I am the practice owner of TSA Chartered Certified Accountants and Business Advisors. I've spent the majority of my working life in industry but made the leap into practice in May of 2013. It's been a tough 12 months but business is growing and I've learned a lot. If you are thinking of making the same decision, drop me a note and I'll be happy to help if I can, or check out www.tsabusinessadvisors.co.uk.
Thanks again everyone for taking the time to reply. It's something of a comfort to know plenty of others feel the same way. Sadly though I can only see continuing decline in the quality of client, staff and HMRC, so have definitely decided I'm out. On the contracting side, would anyone think 25% of the client fee would be fair for accounts and corp tax returns? Not so sure about self-assessments. That tends to be much less profitable as a whole in my experience and self-employed tax returns for £100-£200 if I only charged say 25% of the client doesn't seem worthwhile. Still, I'm based in Bristol which seems to have quite a lot of work so hopefully there will be some subcon work available.
Thanks for all the replies. I know from other posts I'm not alone in how I feel. Sadly it's the way the profession has gone. It's not helped by the amazon mentality either. We have what I think is a pretty reasonable turnaround, 4 weeks. but no matter how many times we let clients know that, we get phone calls, sometimes after 2-3 days asking where their accounts or tax returns are. As my builder mate says, it's the amazon world.
Shame to hear that teaching isn't so good nowadays either. I am looking at industry too, I started in industry and moved into practice.
Many thanks for the replies. I have considered becoming an employee, but I've had enough of the muppets that leave everything to January, and I would be quite happy hidden away producing accounts/tax returns with little client involvment. I'm also quite keen on giving something back as it were, so it's not good money on the teaching front, but subsidised with a few sets of accounts would make it work. Being in employment with a practice I know I'll feel guilty if I'm not helping out with stupid hours in January.
Exactly. But when the head of HMRC spouts such utter claptrap it must be getting near time for him to be replaced and given a knighthood. After all, he's managed to do something really quite challenging and almost impossible and that is to leave HMRC worse than when he found it. Quite a feat!
did you ever get an answer to this? I've got a set of accounts sent by another accountant with the same issue. looks ok in fact viewer in VT, but taxfiler won't accept it. I'm at a complete loss.
My answers
Thanks for the replies, much obliged. looks like it's not just me then, just par for the course.
Thanks again everyone for taking the time to reply. It's something of a comfort to know plenty of others feel the same way. Sadly though I can only see continuing decline in the quality of client, staff and HMRC, so have definitely decided I'm out. On the contracting side, would anyone think 25% of the client fee would be fair for accounts and corp tax returns? Not so sure about self-assessments. That tends to be much less profitable as a whole in my experience and self-employed tax returns for £100-£200 if I only charged say 25% of the client doesn't seem worthwhile. Still, I'm based in Bristol which seems to have quite a lot of work so hopefully there will be some subcon work available.
Thanks for all the replies. I know from other posts I'm not alone in how I feel. Sadly it's the way the profession has gone. It's not helped by the amazon mentality either. We have what I think is a pretty reasonable turnaround, 4 weeks. but no matter how many times we let clients know that, we get phone calls, sometimes after 2-3 days asking where their accounts or tax returns are. As my builder mate says, it's the amazon world.
Shame to hear that teaching isn't so good nowadays either. I am looking at industry too, I started in industry and moved into practice.
Thank you all for the replies, much obliged.
Many thanks for the replies. I have considered becoming an employee, but I've had enough of the muppets that leave everything to January, and I would be quite happy hidden away producing accounts/tax returns with little client involvment. I'm also quite keen on giving something back as it were, so it's not good money on the teaching front, but subsidised with a few sets of accounts would make it work. Being in employment with a practice I know I'll feel guilty if I'm not helping out with stupid hours in January.
Exactly. But when the head of HMRC spouts such utter claptrap it must be getting near time for him to be replaced and given a knighthood. After all, he's managed to do something really quite challenging and almost impossible and that is to leave HMRC worse than when he found it. Quite a feat!
Thanks ever so much for your detailed answer. really appreciated.
did you ever get an answer to this? I've got a set of accounts sent by another accountant with the same issue. looks ok in fact viewer in VT, but taxfiler won't accept it. I'm at a complete loss.
Indeed. I always thought it Jim Henson that was head if hmrc.
here's some feedback for HMRC. how many I's in sh*te? not fit for purpose, haven't been for years and getting worse. Run and mismanaged by muppets.
here's some feedback for HMRC. how many I's in sh*te? not fit for purpose, haven't been for years and getting worse. Run and mismanaged by muppets.