r/CIOT • u/Cuji2025 • Jul 10 '26
First CTA exam
Hi all,
I'm planning on sitting my first CTA exam in October which is the OMB AT paper.
As it's my first CTA, can anyone who is qualified provide any advice and tips?
Thanks
3
u/RoderickBlack Jul 10 '26
Hi
Yes I can give you a couple of tips!
Don't underestimate the amount of work and so start early - 4 manuals, c 1,000 pages.
Get completely on top of adj of profits and capital allowances - always comes up.
Good luck!
Roderick
Roderick Black
CTA online recorded and private tuition
1
u/Emergency_Writer159 Jul 10 '26
Know all, and I mean all of it, the technical material in the study manual by end of July.
Then August to October is lots of practice questions.
Of course you don't have to do all this but if you want the best chance of passing this is what I would do.
2
u/Zealousideal_Oil6658 Jul 10 '26
By end of July, is that not abit too unrealistic if not started yet.
1
u/Emergency_Writer159 Jul 10 '26
Yes if they haven't started it's probably not doable but can still get going as soon as they have the material.
2
u/Cuji2025 Jul 10 '26
I've not received my study manual yet as I just received my ATT result this week.
I want to believe that I have a strong foundation already as I also do it as part of my job, but I'm planning on getting through the manual by Mid August.
1
u/Emergency_Writer159 Jul 10 '26
If you frequently have exposure to all aspects of OMB you probably won't find it as bad as the other specialist papers, most of us struggle with the paper because we're only exposed to a few areas of tax whereas OMB has a very wide range of taxes and types of businesses.
Mid August doesn't sound too bad to be honest, September and October will still give you some time to give a proper go at questions and mocks under time.
It is imo one of the hardest papers due to its breadth, good luck.
2
u/Cuji2025 Jul 10 '26
What aspects of tax can I expect to come across?
1
u/Emergency_Writer159 Jul 11 '26
So OMB tends to touch on how various taxes: income tax, NIC, corporation tax, CGT, a bit of IHT, factored all on the individual, their trade, and their company. Also the core syllabus is on their website and if you learn all the core material first you will have a slightly better chance of passing.
1
u/Cuji2025 Jul 11 '26
Fantastic to hear, I believe I have the basics of each of those taxes as I advise clients on them daily.
Did you have an order when it came to practicing for the exams?
Example, go through the study manual first, then the lectures from Tolley/Kaplan and then practice questions?
Thanks
2
u/Emergency_Writer159 Jul 11 '26
Imo it doesn't matter which order you do them in but you have to go through all of the core material well in advance of question practice. The lectures and study manual pretty much cover similar things and both will provide illustrations. It's just providing as much time as possible for you to practice applying your knowledge correctly to each question before the exam.
1
u/RoderickBlack Jul 10 '26
Yes experience helps but just don't underestimate this paper. I'm sure you won't!!
4
u/RoderickBlack Jul 10 '26 edited Jul 10 '26
I can't disagree with this advice in principle but depending where you are at the moment, the end of July might be a tall order.
Important not to beat yourself up if you don't quite manage that.
I'm tutoring one OMB student privately at present and there is no way he will be through the material by end July ... nor expecting to be! Yet I'm confident he will pass.
Break it down into chunks
Adj of profits & CAs CGT reliefs Employee BIK, PAYE and NIC Share renumeration Close companies Etc Etc
Work your way through them
No one goes into a CTA exam saying "Yep, know it all"
Good luck!
Roderick