Talk:Chartered Accountant

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OK let's try to clarify this. ACA (Chartered Accountants) and ACCA (Certified Accountants) are BOTH qualified and legally allowed to practice in the UK. However (and it is a big however), there is a difference between ACA and ACCA. Those of you in the UK will appreciate this. The rest of you, Wikipedia the names of the universities and you'll get the gist.

ACA can be likened to a graduate of Oxford University, while; ACCA can be likened to a graduate of Oxford Brooks University.

Hope this clarifies any doubt. 124.180.6.197 (talk) 07:49, 16 February 2008 (UTC)

This is all very insteresting, but it doesn't tell me clearly what the practical difference is between a run-of-the-sHowever, they cannot call themselves a Chartered Accountant... in the UK, only a fully trained, qualified and monitored member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) or the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland (ICAS) can call themselves Chartered. A member of the ICAEW has the designatory letters ACA (Associate) or FCA (Fellow), a member of ICAS has the letters CA or (I believe) FCA.

Choosing a Chartered Accountant as opposed to a "run-of-the-mill" accountant means that you are choosing a qualified person... would you choose to trust your health to an unqualified doctor???

Are you suggesting that Chartered Certified Accountants, Chartered Management Accountants and Chartered Public Finance Accountants are "unqualified"? Psnae 05:16, 2 July 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Subject is chartered accountant, not chartered certified accountant

The article has persistently been edited by an unregistered user using a changing IP address.

The user adds non-neutral POV statements concerning the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants to show that this is an equivalent or superior qualification.

There is a separate article concerning the other qualification. I do not believe it is appropriate to add material on it here, other than the single sentence within the article to add clarity and cross reference.

Whether the qualifications are equivalent or whether one or other is superior is a subjective matter that should have no place in Wikipedia.

THJames 22:39, 2 July 2006 (UTC)

Agreed. Psnae 23:30, 2 July 2006 (UTC)

Seconded --Mig77 08:53, 4 July 2006 (UTC)

[edit] South African Chartered Accountant

In South Africa, a person has to qualify as a chartered accountant in order to register as an auditor.

To perform accounting duties, an accountant (non-chartered) has to be registered with an approved accounting body such as SAICA (CA) or CIMA (CMA) or CPA (Certified Public Accountant).

Another interesting point - in South Africa, the best accounting designation is CA(SA), which is equivalent to the United States CPA.

However, there is also a CPA qualification in South Africa, which is inferior to CA. CPA's (formerly known as CFA's) mostly do accounting work for smaller Closed Corporations (which is a company that is not subject to a statutory audit).

CA's generally do audit work (they are the only accountants allowed to do an audit in South Africa) and more advanced accounting (compilation of financial statements) and taxation work.

146.182.9.9 10:20, 30 July 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Bodies issuing CA qualification in UK

I have removed ACCA, CIMA, CIPFA and ACCA from the list of bodies that isue the "Chartered Accountant" title. Their members have similar titles but they are different ones.

THJames 20:12, 27 August 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Role of the Queen/Privy Council

I have removed references to the Queen and Royal Charters as although they are issued in countries of which she is sovereign many Commonwealth countries such as Ireland (Republic of), India and Pakistan are republics and in some cases were already republics when their accountancy bodies were founded.

That the UK and Ireland are the only countries where the Chartered Accountant designation is issued is likely to be because they are the only countries where English is the main language, rather than because of the Queen.

THJames 20:12, 27 August 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Cultural references

On At Last the 1948 Show, they had a running gag of putting chartered accountants in incongruous situations... AnonMoos 18:08, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Cleanup

There is a lot of information here that is off-topic, notably in the sections dealing with Canadian, South African and Indian CAs. And should there be any section for EU/EEA states which do not have the concept of a "chartered accountant"? Psnae 20:18, 1 January 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Australia

"By engaging a fellow, you will no doubt obtain professional advice which will allow you to resolve complex matters with extreme confidence, trust, honesty and integrity.

Ms Jackson's integrity is an asset to the organisation she belongs."

this doesn't sound very neutral to me —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 203.217.68.120 (talk) 08:44, 21 January 2007 (UTC).

It's not - so I removed it. Psnae 20:54, 21 January 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Why only the mentioned bodies

I have heard the claim many times that members of only these bodies may call themselves chartered accountants but ACCA members may not. Can somebody explain here which body has laid down these rules and what authority they have? (Elephant53 17:21, 14 February 2007 (UTC))

I suspect it comes from the relevant Royal Charters. ACCA members may call themselves "certified accountant" or "chartered certified accountant" but not "chartered accountant". Psnae 00:17, 17 February 2007 (UTC)

I don't believe that is the case. I suspect it comes from pure snob value and only due to the ACCA charter being issued in the 1970s. I think this issue needs to be cleared up before this article is deemed acceptable. (Elephant53 21:36, 25 February 2007 (UTC))

What do you "not believe is the case"? It's very clear that the term "Chartered Accountant" does not apply to ACCA. The ACCA rulebook itself does not use this term. Psnae 02:43, 27 February 2007 (UTC)

Yes, but isn't this a matter of choice? The association has spent almost a century trying to break the old boys club of accountancy firms. Obviously prior to having a charter members could not call themselves chartered but post this haven't they attempted to build upon the perceived value of 'certified accountant' by retaining that within their name. Unfortunately snobbery still exists in the profession and many institute members (especially the older ones) try to look down upon the association. This perception tends to cloud the judgement of laymen. Therefore a think it important to note that by choice the association members are known as chartered certified. If indeed this is the case. (Elephant53 10:38, 27 February 2007 (UTC))

No, it's from the bye-laws in the Royal Charter: "Every member may denote his membership of the Association by the use of the professional designations Chartered Certified Accountant or Certified Accountant and/or the designatory letters FCCA in the case of Fellows and ACCA in the case of Members." That's the wording in the Charter. I don't see how you can argue that the ACCA "chose" to use a different designation. Even if you're right, and they did choose a different designation the consequence of that choice is that they aren't allowed to use the title "Chartered Accountant" AnthonyUK 10:22, 28 October 2007 (UTC)

In U.K. Chartered Accountant legally refers to a member of ACA. However, accountant who are chartered (ACA, ACCA, CIMA) all has the same legal entitlement and obligation. CIMA can also audit PLC. In other countries, Chartered accountant also means accountants who are chartered, therefore, we should clarify the difference by mentioning both usage. Vapour (talk) 09:27, 17 February 2008 (UTC)

And yes, this distinction is mainly due to snobbishness of ACA. Recently, a motion was put forward in ACA to merge ACA with CIMA. The project had endorsement from both the executive side of ACA and CIMA. However, the ACA members overwhelmingly voted no. It is true that Scottish ACA qualification is exceedingly difficult. But ICAEW and ACCA qualification aren't that different except that ICAEW make it much harder to become a student members to begin with. Vapour (talk) 09:34, 17 February 2008 (UTC)

[edit] India

Article regarding India being a republic and therefore doesn't have Royal Charter is doubtful. Because India was NOT a republic when The Chartered Accountants Act, 1949 was passed on 1st May. At that time the Acts in India had to be singed by Governor-General of India Chakravarthi Rajagopalachari, a representative of the King of England (UK). As much as Indian chartered accountant not being chartered by the King, the explanation given is incorrect. --130.130.37.12 (talk) 03:27, 17 April 2008 (UTC)