A day in the life of an ACA Qualified Accountant

I am an ACA Qualified Accountant within the Business and Tax Services department. I have been at Ellacotts since December 2015 when I joined as a trainee accountant. My job is mainly office based but I do, on occasion, visit clients at their premises.

My typical day at Ellacotts in the Business and Tax Services department involves:

Drafting annual accounts

This is the main part of my role at Ellacotts. I draft annual accounts for lots of our small business clients such as limited companies, sole traders and partnerships on a daily basis. It primarily involves me working alone, however sometimes I do require the expertise of my colleagues in niche areas. During the finalisation of the accounts, I also liaise with relevant Managers and Partners. I enjoy the puzzle of putting the accounts together and the challenge when something is perhaps not as simple as you first think.

Preparing Business Tax and Corporation Tax computations

This is another part of my role at Ellacotts, which I do preparation for on a daily basis. I draft the business tax and corporation tax computations myself and then liaise with Managers and Partners during the finalisation stage to agree any amendments. One reason why I enjoy this process is because no two computations are the same and I see the variety in various tax rules and allowances being utilised.

Liaising with clients

I speak to clients on a day-to-day basis to discuss their queries, which is often through email and phone calls. However, I do also meet clients in person to discuss their accounts if required. One of my favourite parts of this job is talking to our clients and I find it rewarding when answering any queries they may have.

Tax Returns

I also submit Corporation Tax returns to HMRC and statutory accounts to Companies House once the client has approved the annual accounts. This includes helping my colleagues to complete their tax returns if necessary.

In busier periods, I also complete partnership tax returns and personal tax returns, which involves liaising with the Tax and Wealth Planning department. I enjoy completing partnership and personal tax returns as it adds variety to my role, as well as gaining valuable experience and seeing how personal work fits with the other areas of my role.

After a day at the office, I like to unwind by going for a walk and catching up with my favourite TV programmes.

If you would like to be apart of the Corporate Services team take a look at our current vacancies and join us!