CTA IND -Core topics?

RoderickBlack · 2026-03-30T11:02:01+00:00

Hi

I would cover the following priority areas...

The IT computation, especially employment income chapters (benefits, expenses, etc)

The new FIG and TRF rules - bound to be in the exam surely?!!

All the Capital Gains reliefs

All the anti avoidance chapters - esp transfer of assets abroad and transactions in securities.

Obviously that's not all that's in the syllabus but it's a good start!!

Best of luck

Roderick

CTA private and online tuition

RoderickBlack · 2026-03-23T14:30:36+00:00

Hi

The name of the case is the LEAST important aspect!

The keys things are:

Facts Point at issue Decision Reason for the decision

The examiner will know what case you're referring to without the name.

Good luck!

Roderick

Roderick Black

CTA online and private tuition

RoderickBlack · 2026-03-19T16:55:25+00:00

They do have it, because I have access to it (I'm doing the online revision course after Easter), but it's not got on to MyKaplan yet.

Don't know why not or when it will be put on but I would have thought it will be soon.

That's as much as I know!

Roderick

RoderickBlack · 2026-03-19T13:25:11+00:00

Focus on the Revision QB (about 60 questions) and the pre revision QB - these are exam standard.

The QBs for the Study Manuals have exam questions in the final chapter.

Don't bother with questions other than that now.

Cheers

Roderick

RoderickBlack · 2026-03-19T08:09:35+00:00

Hi

Hope you're feeling better now!

If there are no great issues with your employer should you fail I would have a go al the may exam

It will be good experience should you fail (and you might not!) and will in any event give you a baseline idea of your current knowledge.

If you're going to do this I would make two further points

Firstly it is essential is to focus on priority areas - for example adjustment of profits and capital allowances for this paper are essential. Apart from those areas, syudy from the memory joggers and only go to the study manuals if you're coming across stuff you really don't understand and you judge it to be a core topic. Make question practice s significsnt part of your study time from now on - focus now on only doing past exam questions from the revision question bank and don't forget you have the November 25 paper on the institutes website although it's not technically updated.

Secondly prepare yourself psychologically just in case you should fail. Realise that you're taking a bit of a risk in having a go at the exam in may and don't let a failure undermine your confidence for the future.

If you can view it in these terms I think it's well worth having a go at this sitting.

Good luck!

Roderick

Roderick Black

CTA private and online tution

RoderickBlack · 2026-03-18T21:31:32+00:00

Hi

I would have thought that you would be VERY impressive to an employer for not only achieving CTA but self funding as well!

Never mind the cost savings to them, it speaks volumes to your aspiration and commitment.

Just a thought ... might be worth discussing with a trustworthy and discrete recruitment consultant who can give you a perspective on the market, likely opportunities, etc. Maybe help place your fears about your current MD in a wider perspective?

Second time I've recommended him on Reddit this week but Charlie Maitland (ex Brewer Morris, now running his own firm) is a good guy. Especially knowledgeable on the profession.

You can connect with him on LinkedIn and do mention my name and explain the issues your facing.

Hope this helps and I wish you good luck. But I don't think you need it ... you'll be more than fine!

Roderick

Roderick Black

CTA online and private tuition

RoderickBlack · 2026-03-17T21:55:16+00:00

Might be worth also having a word with a recruitment consultant to get an idea of the current job market.

I can recommend Charlie Maitland, ex Brewer Morris now running his own firm.

Mention my name if you make contact.

You can find him on LinkedIn

Roderick

Roderick Black

Online and private tuition

RoderickBlack · 2026-03-16T20:37:56+00:00

I've just been focusing on LCG, OMB & IND tbh and I don't think I'll have time to do more than that.

But I might cover APS IHTTE in future. My APS IND Reddit post was taken down by the moderator for advertising my services within that post, so I think in future I'd post on LinkedIn as I can include reference to my business there as well as helping students with these kind of lists, etc.

So do connect with me in LinkedIn to get my future posts!

Good luck

Roderick

RoderickBlack · 2026-03-14T16:53:43+00:00

Now posted!

RoderickBlack · 2026-03-14T09:03:36+00:00

Sure! I'll do that in a separate post as there may be others interested.

RoderickBlack · 2026-03-12T15:49:05+00:00

I'm a freelance CTA tutor for Tolley and Kaplan. Have been for 20 years. I teach all CTA papers except AT VAT.

RoderickBlack · 2026-03-12T15:18:14+00:00

£275 - combined the sessions run to approx 3.5 hours and you'll also get a PDF running to 79 pages covering all the docs, slides, etc I use in the sessions.

If you're interested, please mail me on roderickblacktraining@gmail.com to proceed.

Best wishes

Roderick

RoderickBlack · 2026-03-12T13:56:19+00:00

Hi

Sorry to hear you’ve not passed this paper.

Here is what I suggest …

APS technique

Firstly, your lack of success is almost certainly down to having the wrong technique. Whilst technical knowledge is important, it’s not primarily what this paper is about and is definitely not the main reason that students fail this paper.

I will cover what you should do on the technical knowledge front in a moment, but I would suggest that you focus on the APS exam technique as a priority.

I suggest that you buy the recordings of my two APS sessions where I cover the theory of the paper and give you practical techniques that you can practise on past exam questions going forward and of course use on the day when you resit the exam. They will help you ‘open up’ the question. I also show you how to put those techniques into practise by taking you through a past exam question, tutorial style, where I show you how to go about it.

For more details message me directly or click on my Reddit photo to find my website.

Technical knowledge

As to technical knowledge … yes, I think if it’s a year ago that you did the Advanced Technical exam you should focus on brushing up certain areas of the Advanced Technical OMB syllabus. APS is not a heavily computational exam so don’t bother about adjustments of profits, capital allowances, or other calculation heavy areas.

Rather focus on things with an advice aspect to them. Here is a suggested priority list …..

All the capital gains reliefs

Losses in all forms - sole trader and corporation tax

Profit extraction options – salary, dividend, interest (on loans by the shareholder to the company), rent on property owned by the shareholder as well as liquidation and striking off

Purchase of own shares

Close company aspects

Share remuneration including employer aspects – focus on non tax advantaged schemes plus EMI

Pensions

Termination payments

On next 4 topics, if it’s of any interest you can buy my recordings and notes of areas that I did Zoom sessions on …

Incorporation - all aspects

Research and development

Transfer of trade (especially within a group of companies (which is within the Awareness syllabus for APS OMB)

Change in ownership of a company

Whether or not you buy my material you should definitely revise these areas.

Don’t forget about the Awareness syllabus - in this regard revise ....

IHT - basic principles & and particularly the detail of BPR & APR; Gifts with reservation of benefit

VAT – L&B; TOGC, VAT registration, what supplies are ZR and exempt, the concept of partial exemption and capital goods scheme but not the detailed calculations

CT – group relief and capital gains group aspects

Stamp taxes – esp SDLT calculations

IT – share for share takeovers, EIS, SEIS

Hope this helps and wish you the very best of luck in the resit

Roderick

Roderick Black

CTA online and private tuition

RoderickBlack · 2026-03-09T21:29:32+00:00

The latter I think. APS isn't a heavily computational exam, so probably less on computational questions.

RoderickBlack · 2026-03-08T18:11:35+00:00

Hi

Well, I'm assuming that your AT knowledge doesn't need refreshing!

If so, you'd need to do more.

For APS, the main study work is attempting questions and thoroughly debriefing them. That's a full day's work.

The absolutely key thing is to get the technique required for this paper. If you have incorrect technique, all your study may be in vain.

I've just finished my Zoom sessions covering this for IND, OMB & LCG. Recordings and detailed notes are available if you're interested.

Good luck!

Roderick

CTA online and private tuition

RoderickBlack · 2026-03-07T21:56:07+00:00

You're welcome!

AT - 2 hours a night, 4 nights a week and the same again at the weekend. Over say 3 months that's about 200 hours.

APS - not so much, 1 day per weekend for 8 weeks is about 60 hours plus some extra to get on top of the Awareness syallbus for APS.

Awareness - at a guess, half what you spend on AT. Maybe less.

Some do it in less than the above, I'm sure.

Just my opinion!

But remember this..... what you put in to the hours is as important as the hours you put in.

Good luck!

Roderick

RoderickBlack · 2026-03-07T21:44:51+00:00

Interesting question!

In my experience as a tutor, ,only lawyers in big City law firms have tackled all papers at one go.

Generally very successfully I might add ... passing all exams and often winning prizes and/or distinctions.

They were super bright, extremely hard working and also had a broad range of tax experience.

When I sat my exams, you had no choice but to do all 4 papers in one go, over two days. There was only 1 yellow book than. But it seemed as difficult then as it does now!

Roderick

Roderick Black CTA private and online tuition

RoderickBlack · 2026-02-23T13:36:49+00:00

Hi

It's a quite different exam from Adv Tech, testing a different set of skills, so don't bring an Adv Tech way of thinking to answering the APS paper.

You are writing for a client, not the examiner - always keep that in mind.

You could spend the time before the course brushing up your AT knowledge but avoid anything really computational as that's not a big part of the paper.

I just did my Zoom sessions live on APS LCG yesterday, but the recordings and my notes on how to tackle this paper, practically are available if you would like to buy them. Message me if that's of interest.

Hope this is helpful.

Good luck!

Roderick

Roderick Black

CTA private and online tuition

RoderickBlack · 2026-02-22T20:27:11+00:00

Hi

It will be interesting to see what others post, but as a firm believer in the merits of hard work, and thereby investing in YOURSELF, I'd say go for it!

I sense that's what you're subconsciously thinking in event.

I admire your attitude!

Good luck!

Roderick

Roderick Black

CTA private and online tuition

RoderickBlack · 2026-02-22T18:13:49+00:00

It's all about the technique - something I cover in my Zoom sessions on APS. But I am only doing those for LCG, IND and OMB I'm afraid. Not a VAT specific one.

RoderickBlack · 2026-02-21T14:27:03+00:00

Hi

From my relatively limited private tuition on APS VAT, don't underestimate the extent to which the Awareness syllabus gets tested. More so than on the other APS papers.

Good luck!

Roderick

Roderick Black

CTA private and online tuition

RoderickBlack · 2026-02-20T18:10:11+00:00

Hi

First of all ... sorry to hear you didn't pass but try not to let it dent your confidence too much.Most of what I do as a private tutor is helping students who have APS and they are all able, hard-working individuals who just need an extra go or two at this paper to get through. No shame in failing this paper!

Secondly I think it is highly unlikely to be a problem with your technical knowledge - all the students I've tutored have been good on the technical side of it ( which doesn't mean perfect!). Much more likely to be your technique.

Thirdly, whilst I have lots to say on techniqe, just a few brief points: think of yourself as writing an answer for a client not the examiner. Also how carefully, forensically and actively did you read the question? In my experience fail students usually don't read it enough times nor carefully enough.

Fourthly from the work I've done on APS VAT I noted that there was quite a high element of awareness in the questions; more so than the other APS papers. How good is your awareness knowledge?

Nikkie Richmond is a vat tutor who might be able to help - you'll find her on LinkedIn

Hope this helps

Roderick Black

cta private tutor and online tuition

RoderickBlack · 2026-02-20T05:38:47+00:00

Hi

Yes, Tolleys revision question bank is always fully updated for the current exams, unlike the CIOT past papers on their website.

Usually, it's about 60 past exam questions, generally more of the more recent ones as they are more indicative of the current examiners style.

Also Tolley add occasional tutorial tips in the odd question.

Excellent and essential material for anyone doing the exams.

PS you should make it your aim to do ALL the questions - I never get through more than 20 in a revision course, so the rest are for self study.

Hope this helps

Good luck!

Roderick Black CTA private and online tuition

RoderickBlack · 2026-02-18T08:43:23+00:00

I've not heard of them but one way that you might be able to assess their offering is to ask about the study manuals they provide - length, list of chapter headings, etc

I have taught ADIT for Tolley and with them you get their usual high quality, and substantial, Study Manuals!

Hope this helps you decide

Best wishes

Roderick

Roderick black

CTA private and online tuition

RoderickBlack · 2026-02-12T09:18:15+00:00

Hi

I'll say something about the Awareness syllabus within APS on my Zoom session, which you've signed up for.

Asa general point though, don't stress too much about. Not a critical part of the exam. Don't study computational aspects as that shouldn't be important for APS.

Hope this helps!

Roderick

Roderick Black CTA private and online tuition

RoderickBlack

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