Back

Explore every episode of the podcast The Tax Professionals Podcast

Dive into the complete episode list for The Tax Professionals Podcast. Each episode is cataloged with detailed descriptions, making it easy to find and explore specific topics. Keep track of all episodes from your favorite podcast and never miss a moment of insightful content.

Rows per page:

1–50 of 139

TitlePub. DateDuration
TTPP126: Nov 2025 Budget Rant (Tax): Stop Tinkering and Tackle the Charlatons (with MTD Therapy)01 Dec 202500:50:49

Send us a text

In this episode of The Tax Professionals Podcast, host Jack Bonehill joined MTD Therapy, a community for accountants and tax advisors, for an unfiltered discussion — sometimes full-on ranting — about the latest UK Budget.

Around the ranting, you’ll hear clear explanations of the key Budget announcements and expert insights into them.

Episode show notes

The Tax Lab: free webinars to improve your tax skills. Real scenarios, tackled live.  

MTD Therapy

Timings

  • [00:01:49] First rant
  • [00:08:07] Start of technical discussions on the announcements
  • [00:14:22] Pension Salary Sacrifice Changes
  • [00:20:17] Electric cars
  • [00:25:56] Writing Down Allowances (WDAs)
  • [00:29:25] Employee benefits/expenses tax changes
  • [00:36:45] Working from home expenses
  • [00:39:21] Tax industry - positive or negative direction?
  • [00:41:27] Regular payments throughout the year for self assessment
  • [00:45:18] MTD

Guests

  • Robyn Milstead, Director of Tax at LKA Chartered Accountants & Director of Accountants Therapy
  • Tom Bickle, Director of JP Blackmoor & Director of Accountants Therapy
  • Emma Rawson, Director of Public Policy, Association of Taxation Technicians (ATT)
TTPP125: How to Turn Tax Jargon into Plain English Advice that Clients Love27 Oct 202500:17:21

Send us a text

Your advice is probably full of unnecessary tax jargon without you even realising it. However, you can use simpler language without losing meaning — and your advice will be much better for it. In this episode, host Jack Bonehill identifies the overly complex wording in a real piece of tax advice and shows how the same points can be written in plain English that clients actually understand and will love you for.

Episode show notes

The Tax Lab: free webinars to improve your tax skills. Real scenarios, tackled live.  

The Tax Advice Masterclass: teaching you a repeatable method to write high-quality tax advice with confidence and less self-doubt.

Timings

 00:14 – Intro: turning complex tax language into plain English that clients love.
 01:11 – Client scenario: husband-and-wife partnership selling business units.
 03:15 – Simplifying “income tax implications.”
 06:13 – Simplifying “capital disposal” and removing jargon.
 10:18 – Explaining rollover relief in plain English.
 13:17 – Breaking down business asset disposal relief (BADR) simply.
 15:45 – Using examples and numbers to make advice tangible.
 

Similar episodes:

TTPP124: Two Questions That Make Your Tax Advice Instantly Better in Your Clients’ Eyes

TTPP83: Improve Your Tax Advice Skills – Stories and Tips of 2 Tax Professionals


TTPP116: Growing and Scaling a Tax Team: Advice, Stories and Tips with David Francis, Partner at Grant Thornton30 Mar 202501:06:09

Send us a text

This episode is focussed on growing or scaling a tax team in a professional services firm – something which is not natural for us as tax professionals. Our guest, David Francis, Partner and Head of Tax Dispute Resolution at Grant Thornton, shares his experiences and advice for how to grow a tax team, so that you can do the same. 

Show notes: thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/TTPP116

Masterclasses for tax professionals: thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/masterclasses

Subscribe: thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/subscribe

Take control of your career progression free course: https://documents.thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/freecourse

You’ll Learn

  • A bit about Dave and his tax career
  • (11:00) When Dave started getting involved in growing a tax team
  • (20:30) The GT tax dispute resolution team when Dave stated there and the business plan to grow
  • (25:15) Was team culture covered in the business plan?
  • (30:00) The culture Dave wants in his growing tax team
  • (35:15) The Service Line Agreement that Dave’s team had created – what is it?
  • (45:00) Wrapping thoughts up: David’s advice to scale a tax team
  • (48:30) The work-winning side of scaling a tax team. How to ensure you have enough
  • (54:00) Dave’s leadership philosophy 
  • (1:00:00) Dave’s plan to grow the team further

Resources

Masterclasses designed for tax professionals to help you master vital career skills:

  • Tax Research Masterclass – teaching you how to find the answer to even the most complex tax queries, with the least pain possible.
  • Tax Advice Masterclass – teaching you how to provide high-quality tax advice that your clients appreciate and value.

Take a look and enrol, here. or email me at jackthetaxprofessionalspodcast.com

Register for a free 1-month trial for Croner-I’s tax guidance/resources

Book a call with ProTax to talk about your career: thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/Bookprotax

TTPP32: The Technical vs Practical Tax Advisor and Which One's Best with Grahame Jackson, Tax Partner29 Aug 202100:55:42

Send us a text

Show notes: thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/TTPP32

Subscribe: thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/subscribe

The Tax Professionals Book Club: https://www.thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/bookclub 

You’ll Learn

  • About the technical advisor vs the practical advisor
  • Grahame’s tips on how to provide better tax advice
  • How being a trusted advisor will improve the advice you provide to clients, and ways to become such an advisor

Resources

TTPP10: How to Write Good-Quality and Practical Tax Advice

TTPP18: How to Explain Tax Rules and Concepts Clear

TTPP28: Provide Great Tax Advice on Grey Areas (6 Tips!)

TTPP31: Master These 3 Skills to be a Great Tax Advisor15 Aug 202100:25:31
TTPP30c: How to Pass the CTA OMB APS Paper with Nitin Rabher, BPP Tax Lecturer01 Aug 202100:50:36

Send us a text

Show notes: thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/TTPP30c

Subscribe: thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/subscribe

Free Step-by-step guide to creating your own revision summary/folder

You’ll Learn

  • Tips and advice on how to pass the CTA APS paper (particularly OMB)
  • Difference between the Advanced Technical and the APS papers (including Nitin’s examples how you would present essentially the same information differently)
  • How to structure an answer to the APS exam question
  • The most important skill to master to pass the APS paper

Other Episodes and Resources

TTPP30b: How to Pass the CTA OMB Advanced Technical Paper with BPP Lecturers Nitin Rabheru and Libby Morris25 Jul 202101:00:14
TTPP30a: How to Pass an ATT/CTA Resit with Nitin Rabheru, BPP Tax Lecturer20 Jul 202100:45:13

Send us a text

Show notes: thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/TTPP30a

Subscribe: thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/subscribe

Free Step-by-step guide to creating your own revision summary/folder

You’ll Learn

  • How to get the motivation you need to pass the ATT or CTA resit
  • How to self-reflect and be honest with yourself to figure out why you didn’t pass last time so the same doesn’t happen again
  • How to approach and prepare a resit to give yourself the best opportunity to pass 
  • The most important point Nitin wants you to take away from the episode

Resources & Other ATT/CTA Episodes

TTPP30: Support to Pass ATT and CTA Exams – 3-Episode Series Announcement18 Jul 202100:04:20
TTPP29: The Road to CIOT President with Ray McCann, Ex-CIOT President04 Jul 202101:02:00

Send us a text

Subscribe: thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/subscribe

Tax Professionals Book Club: https://www.thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/BookClub 

Take control of your career progression free course: https://documents.thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/freecourse

You’ll Learn

  • The most valuable lesson Ray learnt after joining PwC from HMRC
  • What being CIOT President entails
  • Career advice Ray would give to his younger self, and the best piece of career advice Ray has received
  • Ray’s advice on how to have a successful career

Resources

Ray emphasised the importance of feedback in the episode, so you may be interested in episode 3 of the podcast, How to Obtain Good Quality Feedback (and Why You Should Ask for More!).

TTPP28: Provide Great Tax Advice on Grey Areas (6 Tips!) 20 Jun 202100:23:52

Send us a text

Show notes: thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/TTPP28

Subscribe: thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/subscribe

Take control of your career progression free course: https://documents.thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/freecourse

You’ll Learn

  • Practical tips you can apply to provide great tax advice on grey areas
  • How understanding the client’s objectives, drivers and appetite for risk will help you provide the best tax advice on a grey area for that client
  • Some words that you can use to make it clear to the client that the position doesn’t have a definitive or correct answer

Episodes Mentioned Within the Episode

TTPP1: How to Undertake Effective Tax Research

TTPP6: How to Build and Maintain Strong Tax Knowledge to Excel as a Tax Professional

TTPP10: How to Write Good-Quality and Practical Tax Advice

TTPP18: How to Explain Tax Rules and Concepts Clear 

TTPP27: How to Achieve the Successful Tax Career You Want with James Perry, Finance Exams and Career Coach06 Jun 202100:54:49

Send us a text

Show notes: thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/TTPP27

Subscribe: thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/subscribe

Take control of your career progression free course: https://documents.thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/freecourse

You’ll Learn

  • What could be getting in the way of your career success
  • How to figure out what career success looks like for you and how to achieve it
  • James’ 7-step solutions to achieve career success
  • Key skills that James considers universally important if you want to achieve career success
  • James’ top tips to progress your career

Resources

Free course

7 Habits of Highly Effective People

Related episodes: 

TTPP26: 8 Tax-Research Sins23 May 202100:29:05

Send us a text

Show notes: thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/TTPP26

Subscribe: thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/subscribe

Take control of your career progression free course: https://documents.thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/freecourse

You’ll Learn

  • How to avoid potentially embarrassing mistakes (the Tax-Research Sins) when doing tax research
  • The consequences of doing the Tax-Research Sins
  • What you should do instead

Resources

TTPP1: How to Undertake Tax Research Effectively

HMRC manuals

Useful online dictionary (I personally use this as I find it to be the best)

5 Skills to Master Early in Your Tax Career (TTPP49 Re-release)17 Mar 202500:29:20

Send us a text

Masterclasses for Tax Professionals: thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/masterclasses

Show notes: thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/TTPP49

Subscribe: thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/subscribe

Take control of your career progression free course: https://documents.thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/freecourse

You’ll Learn

  • 5 skills that are important to master early on in your tax career
  • Some tips to help you improve these skills

Rough Timings

  • (2:30) Story (relevant!)
  • (6:30) Skill 1 - Tax Research (finding, using and applying tax guidance, legislation and case law
  • (10:15) Skill 2 - Explaining tax concepts clear to others
  • (13:45) Skill 3 - Tax Advisory Skills
  • (19:00) Skill 4 - Inspection and Fact Finding Skill
  • (23:30) Skill 5 - Relationship Building Skill

Related Episodes

Tax research:

TTPP 1: How to Undertake Effective Tax Research

TTPP 26: 8 Tax-Research Sins

TTPP37: Master Using Tax Legislation (and the Benefits this Brings)

TTPP42: Master Using HMRC Manuals for Tax Research

Tax Advice:

TTPP 10: How to Write Good-Quality and Practical Tax Advice 

Explaining Tax rules Clearly:

TTPP18: How to Explain Tax Rules & Concepts Clearly (to Help Others Understand!) 

TTPP25: HMRC Insight into Offence of Failure to Prevent Facilitation of Tax Evasion with Samuel Dean, HMRC Lead (& How You Can Protect Clients)09 May 202100:48:14

Send us a text

Show notes: thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/TTPP25

Subscribe: thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/subscribe

Take control of your career progression free course: https://documents.thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/freecourse

You’ll Learn

  • How you can help businesses protect themselves against being liable for the CCO, and the importance of a risk assessment
  • HMRC insight into the CCO (including how HMRC are enforcing it, the amount of live CCO investigations, and when we can expect to see the first prosecution)
  • Myths and misconceptions around CCO (including incorrect belief that it only applies to certain types of businesses)
  • The importance of, and who is considered, an associated person

Resources

HMRC guidance: Corporate offences for failing to prevent criminal facilitation of tax evasion

Criminal Finances Act 2017: Part 3 – Corporate offences of failure to prevent facilitation of tax evasion  

Sam on the Taxing Matters podcast talking about CCO: https://www.rpc.co.uk/perspectives/tax-take/taxing-matters-the-new-corporate-criminal-offence-of-failure-to-prevent-tax-evasion/ 

TTPP 24: Tips to do Your ATT/CTA CPD 'Effortlessly' but Effectively (You'll See How!)25 Apr 202100:23:51

Send us a text

Show notes: thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/TTPP24

Subscribe: thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/subscribe

Take control of your career progression free course: https://documents.thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/freecourse

You’ll Learn

  • What the requirements of CPD are for CIOT/ATT membership
  • Tips on how you can approach CPD to meet the requirements
  • Some effective but effortless ways to do CPD
  • What the CIOT & ATT’s guidance says counts as CPD

Resources

Please note that some of the links included on this page are affiliate links. If you purchase through an affiliate link, I will get a small commission which will go towards the costs of running, and will support, the podcast, at no increased cost to you.

Therefore, if you enjoy, have gotten benefit from, or would just like to support the podcast (and are going to purchase any of the below anyway), it would be appreciated if you purchase through the links on this page.Books mentioned in the episode:

Podcast episodes mentioned in the episode:

ATT/CIOT CPD guidance

ATT/CIOT CPD form

TTPP23: The Benefits of Having Your Own Tax Specialism/Niche (& Tips to Choose Yours!) with Sofia Thomas 11 Apr 202100:46:47

Send us a text

Show notes: thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/TTPP23

Subscribe: thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/subscribe

Take control of your career progression free course: https://documents.thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/freecourse

The Go To Expert by Heather Townsend (the book recommended by Sofia in the episode)

You’ll Learn

  • Why having a tax specialism/niche is beneficial to your tax career, and why Sofia is FOR having a tax niche
  • The opportunities that specialising has provided Sofia
  • Sofia’s tips to help you chose a tax specialism that is right for you (there is a real gem here!)
  • Whether there is such a thing as being too niche
  • Sofia’s tips on what to do if you are thinking about starting your own tax business (including how to go about getting your first tax clients!)

Resources

Other episodes of the podcast which may benefit you:

TTPP 22: 8 CTA/ATT Revision Tips (Maximise the Benefit from your Revision Sessions!)28 Mar 202100:31:49

Send us a text

Show notes: thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/TTPP22

Subscribe: thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/subscribe

Summary of the tips from this episode:  https://documents.thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/8revisiontips 

You’ll Learn

·         8 revision tips to help you pass the CTA/ATT exams

·         Things you can do to minimise time wasted when revising (i.e. being effective and productive)

·         How to get maximum benefit from practice questions and past papers you do

·         Ways to keep your revision interesting to keep you motivated

Resources
Step-by-step guide to create your own ATT/CTA revision folder

Summary of the tips in this episode

Other episodes to help with the exams:

TTPP21: How to Publish Articles in Tax Magazines and Reap the Career Benefits with Hannah Hurley 15 Mar 202100:34:14

Send us a text

Show notes: thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/TTPP21

Subscribe: thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/subscribe

Take control of your career progression free course: https://documents.thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/freecourse

You’ll Learn

  • The benefits of tax writing for your tax career
  • How to get your articles published in tax and industry magazines
  • Hannah’s tips to write good articles

Resources

Take control of your career progression free course: https://documents.thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/freecourse

Hannah’s Taxation articles: https://www.taxation.co.uk/biography/hannah-hurley 

Hannah’s Tax Journal articles: https://int-taxjournal.azurewebsites.net/authors/hannah-hurley

Intro
Have you ever wondered how people get their articles published in tax magazines? Would you like to get your own published?

I have been interested in this previously but got put off the idea by not knowing where to start. 

What would I need to do? Who would I need to contact? Am I experienced enough? Would I get paid for my published articles?

These are just a few of the questions that were going through my head, and this episode’s guest, Hannah Hurley, answers all of these, and explains some simple steps that you can take to publish your very own articles. 

Hannah has had a few articles published across Tax Journal and Taxation magazines, and has impressively done so in relatively early stages of her career. You don’t need 20+ years’ experience to publish your own articles! 

Hannah has also featured as a panel member in a Women-in-Tax panel discussion on “Rasing Your Profile – Writing for Publications”, is ACA and CTA qualified, and is currently a Corporate Tax Assistant Manager at Blick Rothenberg.

Take a listen to learn the benefits of writing tax articles, how to get your articles published, and Hannah’s tips to help you write better articles. 

TTPP20: You’re Tax Qualified! Continue Your Career Progression Post Qualification (How to)01 Mar 202100:37:15

Send us a text

Show notes: thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/TTPP20

Subscribe: thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/subscribe

Take control of your career progression (free course): https://documents.thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/freecourse

 You’ll Learn

  • How to have direction and motivation immediately after qualifying (whether ATT/CTA or other tax qualification) to continue progressing your career
  • Tips to help make a decision on the direction to take your tax career in
  • How to set worthwhile goals and objectives (along with the importance of them)
  • Whether you should do another professional qualification (such as ADIT, STEP, ACA, etc)

 Resources

TTPP 2 – How to Improve your Productivity with Carl Pullein (Productivity Expert): https://www.thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/ttpp2/

Take control of your career progression (free course): https://documents.thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/freecourse

TTPP19: How to pass the May 2021 CTA and ATT Exams with Nitin Rabheru 15 Feb 202101:05:00

Send us a text

Show notes: thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/TTPP19
Subscribe: thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/subscribe
Step-by-step guide to create your very own revision folder:  https://documents.thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/revisionfolderguide 

 You’ll Learn

  • Students’ experiences from the November 2020 exams, and how to avoid their common pitfalls
  • How to prepare for the May 2021 ATT/CTA exams
  • What material you can take into the exam (Nitin suggests a revision folder – don't let the name fool you)
  • How to create your very own ‘revision’ folder (step-by-step guide can be found here
  • How to approach doing tables in the software
  • Nitin’s summary on how to approach the studying stage (more detail in episode 5 of the podcast)
  • Nitin’s tips on revising for the May 2021 exams

  Resources

 TTPP5: HOW TO PASS THE NOVEMBER 2020 ATT AND CTA EXAMS (OPEN BOOK FOR THE FIRST TIME) WITH NITIN RABHERU – this is still relevant! 

Step-by-step guide to creating your very own revision folder

CIOT/ATT exam skills focus sessions 

Nitin’s ATT/CTA Exams Support Page

TTPP18: How to Explain Tax Rules & Concepts Clearly (to Help Others Understand!)01 Feb 202100:27:54

Send us a text

Show notes: thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/TTPP18

Subscribe: thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/subscribe

Take control of your career progression free course: https://documents.thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/freecourse

You’ll Learn

  • Tips on how to become better at explaining tax rules and concepts clear to others (including colleagues and clients)
  • Why firstly fully understanding the tax rules you are explaining is important
  • That you don’t need to just use words – pictures, diagrams and handouts can help
  • Practicing over time will, whilst making effort, will help you to be become better at explaining to others

Other similar episodes of the podcast

TTPP 10: HOW TO WRITE GOOD-QUALITY AND PRACTICAL TAX ADVICE

TTPP 7: HOW TO HAVE EFFECTIVE MEETINGS AS A TAX PROFESSIONAL WITH LOREN LAZARONY

TTPP 6: HOW TO BUILD AND MAINTAIN STRONG TAX KNOWLEDGE TO EXCEL AS A TAX PROFESSIONAL

TTPP 4: HOW TO BE A BETTER DELEGATOR TO PROGRESS YOUR CAREER WITH MIKE CLAYTON

TTPP 1: HOW TO UNDERTAKE EFFECTIVE TAX RESEARCH

TTPP17: How the ADIT Qualification Could Benefit Your Tax Career with Catriona Loughran of Extratax Training 18 Jan 202100:41:49

Send us a text

Show notes: thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/TTPP17 

Subscribe: thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/subscribe 

Take control of your career progression free course: https://documents.thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/freecourse 

You’ll Learn 

  • How the ADIT qualification will benefit your career 
  • Who the ideal candidates are for the ADIT qualification 
  • Whether the CTA or ADIT is more beneficial for you  
  • What knowledge and skills you will learn from doing ADIT 
  • What you need to do to obtain the ADIT 
  • Advice on how to convince your employers to cover the costs (and maybe study time) to do the ADIT 

Resources 

Enrol on Free Course – Take Control of your Own Tax-Career Progression 

Helpful articles by Catriona: 

TTPP16: 7 Habits of Highly Effective Tax Professionals04 Jan 202100:46:29

Send us a text

Show notes: thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/TTPP16

Subscribe: thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/subscribe

Take control of your career progression free course: https://documents.thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/freecourse

You’ll Learn

  • What the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People are, and how these will help your tax career and personal life
  • How the 7 habits translate to a career of working in tax, with examples
  • How to become more effective in your tax job with the habits

Resources

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R Covey

The companion workbook

Related TTPP Episodes

TTPP 1: HOW TO UNDERTAKE EFFECTIVE TAX RESEARCH

TTPP 4: HOW TO BE A BETTER DELEGATOR TO PROGRESS YOUR CAREER WITH MIKE CLAYTON

TTPP 10: HOW TO WRITE GOOD-QUALITY AND PRACTICAL TAX ADVICE

TTPP12: ROAD TO TAX MANAGER – ACCELERATE YOUR PROGRESSION WITH 10 TIPS LEARNT FROM MY JOURNEY

TTPP 14: HOW TO STEP UP INTO YOUR NEW TAX ROLE/PROMOTION (EXCEL & CONTINUE PROGRESSING!)

Note: the Amazon links above are affiliate links, which means that if you purchase through them, you will be supporting the podcast as I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. If you have found the podcast of my other material helpful, I would appreciate the support by purchasing through those links.

TTPP115: How to be an Excellent Tax Junior, Graduate, Trainee or Apprentice with Olivia Pryer03 Mar 202500:42:46

Send us a text

This episode is all about how to be an excellent ‘tax junior’. By tax junior, I mean someone in the early stages of their career, including tax trainees, tax graduates, and tax apprentices. We are joined by Olivia Pryer, who was an excellent tax junior, loved by her boss, and she joins us to share her mindset, approach and tips, and help you or your colleges be an excellent tax junior and asset to the team.

Show notes: thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/TTPP115

Subscribe: thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/subscribe

Masterclasses for tax professional

Take control of your career progression free course: https://documents.thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/freecourse

You’ll Learn

  • A bit about Olivia and her tax career
  • (7:30) What Olivia expected from her first tax role (which was at ETC Tax) before she started
  • (10:00) How Olivia did a good of tax compliance work – completing tax returns – impressing her colleges 
  • (19:30) Self-reading and self-learning she did with tax knowledge
  • (24:15) How Olivia did a good job of tax advisory work and how this is different to doing a good job of compliance work.
  • (29:00) How to get involved in tax advisory work early on in your career
  • (35:00) What should tax juniors/graduates/trainees do to be an excellent junior?
  • (39:00) Olivia’s final advice to those who want to be an excellent tax junior/graduate/trainee

Resources

Masterclasses designed for tax professionals to help you master vital career skills:

  • Tax Research Masterclass – teaching you how to find the answer to even the most complex tax queries, with the least pain possible.
  • Tax Advice Masterclass – teaching you how to provide high-quality tax advice that your clients appreciate and value.

Take a look and enrol, here.

Register for a free 1-month trial for Croner-I’s tax guidance/resources

Book a call with ProTax to talk about your career: thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/Bookprotax

Contact details

jack@thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackbonehill94/ 

TTPP15: 3 Most Important Skills to Be a Successful Tax Professionals/Advisor ft. Bill Dodwell (Tax Director of OTS), Ian Goodwin (Tax Director), Mark Morton (Head of Tax), and Edmund Paul (Tax Manager) 21 Dec 202000:28:32
TTPP14: How to Step Up Into Your New Tax Role/Promotion (Excel & Continue Progressing!)07 Dec 202000:32:22

Send us a text

Show notes: thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/TTPP14

Subscribe: thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/subscribe

Take control of your career progression free course: https://documents.thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/freecourse

You’ll Learn

  • Three key steps to step up into and excel in your new tax promotion or tax role. In brief: (understand what is expected of you, identify areas you need to work on and improve on them, and seek feedback to ensure your perception matches others’)
  • How you can prepare and set yourself up for your next promotion
  • Answers to the questions: “When it comes to delegation, should you assign a full piece of work to a single individual or spread it over multiple?” and “Should you have role models to help you progress and develop, and if so, how?”

Resources & Related Episodes of Podcast

TTPP 13: How to get the Work-Life Balance you Desire for an Enjoyable Life and Successful Career with Jo Maughan23 Nov 202000:47:36

Send us a text

Show notes: thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/TTPP13
Subscribe: thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/subscribe
Take control of your career progression free course: https://documents.thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/freecourse

You’ll Learn

  • Why it’s important to have a work-life balance and that such a balance will be unique to you, your values and goals
  • Jo’s tips to help you figure out the right work-life balance for you – having a vision will give you direction and something to work towards
  • Ways to go about achieving that balance for you and how to overcome typical obstacles that get in the way
  • How to take responsibility of your own work-life balance (as no one else will do it for you!)
  • Polite and respectful ways to say “no”, which is key in getting your work-life balance 
  • Jo’s tips for managing your workload well as a tax professional, so you get work done quicker and a better balance

Resources

TTPP12: Road to Tax Manager – Accelerate Your Progression with 10 Tips Learnt From My Journey09 Nov 202000:34:19

Send us a text

Show notes: thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/TTPP12
Subscribe: thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/subscribe

You’ll Learn

·         10 tips to help you progress and improve your tax career

·         About misconceptions that I had about a successful tax career, so that you can throw them out the window and focus on what’s important to progress

·         The benefits and value of having a tax specialism

·         How to create your own career USP

·         Key skills that you should start learning as soon as possible to set you up well for your future career in tax

Related Episodes

·         TTPP 3: How to Obtain Good Quality Feedback (and Why You Should Ask for More!)

·         TTPP 4: How to be a Better Delegator to Progress your Career with Mike Clayton

Calls to Action

·         Decide on or understand what your USP is

Intro

A long 5 years ago (yes long!), I started my tax career as a Trainee Tax Consultant.

As a naïve and slightly over-confident 21-year-old, I thought I knew exactly what I needed for a successful tax-career and that it would be plain sailing. 

I can now confidently say that I had no idea. Who would’ve known!

Over the past 5 years, I’ve become CTA qualified and most recently, promoted to Tax Manager. Both of which I am proud of.

I’m not saying these to brag or show off in any way. I’m saying it to give you confidence that you can achieve it too, and to just say I’ve learnt a thing or two over the past 5 years that I’d like to share that I think you’ll find useful.

So, in this episode, I’m sharing tips from what I’ve learnt on my journey to Tax Manager, to help accelerate your progression and improve your tax career. 


TTPP11: How to Increase Your Chances of Winning/Converting Tax Work with Martyn Sloman (Without Being Pushy!!)26 Oct 202001:03:02

Send us a text

You’ll Learn 

  • How to improve your chances of converting opportunities into client work without being pushy 
  • The common mistakes that people make when it comes to selling so you can avoid them 
  • What the preparation stage before a meeting to discuss opportunities with a client or prospective client should consist of 
  • What you should do during and at the end of these meetings to increase your chances of converting the opportunity into paid work
  • How best to follow up an opportunity with a client after you’ve quoted, without being pushy   
  • How to politely ask a client if they are still interested in a potential service, and how you can use Martyn’s ‘ultimatum’ email as a last resort 

Introduction

If you work in a role where you provide tax services and advice, at some point you will be faced with the requirement to win client work.  

Or, if I were to use the dreaded word, ‘selling’ services to clients. 

As tax professionals, this is not something we are taught how to do. It’s one of those things we are expected to ‘pick up’ on the job. 

But it is absolutely paramount that you are able to win client work if you want to make it to Senior Manager or above, generally speaking. In some firms, you may even need to do this at more junior roles. 

So, if you want to progress your career to these levels, you will need to develop and work on the skill of winning client work. 

That’s why I thought it would be great to invite this episode’s guest, Martyn Sloman, onto the podcast.  

Martyn is known as the “non-pushy” sales trainer – which instantly caught my attention, as I’ve been worried about coming across as pushy in the past, and maybe you have too. 

All of Martyn’s advice is provided to help you be “non-pushy” too, but be “professionally persistent”.  

In the episode, Martyn provides some great tips to improve your chances of winning client work.  

So, if this is something you are looking to get better at, I highly recommend you take a listen! 



Show notes: thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/TTPP11
Subscribe: thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/subscribe

TTPP 10: How to Write Good-Quality and Practical Tax Advice 11 Oct 202000:31:33

Send us a text

Show notes: thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/TTPP10
Subscribe: thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/subscribe

You’ll Learn 

  • The approach I recommend you take to write good quality tax advice 
  • What you should do before and after writing the advice 
  • How to become quicker at writing advice
  • Some final tips to help you become better at writing tax advice

Related Episodes

Resources

  • Eats, Shoots and Leave book by Lynne Truss (a book to help you master correct punctuation, if you prefer books – I know I do!) 

    Just to note, if you purchase through this link, you will support the podcast as Amazon will make a small referral payment to me at no additional cost to you.

  • Free apostrophe guides:

         o   https://www.thepunctuationguide.com/apostrophe.html

         o   For Acronyms in particular: here

  • Free guide to avoid comma splicing: here

  • Skill Share (where you can improve your skills from from online courses, covering everything from Excel (and other hard skills) to business writing (and other soft skills!).

    You can get access to all of their courses for free two months by signing up with this link: 2 Free Months of Skill Share

    Just to note, by signing up for the free 2 months through this link, you will support the podcast, as Skill Share will make a small referral payment to me, at no cost (and no additional cost if you decide to continue to use after the free two months) to you.
TTPP 9: Impact of COVID-19 on Tax Job Market and Tips to Secure a New Job with Georgiana Head 27 Sep 202000:50:16

Send us a text

You’ll Learn 

  • About the impact that COVID-19 has had on the tax-job market 
  • Trends in terms of how coronavirus has affected the recruitment process of tax jobs and remote working 
  • Georgiana’s tips on how to approach your job search 
  • Georgiana’s CV and interview preparation tips for tax professionals 
  • What you could do if you’ve been made redundant to increase your chances of getting a job quickly

Introduction

Coronavirus has taken its toll across the UK economy, and it is no secret that it has taken an impact on available jobs, including jobs within the tax profession.  

Some working in tax have been furloughed for prolonged periods, and some will be at risk of, or have already been faced with, redundancy.  

It is inevitably a difficult time, and I wanted to help in some way through the podcast, to help those of you who are in an unfortunate position and need to look for a new job in an unprecedented market. 

So, Georgiana Head, an experienced and well-known tax recruiter, joined me on the podcast to explain from her experience what the current tax-job market looks like, how it is changing, and to provide you with tips to improve your chances of successfully landing your next job. 

Georgiana first trained in tax, becoming ATT qualified and working for PwC, before moving to recruitment. She works closely with candidates to help them understand suitable and available jobs, even if this is for a role which she is not recruiting for, and helps them to increase their chances of being offered a tax job by improving CVs and helping them to properly prepare for interviews.  

Take a listen to find out what Georgiana has to say!

Show notes: thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/TTPP9
Subscribe: thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/subscribe

TTPP 8: Essential Excel Tips for Tax Professionals13 Sep 202000:33:54

Send us a text

Show notes: thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/ttpp8

You’ll Learn 

  • Essential Excel shortcuts and time-savers to enable you to become quicker at using Excel 
  • Highly used, must-know and beneficial formulas, which will enable you to do 90% (or at least most) of the tasks you’ll ever need or want to do in Excel 
  • Tips to help you review formulas to correct mistakes and errors 
  • Some pointers for good practice when creating an Excel sheets so they are more useable, easily understandable, and less likely to be broken by others 
  • What you can do if you’re stuck 


Introduction
Before I started working in tax, being able to use Excel hadn’t even crossed my mind. 

All I thought would be important was learning tax rules and being able to advise accordingly. 

But, as you probably know, there’s much more to being a tax professional. 

You may not see it as essential but being able to use Excel well will save you SO MUCH time and hassle in the long term. And there will probably be times where you have no choice but to use it! 

I got thrown in the deep end within weeks of my first tax job, with what was a large and difficult Excel task, with another one to follow shortly after. I had no prior knowledge or experience in Excel at this point (apart from the basics of adding and subtracting!), which made this all the more tricky.  

At the time I didn’t realise what a great opportunity this was. I just wanted to get stuck into learning tax.  

But looking back, it really was an excellent experience for me in building my Excel skills. I was enrolled on a thorough online Excel course and then immediately after able to apply what I’d learn in a practical, real scenario. 

Since, I’ve built many spreadsheets since which I’ve been proud of. Yes – it is possible to be proud of a spreadsheet!  

The only thing with courses for Excel is they are, generally speaking, very generic. Only some of what you learn will be useful on the job, and if my experience is anything to go by, you’ll probably never use large amounts of it again.  

That’s not a good use of time and personally I think unnecessary for many people to do. 

To save you time, energy and effort, I bring you this episode to give you what I think are the key Excel essentials. 

From my own experiences, these will enable you to do most things that you’ll ever need to do in Excel as a tax practitioner and will enable you to do these quickly to save time, which is such a precious resource in today’s world. 

There’s so much more I could have put into this episode but to keep it brief and relevant, I’ve only included what I think are the must-knows. So, there’s a good chance there will be future episodes supplementing this.  

Take a listen to find out more – I think you’ll find it useful.  


TTPP 7: How to Have Effective Meetings as a Tax Professional with Loren Lazarony30 Aug 202000:53:53

Send us a text

Ever come out of a meeting, thinking that it was a complete waste of time?  Like it was not necessary for you to attend the meeting?  

That your time could be better spent elsewhere? 

You’re not alone.  

This is a common problem for those who work in professional services (and not just restricted to us who work in tax!). Learning how to run an effective meeting is one of those things we are not taught.  

We end up learning from observing, and there’s a good chance the people we observe haven’t been taught how to run an effective meeting either.  

Can you see the problem? 

The thing is, running an effective meeting is not rocket science, as this episode’s guest, Loren Lazarony put it, as long as you know HOW.  

Once you know how and have a little practice, it is easily doable!  

Loren is the owner of Laz International Training, and has been providing business skills and project management training to global professionals for over 8 years. He has particular expertise in relation to running effective meetings, which he has distilled down into an online course. 

Meetings are an integral part of being a tax professional. For me, being able to run effective meetings is especially important in relation to client ones, but regardless of whether you work for an advisory firm, within an in-house tax team, or otherwise, being able to run effective meetings will benefit your career. 

In the episode, Loren provides lots of great straightforward, practical tips that you can implement to enable you to run more effective meetings. 

Take a listen to this episode, and let’s put an end to bad meetings!

Show notes: thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/TTPP7
Subscribe: thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/subscribe

TTPP 6: How to Build and Maintain Strong Tax Knowledge to Excel as a Tax Professional 16 Aug 202000:18:13

Send us a text

In this episode, I share the strategies and methods that I, myself, have and still use to build and maintain my tax knowledge, to help you do the same.

Regardless of what area of tax you work in, it is undeniably important that you have strong knowledge for the area of tax you work in. 

When it comes to building your tax knowledge, the end goal should not be to know the answer to every tax question that you could ever be asked without checking (that would be impossible given the amount of tax legislation!), but having a good foundation will mean you have a good gut feeling of what the answer will be and will allow you to spot potential risks before things turn ugly.  Tax research can then be undertaken as necessary to ratify the position, and the appropriate consideration given to any risks. 

Building your tax knowledge may seem like an overwhelming task – given the vast volume of information – but like with anything, if you approach it in the right way, you’ll be able to build it quicker than you think. 

It doesn’t matter whether you’re new to working in tax, have decided to swap specialism, or are more experienced and are looking for ways to bolster and maintain your knowledge – I think you’ll take away some useful points and ideas from this episode.

Show notes: thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/ttpp6
Subscribe: thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/subscribe

TTPP114: Pass Your CTA Exams by Not Being One of These 10 Types of Students with Nitin Rabheru17 Feb 202501:06:40

Send us a text

There are common reasons why, time and time again, students fail their Chartered Tax Adviser (CTA) exams. To explain these, Nitin and I have created the “10 types of bad CTA students”, and to make it more memorable, we have assigned a name (hopefully fun names) to each one.

In the episode, we talk through each bad type of student to help you identify any bad traits in yourself or you staff, and then we summarise our advice to increase the changes of you or your staff passing.

Show notes: thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/TTPP114

Subscribe: thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/subscribe

Take control of your career progression free course: https://documents.thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/freecourse

You’ll Learn

  • (4:00) Bad Type of CTA Student #1: The Quirkmeister
  • (9:00) Bad Type of CTA Student #2: The Negative Nell
  • (14:30) The Bad Type of CTA Student #3: The Sloth, Lazebag or Deluded
  • (20:30) Bad Type of CTA Student #4: The One Trick Pony
  • (24:30) Bad Type of CTA Student #5: The Stickler
  • (28:30) Bad Type of CTA Student #6: The Mock Master or Drill Sergant
  • (39:00) Bad Type of CTA Student #7: Blame Thrower
  • (42:30) Bad Type of CTA Student #8:  The Shortcut Seeker
  • (47:15) Bad Type of CTA Student #9: The Last Minuter
  • (55:15) Bad Type of CTA Student #10: The Legislation Love

Resources – Other CTA Podcasts:

All other exam-support related podcast episodes: https://www.thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/category/podcast/att-cta/

Particularly recommend: TTPP96: Why She Failed One CTA Paper Multiple Times but Then Passed and Qualified with Amy Rylance

Free Downloads

FREE – CTA Study Phase Checklist so you can make sure you ‘complete’ the study phase before revision, going into revision as prepared as you can

FREE – ATT/CTA revision folder guide, which was made when the exams became open book. This is somewhat outdated now, but there is still useful information in there

FREE – 8 CTA/ATT revision tips summary, which does exactly what it says on the tin

TTPP 5: How to Pass the November 2020 ATT and CTA Exams (Open Book for the First Time) with Nitin Rabheru 02 Aug 202001:00:41

Send us a text

For the first, and maybe even the last, time ever, the November 2020 ATT and CTA exams will be ‘open book’, which means that you can take materials into the exam. 

Whilst it is arguably going to be ‘easier’ (I say that with caution), don’t fall into the trap of thinking that the exams are now going to be easy. The standard of questions is not changing, and so you will still need to adequately prepare in order to ensure pass. 

Studying towards an open book exam requires a different approach than if the exam was not open book.  

If you’re like me, however, you may have never sat an open book exam before, and so have no clue on the approach you should take or where to start.  

Fortunately for you, Nitin Rabheru, a CTA, ATT and other professional exams lecturer for BPP, knows exactly what to do, and is here to help! 

Nitin is a passionate lecturer that has, and still does, teach students on how to pass open book exams. He has over 20 years’ experience and really cares about the success of students, providing lots of great material on LinkedIn.  

In this episode, Nitin shares some invaluable, unique advice on how to properly prepare for the open-book November 2020 sittings.

Subscribe: thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/subscribe
Show notes: https://thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/TTPP5
10 tips to pass the November 2020 ATT & CTA Exams


TTPP 4: How to be a Better Delegator to Progress your Career with Mike Clayton 19 Jul 202000:55:49

Send us a text

Delegation is one of those skills that, once mastered, will become an exceptionally useful tool for you. It will help you progress, develop and get more out of your tax career, as well as help to improve your work-life balance (if this is something you desire!). 

But if you’ve had to opportunity to delegate, you’ve probably encountered a situation where delegation hasn’t gone to plan, leaving you feeling frustrated, annoyed, and like it’s quicker to do the work yourself.  

You’re definitely not alone with that experience. Delegation is a skill, and like any other skill, it must be learnt, developed, and improved over time. 

In this episode, Mike Clayton, from his extensive experience as a business trainer, author and speaker in helping professions, managers and leaders to excel, provides some great insights and advice so that you can become a better delegator. 

Show notes: thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/TTPP4

TTPP 3: How to Obtain Good Quality Feedback (and Why You Should Ask for More!)06 Jul 202000:22:25

Send us a text

Feedback.  

It is one of those things that many of us know is beneficial to help us develop and grow, but despite this, we choose to avoid it.  

Obtaining feedback is feared. It can make us feel uncomfortable, threatened, and defensive. But by not taking advantage of feedback, we are depriving ourselves of a useful resource. 

As tax professionals, a lot of the skills we need to are learnt through experience and practice alone, rather than taught to us in a classroom. And this makes feedback even more valuable to us.  

Feedback doesn’t need to be this big scary task that is dreaded. In fact, we should embrace it, and see if for what it is – an opportunity to help us grow and develop.  

I hear you. Easier said than done, I know, but still doable. 

To reap the full benefits of obtaining feedback, you should: 

  • Adopt a ‘growth’ mindset 
  • Ask the right questions  
  • Make it easy for people to give you feedback 
  • Properly reflect and act upon feedback received 

Want to learn how? Take a listen to this episode! 

Oh, and equip with the knowledge learnt in this episode, I challenge you to ask for 5 pieces of feedback in the next week. 

TTPP 2: How to Improve Your Productivity with Better To-Do List and Email Management with Carl Pullein05 Jul 202000:48:06

Send us a text

As tax professionals, there are times when we are exceptionally busy. Dreading tax return seasons, or that one client demanding immediate advice.

We become stressed. We work long hours. And we end up neglecting those non-urgent important tasks that we know we should do.

The solution? 

Increase your productivity.

But how, I hear you ask?

If you’d have told it was this simple a year ago, I wouldn’t have believed you. But by making some simple changes to how you approach your to-do list and emails, you can save time, become less overwhelmed, less stressed, and…

More productive!

I learnt this from productivity expert, Carl Pullein, who has helped thousands of people around the work to become more productive. So I invited him on the show to help you too become more productive, too!

Take a listen, improve your approach, and get more done in less time!

Show notes: thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/ttpp2

TTPP 1: How to Undertake Effective Tax Research05 Jul 202000:19:36

Send us a text

Undertaking tax research is one of those tasks that many taxes professionals dread. 

After all, the thought of reading complex legislation and unclear guidance over a cuppa isn’t most people’s idea of fun, although I definitely come close to the line. 

Fun or not, it is an essential part of being a tax professional. 

At some point, you will need to find the answer to questions you don’t know the answer, and that is done by – well – tax research. So being able to do it effectively is key!

I’ve dedicated a lot of time to developing my technical ability and research skills, to the extent they’re probably my strongest skills right now.  

So, in this episode, I share with you my personal tips to become better at undertaking research, to allow you to more easily obtain the answers to those complicate tax queries, and – I dare say – enjoy it. Or at least not dread it!

Take a listen – I think you’ll find it useful.

Show notes: thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/ttpp1

TTPP 0: Introduction to the Podcast30 May 202000:03:54

Send us a text

The Tax Professionals Podcast is dedicated to helping tax professionals to improve their tax careers. 

If you work in tax and are looking to:

  • progress and develop
  • obtain promotions
  • improve your skills for a successful career in tax, or
  • learn about the possible career options, or
  • pass professional qualifications (CTA, ATT, etc)

then this Podcast is for you!

Want to find out more, to decide whether The Tax Professionals Podcast will benefit you, and to know what to expect from the podcast? Then listen to this episode!

Subscribe, or sign up to email notifications on the website!

Website: thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com
Contact form: thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/contact
Jack's LinkedIn
LinkedIn Group

TTPP113: Exceptional Tax Technical Skills: Key Benefits and Why You Should Develop Yours03 Feb 202500:24:29

Send us a text

I share the key benefits of exceptional tax technical ability is and why you should aim to have this, illustrated through a real client story with highs, lows, disappointment, and me being considered a charlatan, by two lawyers. But who was right?

Show notes: thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/TTPP113

Subscribe: thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/subscribe

Take control of your career progression free course: https://documents.thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/freecourse

You’ll Learn

  • (2:30) Story: The Million Pound Employee Payout
  • (12:00) Story debrief
  • (14:15) What I mean by technical knowledge, ability and skills
  • (15:00) Key benefits of exceptional technical knowledge, skills, and ability
  • (20:00) Why you should aim to develop exception technical knowledge, skills and ability

Resources

Masterclasses for tax professionals:
Tax Research Masterclass – finding the answer to tax questions, using tax legislation and guidance
Tax Advice Masterclass – how to provide high-quality tax advice that clients value

Register for a free 1-month trial for Croner-I’s tax guidance/resources

TTPP112: Winning Tax Work: From 0 Clients to Hundreds in 4 Years with James Edwards20 Jan 202500:56:51

Send us a text

Hear how James Edwards has won so much tax work that he’s become too busy, so that you can win more work yourself.

Show notes: thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/TTPP112

Subscribe: thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/subscribe

Take control of your career progression free course: https://documents.thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/freecourse

You’ll Learn

  • Into from James
  • (3:45) James’s beliefs around winning tax work
  • (6:30) Winning work in the beginning and did James tax on too many bad fit clients initially?
  • (13:45) How James has got to the point of winning so much tax work and where it comes from
  • (21:00) How James Splits his time between his 3 work-winning areas/avenues and taking risks
  • (33:00) An example of how James wins tax work from referrers
  • (51:00) Helping clients see the value in the work you do

Resources

Masterclasses for tax professionals:
Tax Research Masterclass – finding the answer to tax questions, using tax legislation and guidance
Tax Advice Masterclass – how to provide high-quality tax advice that clients value

Register for a free 1-month trial for Croner-I’s tax guidance/resources

Podcast Break for Christmas, Recommended Eps from 2024, and Update From Me09 Dec 202400:10:46
TTPP111: HMRC Tax Fraud Investigations: What COP9 Is and How To Prevent Disaster with Lucy Sauvage25 Nov 202400:54:33

Send us a text

Better serve your clients, should they be caught up in tax fraud or a Code of Practice 9 (COP9) situation. Lucy Sauvage, our guest for this episode, explains what COP9 is, what a typical COP9 enquiry looks like, advice to prevent you messing up a COP9 enquiry, examples of common tax frauds and a story where Lucy’s client left HMRC with almost no choice but to pursue a criminal investigation into them.

Show notes: thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/TTPP111

Subscribe: thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/subscribe

Take control of your career progression free course: https://documents.thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/freecourse

You’ll Learn

  • A bit about Lucy’s career
  • (4:45) A big about COP9 and what it is
  • (7:30) Who instigates COP9? HMRC or taxpayer?
  • (9:00) What is and isn’t tax fraud?
  • (13:00) What prompts HMRC to open a COP9 enquiry?
  • (16:30) What a typical COP9 enquiry looks like, the process
  • (24:15) What are some of the tax frauds Lucy has seen? Examples
  • (32:15) Risks associated with going down the COP9 route (to taxpayer and their tax advisor/accountant)
  • (37:45) Can COP9 apply to businesses as well as individuals?
  • (39:45) Any COP9 disaster stories that Lucy has
  • (47:00) Typical COP9 mistakes and how tax advisors and taxpayers avoid COP9 going badly?
  • (51:15) Should COP9 enquiries always be handled by specialists?

Resources

Masterclasses for tax professionals:
Tax Research Masterclass – finding the answer to tax questions, using tax legislation and guidance
Tax Advice Masterclass – how to provide high-quality tax advice that clients value

Register for a free 1-month trial for Croner-I’s tax guidance/resources

Contact Me:

jack@thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackbonehill94/ 

TTPP110: Has HMRC's ADR Become Pointless or Worthwhile to Solve a Tax Dispute? with Barbara Bento11 Nov 202400:58:30

Send us a text

Learn about HMRC’s alternative dispute resolution (ADR) process, which you can use to help solve your client’s tax disputes with HMRC – but is it worthwhile or is it a waste of time? Barbara Bento, our expert guest, explains.

Show notes: thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/TTPP110

Masterclasses for tax professionals:

Subscribe: thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/subscribe

Take control of your career progression free course: https://documents.thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/freecourse

You’ll Learn

  • A bit about Barbara
  • (8:30) What is HMRC Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) and what is classed as a ‘dispute’?
  • (12:15) What does the ADR process look like from start to finish? 
  • (20:45) Any situations when ADR can't be used?
  • (26:00) Co-mediation in ADR by Barbara – what this means and the benefit
  • (30:00) My (Jack Bonehill's) bad experience with HMRC & what can be done to avoid
  • (37:15) What is meant by partial settlement in ADR?
  • (37:45) Is ADR worthwhile & if so, when?
  • (42:45) What do you need to make ADR go well, be successful? Barbara’s advice
  • (47:15) Barbara's worst HMRC ADR experience
  • (51:15) Is ADR remote or in person?

Resources

Masterclasses for tax professionals:
Tax Research Masterclass – finding the answer to tax questions, using tax legislation and guidance
Tax Advice Masterclass – how to provide high-quality tax advice that clients value

Register for a free 1-month trial for Croner-I’s tax guidance/resources

Contact Me:

jack@thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackbonehill94/ 

TTPP109: One Year Into Being Tax Partner - What Did it Look Like? With Ele Theochari of Blick Rothenberg28 Oct 202400:59:41

Send us a text

Ele recently completed her first year of being a tax partner. Hear what her first year looked like, which will help you decide whether being a tax partner is for you AND will teach you a masterclass in how you can be successful as a tax partner. 

Show notes: thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/TTPP109

Masterclasses for tax professionals:

Subscribe: thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/subscribe

Take control of your career progression free course: https://documents.thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/freecourse

Rough timings

  • Intro from Ele
  • (4:45) How Ele’s first year of being a tax partner, at 29 years old, went
  • (10:00) What the team looked like with Ele started, what the plan was, and what it looks like now
  • (14:00) What were all the different areas/sections/categories of Ele's year 1 business plan
  • (16:30) The time Ele spent in making sure the team was operationally effective & what she did
  • (20:00) How the reality is different to the plan and the most significant parts of Ele’s plan
  • (23:30) What Ele means when she talks about the processes that she's implemented and what she's done (VERY impressive)
  • (32:30) Ele's work winning plan for her first year, how she did it (from a lead to converting), and how it went
  • (40:45) Selling the value of your tax services/work - to help convert clients and win fees
  • (45:45) Ele's external business development (BD) to win tax work from businesss that aren't already clients of the firm
  • (47:15) How Ele's ensures she gets high value from networking events, from a BD standpoint
  • (50:30) What Ele found difficult or challenging in her first year as partner at a new firm to her
  • (56:00) What does the future look like for Ele? What's next?

 

Resources

Previous podcast ep with Ele: TTPP88: Her Spectacular Route to Tax Partner at 29 with Ele Theochari [Tax Career Success Secrets Ep 12]

Masterclasses for tax professionals:

                Tax Research Masterclass – finding the answer to tax questions, using tax legislation and guidance

                Tax Advice Masterclass – how to provide high-quality tax advice that clients value

Register for free 1-month trial for Croner-I’s tax guidance/resources

TTPP124: Two Questions That Make Your Tax Advice Instantly Better in Your Clients' Eyes12 Oct 202500:10:29

Send us a text

You might be giving technically perfect tax advice — but if it’s too long or too complicated, it won’t land well with clients.

In this episode, Jack Bonehill shares a real story where two simple questions helped turn a colleague’s advice from technical to client-friendly. You can use these questions to instantly make your advice clearer, shorter, and more valuable from a client’s perspective.

If you want to deliver better advice that clients truly value — this episode is for you.

Show notes: thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/TTPP124

The Tax Lab (real scenarios, tackled live:  https://www.thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/thetaxlab/

Masterclasses for tax professionals: https://www.thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/masterclasses/

Timings

  • [00:00:25] Story: reviewing a colleague’s draft of tax advice and simplifying it with two simple questions
  • [00:02:13] Example: how we tend to overcomplicate advice with unnecessary detail
  • [00:03:34] Why cutting complexity throughout a report makes advice stronger overall
  • [00:04:38] How to make your advice more client-friendly
  • [00:06:22] A two-step method — draft first, refine later using the two key questions
  • [00:07:41] Exercise: how to apply the two questions in your next piece of advice
  • [00:09:29] Upcoming sessions and future topics in The Tax Lab

The Tax Lab

Sharpen your skills as a tax advisor by seeing exactly how I think and approach real scenarios that we encounter as tax professionals, with The Tax Lab.

The Tax Lab gives you a glimpse inside my mind — my thoughts and my approach — as I tackle real scenarios live, so you can refine your own way of working.

Sessions of The Tax Lab are free to attend. Sign up so I can invite you to all future sessions.

Sign up here

TTPP108: How to Conquer all Types of Imposter Syndrome for Tax Career Success & Happiness with Estelle Read13 Oct 202401:03:39

Send us a text

From this episode, you will learn what the different types of impose syndrome are, how they may be negatively impacting your tax career/your life, and how to deal with them. Our expert guest for this episode, Estelle Read, shares all of this with you, after many years of helping professionals that fix burnout, remove stress, and perform better.

Show notes: thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/TTPP108

Tax Advice Masterclass – Details and Enrol Here

Subscribe: thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/subscribe

Take control of your career progression free course: https://documents.thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/freecourse

Rough timings

  • A bit about Estelle
  • (8:15) What Estelle means by imposter syndrome and what the 5 different types are
  • (17:30) Negatives/consequences of imposter syndrome
  • (19:45) Estelle’s SHINE process for dealing with imposter syndrome 
  • (20:45) Step 1 – S – Self-Assessment 
  • (26:00) Step 2 – H – Haven 
  • (41:00) Step 3 – I – Inner Captain 
  • (45:30) Step 4 – N – Non-Negotiables 
  • (50:00) Step 5 – E – Enable 
  • (58:00) Benefits of going through the SHINE process
  • (1:02:00) How I intend to use what I’ve learnt so far from Estelle

Resources

Tax Advice Masterclass – Details and Enrol Here

Register for free 1-month trial for Croner-I’s tax guidance/resources

Estelle’s free resources:  https://linktr.ee/EstelleAtBeee 

© My Podcast Data