Accountants - ACA, ACCA, CIMA

Castiel · 2 Apr 2011 at 23:46

Kemik said:
While members of ICAEW can hold themselves out as Chartered Accountants (unlike ACCA), technically they are Associate Chartered Accountants as ICAS was the world's first professional accounting body.

I've been told ICAEW have tried repeatedly to merge with ICAS but ICAS refuse as they wish to keep the CA accreditation for themselves.

To be honest, it's just a name and makes little difference, but it is a technicality.

Apparently (I woke her to ask), She is a chartered accountant and is fully entitled to call herself one as she has through the ICAEW a charter which was given Royal assent in 1800 and something.

She said that what you say is not quite true and that ACA simply means that you have less experience and are junior to FCA. She also said that the ICAS just means that it is the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Scotland and that doesn't make them the only institute entitled to call themselves Chartered. It just depends where you took the exams in most cases.

She said that ICAEW, ICAS and ICAI are all equally Chartered, and entitled to use that designation.

So I'm just as confused as before. You either are Chartered or not, where is the technicality

EDIT: She asked why I was asking, I told her and she laughed saying He would say that, its just snobbery and not actually true, you are both Chartered Accountants .

Castiel · 2 Apr 2011 at 23:55

Pudney@work said:
Most people who have an accountancy qualification will refer to themselves as a chartered accountant, however Kemik has given the detailed reason why technically it's not true! It's all in the minor details...

She said that ACCA are Certifed Accountants not Chartered, and CIMA are Management Accountants not Chartered.

It all seems very strange because they both have Chartered in their titles also. :confused:

Kemik · 2 Apr 2011 at 23:56

Castiel said:
Apparently (I woke her to ask), She is a chartered accountant and is fully entitled to call herself one as she has through the ICAEW a charter which was given Royal assent in 1800 and something.

Like I said, ACA and CA can both hold themselves out as Chartered Accountants but only ICAS members may use CA, which stands for Chartered Accountant. This is because ICAS received Royal Assent before ICAEW.

She said that what you say is not quite true and that ACA simply means that you have less experience and are junior to FCA.

isn't that what I said?

She also said that the ICAS just means that it is the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Scotland and that doesn't make them the only institute entitled to call themselves Chartered. It just depends where you took the exams in most cases.

See point one.

As stated previously, it makes little difference to employability. It's all just technicalities and stats to make certain kinds of people feel supreme.

Castiel · 3 Apr 2011 at 00:00

Kemik said:
Like I said, ACA and CA can both hold themselves out as Chartered Accountants but only ICAS members may use CA, which stands for Chartered Accountant. This is because ICAS received Royal Assent before ICAEW.

isn't that what I said?

See point one.

As stated previously, it makes little difference to employability. It's all just technicalities and stats to make certain kinds of people feel supreme.

So it's like my Wife said, just semantics.

I thought from your first post that you were saying only ICAS could call themselves Chartered Accountants, when what you were really saying is that they are the only ones that can put the designation CA after their name, which doesn't actually mean they are the only Chartered Accountants.

Confusing.

Pudney · 3 Apr 2011 at 00:06

Castiel said:
So it's like my Wife said, just semantics.

I thought from your first post that you were saying only ICAS could call themselves Chartered Accountants, when what you were really saying is that they are the only ones that can put the designation CA after their name, which doesn't actually mean they are the only Chartered Accountants.

Confusing.

That's what I said in one line

Castiel · 3 Apr 2011 at 00:12

Pudney@work said:
That's what I said in one line

All this snobbery makes my brain hurt.

Redz · 3 Apr 2011 at 00:20

Castiel said:
All this snobbery makes my brain hurt.

Check out the wiki on how many professions have chartered status

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_professional_associations_in_the_United_Kingdom

If you are a chartered linguist you can put lol after your name.

Castiel · 3 Apr 2011 at 00:23

Redz said:
Check out the wiki on how many professions have chartered status

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_professional_associations_in_the_United_Kingdom

If you are a chartered linguist you can put lol after your name.

I want to be a chartered linguist....

Redz · 3 Apr 2011 at 00:24

I'd rather be a cunning one

Castiel · 3 Apr 2011 at 00:29

Redz said:
I'd rather be a cunning one

I had to think about that for a second.......then ROTFL

Vonhelmet · 3 Apr 2011 at 00:32

Meh, CTA is harder than any of the accountancy qualifications

But not as hard (or as lengthy) as the actuary one.

SpeedFreak · 3 Apr 2011 at 00:44

CTA, so that explains why all your posts are so dull

Vonhelmet · 3 Apr 2011 at 08:59

SpeedFreak said:
CTA, so that explains why all your posts are so dull

Oh no he di'int!

Aloreth · 3 Apr 2011 at 09:13

SpeedFreak said:
CTA, so that explains why all your posts are so dull

BOOOM!

My flatmate does CTA...yawn

Kemik · 3 Apr 2011 at 09:51

Aloreth said:
BOOOM!

My flatmate does CTA...yawn

It gives us lots to talk about at parties and when you're bored you can try to figure out ways of saying "I'm a tax advisor" that doesn't make girls instantly fall asleep! Being in transfer pricing, the best I've got so far is "I help companies to structure their international transactions". Still sounds boring so now I just dodge the question or say I'm an international business consultant.

SpeedFreak · 3 Apr 2011 at 14:36

vonhelmet said:
Oh no he di'int!

lol, had to be said.

Vonhelmet · 3 Apr 2011 at 14:40

Kemik said:
It gives us lots to talk about at parties and when you're bored you can try to figure out ways of saying "I'm a tax advisor" that doesn't make girls instantly fall asleep! Being in transfer pricing, the best I've got so far is "I help companies to structure their international transactions". Still sounds boring so now I just dodge the question or say I'm an international business consultant.

Tp? My condolences.

Kemik · 3 Apr 2011 at 14:54

vonhelmet said:
Tp? My condolences.

Oi, it's not that bad. I get to enjoy the delights of the OECD guidelines, thin cap and worldwide debt cap. Fun times

I'm turning into a serial secondee

Corporate tax for 9 months, IES (People Services) for 7 months and now 2 months in to my 6 months TP secondment. No idea where I'm going to end up yet!

Sukh · 3 Apr 2011 at 16:42

Which of the 4 are you working your way around?

Robi · 4 Apr 2011 at 14:53

I need help!

I'm about to start working at a small firm (3 offices) training towards ACA. The salary isn't great but all training / study is paid for.

I've just been offered a first interview at Ernst & Young for an ACCA Trainee - Pensions Audit position. No idea what the salary is but its a top 10 firm so i'm guessing it will be at least above average.

Which is likely to offer better long-term prospects? ACA and ACCA are held in similar regard these days. But a top 10 firm on my CV is surely going to have its advantages? However, auditing pensions... dull or exciting?

The salary isn't what i'm concerned about (although it is a bonus), more so my career after qualifying.