and relatively easy after doing ACCA or ICAI. Ask some of the AITI only people and if they are honest they will admit to regretting not getting the general accounting qualification as well. Although you can move abroad with AITI you will find it much easier to move with ACCA or ACA after your name, AITI is only Irish tax (although with AITI to be fair you have some international mobility options, they are just very much reduced). AITI is well remunerated and initially perhaps even more than ACCA or ACA but the general qualification catches up quickly.

So the option is rainy Ireland looking after other peoples money for the rest of your life or….. well actually everything else is the other option.

Fruiti

AITI easy??!!! i definitely do not agree with that one! I thought the FAEs were a piece of cake compared to the part 3s. add to that the fact that the fae pass rate is 80% while the part 3 pass rate is 50%, and its the same calibre of people doing both! I don't view it as an add on qualification as it's worth a lot in its own right but I still think it's better to have both. I know several people from my Macc class who thought they'd do the tax as an add on and failed part 2 and didn't resit them. These are people who sailed through the faes! definitely not easy!!

The CCAinsider

The ACCA final tax paper would be a much higher standard than ACA and ACCAs therefore find AITI that much easier. But you are right, it is not something you can just sit and automatically pass, it requires the same amount of study as the professional accounting exams. The accounting exams will give you exemptions and a good grounding that make the AITI exams easier than if you were doing them from scratch.

Fruiti

Well I don't agree but that's off topic anyway and aca vs. acca has been discussed a million times already. OP - I think you should probably do both unless you have already decided that tax is definitely for you. having an accounting qualification will open lots of doors and you might find that you prefer a more general/financial career rather than a specifically tax focused one!

greendevil8

Can anyone tell me if it is possible to sit both aca and aiti at the same time, have exemptioms from both cap1 and part 1 so will be starting at part 2 level and was thinking of doin cap2 in modular stages ie doing just 2 subjects this year and 2 next year, any opinions would be greatly appreciated.

rrocksy9

greendevil8 wrote: »

Can anyone tell me if it is possible to sit both aca and aiti at the same time, have exemptioms from both cap1 and part 1 so will be starting at part 2 level and was thinking of doin cap2 in modular stages ie doing just 2 subjects this year and 2 next year, any opinions would be greatly appreciated.

As far as I know this is no problem. Although I didn't know that the ACA exams could be done in a modular form, I thought that the ACCA exams were the only ones that could be done like this.

Cheers for all the input I think after doing taxation my preference would be to tag a law qualification on to it. As the thought of doing an accounting qual. gives me acid reflux......:eek:

Mr. Incognito

depends on what are of tax,

corporation tax goes hand and hand with accounting- FSG all that jazz.

Income tax and VAT are more legal- I'm a solicitor with tax workin in income tax and I started with the AITI alone. no problem finding work.

Legend100

Just a side note to Fruiti...you did the two sets of exams in 3 years, that is some going! I did prof 2 last year and have just sat prof 3 (disaster I wont even talk about it!) and intend in the long run to go on and do the AITI but God Il need a rest once my contract is up, how did you manage it!!!

Fruiti

I did the macc in UCD first so once I started my contract I had only 3 sets of exams left. Part 2 in 1st year, FAE in 2nd year and Part 3 in 3rd year. Finito!! Some ppl do 2 sets in one year - like Part 2 and 3 together. Don't worry it'll fly by - and even though I didn't do it, I've heard prof 3 is harder than FAE so if you get this set you'll be sorted for next year!

foxy06

Finished the IATI exams this year and thinking of going on to do AITI. Really enjoy the tax end of things.