Accounting careers advice and perspective needed

[Joysmum]

I'm hoping somebody can advise.

I've had 13 years out of employment and am currently studying AAT doing full time + overtime equivalent hours via distance learning. I'm absolutely loving the courses and the fact that I can complete it very quickly because I'm studying at my own pace and not being held back by a college timetable. I'm hoping to have completed level 4 by end of spring.

My question is, what to do after level 4?

My aim is to set up in business for myself specialising in tax. I've no interest in working for others unless needed to get me to my goal of working for myself.

I'd like to continue studying with that goal in mind after completing AAT and am thinking that going on to do ATT might best suit my needs? If I do, how long does ATT take as a comparison to AAT to gain this qualification through distance learning as I definitely don't want to go to college.

What do you think? Is ATT the best way forwards for me aiming to work for myself specialising in tax or there a better option?

Thanks.

I'm not sure ATT is enough to be self-employed tax adviser without support and very little experience. As I understand ATT gives you the practical stuff - how to calculate net pay for example, whereas CTA teaches the planning aspects - e.g. How to structure the pay packet so that employees keep a maximum of their earnings. Therefore I suspect that at your level you will come across quite a few issues that you won't be able to solve due to lack of experience.

I have not personally done ATT since I did ACCA and got to go straight to CTA. Also, you haven't explained your current position so my comments regarding experience may be off the mark.

Ohh, so... My recommendation would be to get CTA first to make sure you've got enough basic knowledge. I think you also need a certain amount of work experience to get the CTA. That will also help setting your own business up eventually if you work for someone else and learn how a tax advisory business operates. Obviously my comments assume you haven't worked in an accountancy/tax practice in the past. If you have, or are doing so currently, then you're already gathering experience.