Every day, in all areas of taxation, our clients are having to deal with the mounting complexity of domestic and EU legislation, not to mention a much more aggressive stance from Revenue & Customs (HMRC) and other tax bodies.
This means we need to help those clients understand the legislation and its impact on their businesses, so that they can minimise their tax burden while being fully compliant with tax regulations.
The service we offer includes company tax compliance, private client services, employment taxation, international tax advisory, private finance initiatives (PFIs), expatriate tax services, and VAT services. We also provide transaction support, working alongside our Corporate Finance and other teams to offer a complete service in relation to mergers, acquisitions and other transactions. In addition, we work with our colleagues in Tax Investigations on some of the technical aspects of tax avoidance and evasion cases.
As well as specialists, who can deal with the most technically challenging sector-specific issues, we also employ people who can handle a wide variety of questions from large owner-managed businesses. In the BDO Tax team, we value and encourage both these skill sets equally.
We don’t separate compliance and advisory work, so your training will give you an insight into all aspects of general corporate services. At first, you’ll largely be dealing with compliance issues – providing figures for statutory accounts and preparing corporate tax returns. As you progress, you’ll be tackling more complex projects, advising our clients’ senior staff on tax pitfalls and opportunities, dealing with HMRC and getting to grips with complex tax advisory projects.
You may also have the opportunity to spend time in one of our specialist tax areas such as transfer pricing, VAT or private client – or in one of our audit groups.
Qualifications for Tax
Trainees joining us on the School Leaver Programme will spend 2 years working in the business and during that time will study towards the CFAB qualification and the Higher National Apprenticeship in Accountancy (HNA). Following the successful completion of CFAB and the HNA scheme, you will continue on to study towards the ACA over the next 3 years. You will therefore become a qualified accountant within 5 years. Both qualifications are highly respected. They are offered by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW).
These popular, broad-based and in-depth training programmes will provide you with a thorough knowledge of business issues. You’ll take papers in; Financial Accounting, Financial Management, Financial Reporting, Audit and Assurance, Business Strategy and Taxation and Law.
Upon qualification you will have the opportunity to study for the CTA which provides in-depth knowledge of specific technical matters across the broad range of taxation disciplines and is often seen as a key qualification for Tax practitioners. The CTA route will see you sit the Chartered Institute of Taxation (CIOT) exam. This covers General Taxations, Interaction of Taxes, Practice Ethics and Administration and some further specialist areas.