Registered AITI Tax Qualification Info and Questions

Pawwed Rig · 05-04-2018 4:20pm

Are you completely clueless in the other 2 or could you have a bash at them? If you have any knowledge at all I would try and answer as much as I can even if you know that you will not attain the passing grade.

louise1985 · 13-04-2018 7:06pm

Hi All, hoping someone is doing part 2 CTA. I’m stuck on personal taxes summer 2015 q1 in relation to the high earners calculation why does the solution not include the industrial buildings allowance of €70,000 in the calculation of specified reliefs. Thanks in advance

stormpiper · 13-04-2018 7:18pm

louise1985 wrote: »

Hi All, hoping someone is doing part 2 CTA. I’m stuck on personal taxes summer 2015 q1 in relation to the high earners calculation why does the solution not include the industrial buildings allowance of €70,000 in the calculation of specified reliefs. Thanks in advance

There is no restriction on Industrial buildings allowances used by manufacturing type trades.

monkeylover10 · 15-04-2018 9:15pm

Pawwed Rig wrote: »

Are you completely clueless in the other 2 or could you have a bash at them? If you have any knowledge at all I would try and answer as much as I can even if you know that you will not attain the passing grade.

Hi, yeah I will have a bash at both tomorrow & Tuesday exam but to be honest I know I will fail as I haven't looked at those subjects since end of January & haven't practiced any question papers either. I'd prefer not to go at all but you have to sit all 4. I'm sure the invigilators are used to people leaving so won't mind.

I finished work on Friday & took next week off as hols (some hols!!) for exams. I am well ready (I think!) For CAT & VAT and can't wait for Friday evening!!

Best of luck to anyone sitting exams this week...

Happy4all · 21-04-2018 9:50am

monkeylover10 wrote: »

Hi, yeah I will have a bash at both tomorrow & Tuesday exam but to be honest I know I will fail as I haven't looked at those subjects since end of January & haven't practiced any question papers either. I'd prefer not to go at all but you have to sit all 4. I'm sure the invigilators are used to people leaving so won't mind.

I finished work on Friday & took next week off as hols (some hols!!) for exams. I am well ready (I think!) For CAT & VAT and can't wait for Friday evening!!

Best of luck to anyone sitting exams this week...

Virtually impossible to pass these without study and doing pass papers, unless you work in taxes the whole time. Hopefully it went alright and coming back to do 2 won't seem so bad.

Looking at some of the papers, they seem to be putting a ridiculous amount of content into some questions.

louise1985 · 22-05-2018 10:16am

Hi All,

Is anyone on here completing part 3 assignment that might want to bounce a few ideas around. I'm not working in tax and finding the part 3 a massive step up from part 2!

Thanks,

LFC1990 · 16-07-2018 11:09am

Hey, does anyone possess a manual that contains Part 3 past exam papers with solutions? Willing to pay €€€

Pawwed Rig · 16-07-2018 11:39am

There is a past papers manual. I am sure it is available on the website though.

LFC1990 · 16-07-2018 2:02pm

Pawwed Rig wrote: »

There is a past papers manual. I am sure it is available on the website though.

Thanks, I can't view these as I am not a registered for part 3 yet (Registration opens at the end of August). However, I have some free time over the next 6 weeks and thought I'd be proactive. I work full time and receive no study leave so it's important for me to be as resourceful as possible with any free time that comes my way. If anyone has these exams papers I'd be more than happy to buy them off them. Thanks again.

Pawwed Rig · 16-07-2018 5:35pm

I have the 2014-2015 ones here if that is any good to you. In Dublin 1.
You can have them for free.

crebel81 · 17-07-2018 1:35pm

LFC1990 wrote: »

Thanks, I can't view these as I am not a registered for part 3 yet (Registration opens at the end of August). However, I have some free time over the next 6 weeks and thought I'd be proactive. I work full time and receive no study leave so it's important for me to be as resourceful as possible with any free time that comes my way. If anyone has these exams papers I'd be more than happy to buy them off them. Thanks again.

I can give you 2016 and 2017. Send a pm if interested.

Heisenburg81 · 18-08-2018 12:03pm

How did people find the Part 2 Exams this week?
Personally, I found the IT paper very difficult and abstract and bordering on unfair.
Found the other three papers fine.

barneystinson · 18-08-2018 12:39pm

Heisenburg81 wrote: »

How did people find the Part 2 Exams this week?
Personally, I found the IT paper very difficult and abstract and bordering on unfair.
Found the other three papers fine.

If they allowed you post on boards during the exam you'd have been grand...

Heisenburg81 · 18-08-2018 12:53pm

barneystinson wrote: »

If they allowed you post on boards during the exam you'd have been grand...

Nah, the response time would have been too slow!

Happy4all · 18-08-2018 1:03pm

Heisenburg81 wrote: »

How did people find the Part 2 Exams this week?
Personally, I found the IT paper very difficult and abstract and bordering on unfair.
Found the other three papers fine.

Seems to be a trend. Was speaking to someone from work who sat it and they thought the CAT stamp duty question was much tougher than usual and very few easy marks.

Heisenburg81 · 18-08-2018 2:19pm

Happy4all wrote: »

Seems to be a trend. Was speaking to someone from work who sat it and they thought the CAT stamp duty question was much tougher than usual and very few easy marks.

Yes, Stamp Duty departed from the format the last few years. Focused on associated company relief and a calculation had to be done to ascertain holdings directly and indirectly.
Can I just ask a question - In the IT compulsory question it focused on a sole trader assessable spouse dying during the 2017 year and his wife taking over.

eg Profits 30.06.16 150,000
Profits 30.06.17 200,000
Profits 30.06.18 250,000

Sole trader died 30.06.17 but wife carried on.
She had a salary for 2017 of 24,000 from this trade.

Am I correct in saying that the Revenue concession could be adopted to avoid any cessation or commencement provisions and thus the only assessable income for 2017 was the profits to 30.06.17 and assessed on the husband?
Also, 1/2 of her salary for 2017 was now drawings and an addback in 2018 but not 2017?
What about her Schedule E for 2017 - only tax half on assumption a revised P 35 would be done?

marizpan · 26-09-2018 8:43am

I’m starting part 2 this autumn and I’m looking to find a study buddy or two to bounce ideas off throughout the course.

Aisling(",) · 08-10-2018 7:47pm

Im starting off Part 1 with no exemptions this Saturday. Best of luck to anyone starting too ðŸ˜Š

Gingermac · 19-10-2018 11:07am

Hurray, just got my results. thank God it's finally over.....

scheister · 19-10-2018 5:04pm

Gingermac wrote: »

Hurray, just got my results. thank God it's finally over.....

congrats it is a great feeling to have them behind you

Heisenburg81 · 16-12-2018 5:24pm

All,
Has anybody got into the assignment for Part 3 yet?
Any thoughts?

lustig2014 · 17-12-2018 3:59pm

Seems to be a lot in it at first glance.

Transaction 3 is fairly straight forward. Non res director chargeable to paye and usc on the fees. Needs an A1 Certificate of Coverage for prsi

The compliance obligation they refer to in the question is CBC reporting

Looks like also TP obligations to consider on the loan mentioned in transaction 2

stormpiper · 17-12-2018 7:21pm

Have been bashing away at it. Doesn't seem to be too bad. Few little sticky bits that I'm having trouble with.

Rocketdog1905 · 17-04-2019 6:25pm

Anyone doing the Part 2s at the moment and finding them tough?

Happy4all · 19-04-2019 7:38pm

Rocketdog1905 wrote: »

Anyone doing the Part 2s at the moment and finding them tough?

Was speaking to a few. Tuesday's Business tax was tough by all account.

alejandro1977 · 25-07-2019 11:21am

Hi Folks,

Just wondering how many people do the course online only? It it allowed even?

I'm considerign doing the CTA exams next session;

I live abroad so I can get back for the exams etc but can't attend the lectures.

thanks

Aisling(",) · 26-07-2019 4:56pm

alejandro1977 wrote: »

Hi Folks,

Just wondering how many people do the course online only? It it allowed even?

I'm considerign doing the CTA exams next session;

I live abroad so I can get back for the exams etc but can't attend the lectures.

thanks

Hi,

I work in tax and while its not required a lot are doing the CTA's and the majority just do it at home/online

lustig2014 · 06-08-2019 10:50am

I've been working in tax thirteen years and am still trying to pass the Part 3's, having started Part 1 in 2016.

My friend has just passed all four at the first attempt. She has six months tax experience, and left the industry in late 2016.

It seems to me that the exam system rewards memory skills more than it does an ability to do the job.

Also having sat Part 3 in August 2018 and May 2019, the May 2019 sittings were much more difficult, with only a 56% pass rate. It's my understanding that with a possible recession on the way, the insititute will have been told to reduce the pass rate so that there are not an excess amount of qualifieds in the job market

steve_r · 06-08-2019 11:29am

Have you gotten your marked up scripts back? They will show you where you picked up marks, and the points where they didn't give you anything.

The marking scheme for these things is quite specific and detailed in what they look for, if you deviate from that they won't give you marks.

lustig2014 · 06-08-2019 11:32am

steve_r wrote: »

Have you gotten your marked up scripts back? They will show you where you picked up marks, and the points where they didn't give you anything.

The marking scheme for these things is quite specific and detailed in what they look for, if you deviate from that they won't give you marks.

Yeah I have requested them but have still to receive

jimmy456 · 06-08-2019 7:50pm

lustig2014 wrote: »

I've been working in tax thirteen years and am still trying to pass the Part 3's, having started Part 1 in 2016.

My friend has just passed all four at the first attempt. She has six months tax experience, and left the industry in late 2016.

It seems to me that the exam system rewards memory skills more than it does an ability to do the job.

Also having sat Part 3 in August 2018 and May 2019, the May 2019 sittings were much more difficult, with only a 56% pass rate. It's my understanding that with a possible recession on the way, the insititute will have been told to reduce the pass rate so that there are not an excess amount of qualifieds in the job market

You will not pass the tax exams by learning things by heart! Its all about understanding the issue at hand and applying the law to it. The examiner reports also provide good guidance on what the examiner expects, especially at Part 3.

At Part 2 the exams are very compliance focused and go into detail on the big reliefs etc. Ie computing tax returns etc.

At Part 3 you have to be aware of the tax implications of a transaction. ie providing advise to clients. Here you have to understand the legislation and develop a process for working through the questions.

If you have been working in tax and have experience in advising clients (especially individuals) you should be getting through these. It could be down to exam technique. ie 1 mark every two minutes and then move on. The exam itself is a battle and a people fall here rather than on the tax issues in the questions.

Also I don't think the institute will be reducing the pass rate. They get more money from you when you pass! Also if they reduce the pass rate it will turn people off doing them and they lose out on revenue. Also there is only something like 5000 CTA's in Ireland which is a hell of a lot less than the amount of people working in tax!

Happy4all · 27-09-2019 11:54am

steve_r wrote: »

Have you gotten your marked up scripts back? They will show you where you picked up marks, and the points where they didn't give you anything.

The marking scheme for these things is quite specific and detailed in what they look for, if you deviate from that they won't give you marks.

Will these be provided for free?

steve_r · 27-09-2019 4:22pm

Happy4all wrote: »

Will these be provided for free?

My understanding is that there is a charge but it is worth it IMO. I helped someone prepare for repeats and the scripts were a really good indicator on how specifically certain questions had gone against them the first time around - for example the areas where they might have written a lot but strayed off topic or made a key mistake

Corkguy24 · 27-09-2019 10:30pm

Hi Guys

I have completed the FAEs doing and performing well in the elective tax module. I work in Audit but have an interest and want to go down the tax route.

I will be starting on Part 2s and enquiring the difficulty of them ? I am considering taking them on and doing them next April but would get no study leave ? Would this be possible by studying weekends as I would consider myself quite good to study or is it a huge risk

Pawwed Rig · 27-09-2019 11:04pm

If you're still on a training contract why not move to somewhere that does offer leave?
If not then the worst that can happen is you fail some or all of them in which case you can repeat.
The FAE tax elective is not that difficult in comparison to the part 2s. Difficulty wise think CAP 2.

Townton · 26-04-2020 12:55am

Hey guys, im looking at doing the CTA course. I work in legal services (currently a trainee solicitor, early days) I'm not involved in a tax specific job but looking to move into that area and im thinking having the CTA can only be a bonus. Got quite a few exemptions for part 1 but from what i have read here the real works seems to be in parts 2 and 3. Just wondering what the work load is like in comparison to lets say FE1s, can they be done while working at the same time or would you need some kind of study leave to be sure.

Pawwed Rig · 26-04-2020 9:51am

There is a significant amount of study required. It is a masters level qualification so plan accordingly.

dougalmaguire · 09-06-2020 6:58pm

Hey was wondering does anyone here have a good knowledge of the uk tax system?

Orwilsin · 12-06-2020 12:58am

Hi there,

Just wondering if anyone has looked at the AITI CTA professional skills assignment? I am very confused on the shareholder part of it

april319 · 20-06-2020 4:17pm

Orwilsin wrote: »

Hi there,

Just wondering if anyone has looked at the AITI CTA professional skills assignment? I am very confused on the shareholder part of it

What part are you in? 1.2. Or 3?

Orwilsin · 20-06-2020 4:42pm

april319 wrote: »

What part are you in? 1.2. Or 3?

I’m in Part 2

april319 · 20-06-2020 4:45pm

Orwilsin wrote: »

I’m in Part 2

Can u post a copy of the q?

Deckyalrite · 13-08-2020 7:43pm

How are people settling into the new online system this week. Doing Part 3's next week and believe that it could be a disaster especially when it comes to referring to legislation. Any pointers let me know as regards set up.

Orwilsin · 13-08-2020 8:05pm

Doing Part 2 exams this week and its a terrible system. Done the checks needed last week where I thought I was gonna sit them and all was fine, come Monday morning this week, the internet wasn't fast enough. Now using broadband at 25mbps download and 5.08mbps upload and still, the cirrus assessment keeps losing connection during the exams. Have tried contacting the invigilators on it during the exams but it comes up "already chatting" as though they were busy with someone else. Have only been able to finish one of the 3 exams this week because of this.

Hildago · 25-08-2020 3:32pm

Hi All,

Looking for some advice/guidance around possibly taking on the Part 2 exams in the upcoming sitting. I'm ACA qualified, trained in Big 4 audit and came out of contract earlier this year. I left practice and now work as a Financial Accountant in industry.

My main reasons for wanting to take on the tax exams are twofold:

1). Myself and my OH are looking towards setting up a company within the next couple of years and I would like to be able to take on all the tax planning and compliance myself for this venture. I definitely don't feel I have sufficient knowledge to do this at the moment.
2). A few years down the line after gaining further experience, I would definitely have an interest in starting my own small practice.

As I'm just in the door of my current role, I'm not entitled to much in the way of study leave or benefits just yet, so would be taking this on purely as a personal challenge, for Part 2 exams at least. This would mean limited time off for study before exams (most likely 2 weeks + days of exams, maximum).

How have people in a similar situation to this approached their study plan? How often/how many hours per week did you put in throughout the course? Is there anywhere that I can see past exams papers before actually registering, to get a feel for whether or not this is a viable option in the months ahead? Also, would I be correct in thinking that if I were to fail the exams in the Winter 2020/21 sitting, I would be looking at a change in legislation for the repeat sitting?

Any and all advice is appreciated!

Aisling(",) · 02-09-2020 1:18pm

Hildago wrote: »

.

How have people in a similar situation to this approached their study plan? How often/how many hours per week did you put in throughout the course? Is there anywhere that I can see past exams papers before actually registering, to get a feel for whether or not this is a viable option in the months ahead? Also, would I be correct in thinking that if I were to fail the exams in the Winter 2020/21 sitting, I would be looking at a change in legislation for the repeat sitting?

Any and all advice is appreciated!

When you say winter 2020/21 that's the sitting that will be in August 2021.There is the spring course sitting which will be in April 2021 which would give you the option to repeat with the same legislation in the August if you fail.

I work in tax but in quite a specific area. I took 3 weeks off AL/study leave before the exams and just found it hard to retain the volume of information.I had been going to the lectures since last October though so I had absorbed some of the material then but had forgotten it when not using it. If you're starting fresh I'd recommend covering the personal tax syllabus first then business taxes.VAT and CAT are smaller courses and more doable. Your accountancy background will help with the business taxes course.If you do chose to do the exams then best of luck .I could send you some old exam papers if you do choose.

Does anyone know when the results from August 2020 are due to be released I cant see anything on blackboard?

Happy4all · 02-09-2020 1:29pm

Are the original August exams happening in December? Or did they merge into one?

Aisling(",) · 02-09-2020 5:05pm

Happy4all wrote: »

Are the original August exams happening in December? Or did they merge into one?

The December sitting is available this year because there was no April sitting. They're online exams like the August sitting.

marizpan · 02-09-2020 5:07pm

Aisling(",) wrote: »

Does anyone know when the results from August 2020 are due to be released I cant see anything on blackboard?

October 21st or 23rd

StevenToast · 02-09-2020 5:11pm

I was due to sit the Part 3s last week but had a feeling that it wouldnt work well and didnt fancy being the guinea pigs, so i put it off until december..

Can those who sat it give us an idea of how the new system worked?

Thank you

Registered AITI Tax Qualification Info and Questions

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