PCG's Quality Accountant scheme, PCG QA, is a training and certification programme for accounting practices covering contractor-specific tax and accounting issues, providing accountants with a good understanding of how freelance businesses operate.
David Colom of D J Colom Chartered Accountants speaks about his experience of becoming a PCG Quality Accountant.
"Having specialised in providing accountancy and umbrella company services to computer consultants for 15 years, we welcomed PCG's initiative to create the scheme.
We were particularly impressed by the application process which consisted of asking us a number of searching questions regarding our firm, before they would even agree to accept us on the intensive two day training course given by Accountax. It was quite apparent that PCG would not simply accept an application from a firm, unless they were worthy of the name "Quality Accountant".
The presentation and course content significantly enhanced our existing knowledge of IR35 and Section 660.
David Colom
Having passed the initial hurdle, we were accepted for attendance on the course. This was given by Dave Smith of Accountax and, since we were already very familiar with his excellent book and work in the IR35 field, we knew that the two days would be very well spent. Those two days spent with Dave Smith were the very best course attended in our 25 years of practice (and we have been on a few!). The presentation and course content significantly enhanced our existing knowledge of IR35 and Section 660.
We were then told that mere attendance on the course would not of itself qualify us and there would be one more hurdle to jump. Each member firm attending the course was given a topic to write about, for which we would be given six weeks to prepare a 3,000 word degree level paper on that subject. Only then, if we produced a paper of sufficient quality, would we be accepted as PCG Quality Accountants. This was certainly a challenging task, but with some extensive research including Dave Smith's excellent book, Tolley's IR35 Defense Strategies, we produced the paper and we were particularly delighted to be told by Dave Smith that our firm's paper was the top of the class!
...we were delighted to be told by Dave Smith that our paper was the top of the class
David Colom
Being graduated to PCG Quality Accountant status, we were delighted to be included on the new website pages on the PCG site and be given our own dedicated page. Several of our existing clients have noted our new status and have made very positive comments to us. We have received a number of enquiries and even taken on several new clients, specifically as a result of the PCG Quality Accountant scheme, which for us makes the whole thing worthwhile. We are particularly proud to have received the first member feedback to be posted on the site, which allows clients to leave a comment regarding their experience with their accountant."