Hannah Edwards, Tax and Audit Manager at HQB Chartered Accountants and dux graduate shares insights on the practical value CommLaw2 Entities and Business Structures and CommLaw3 Property has had on her career.

A common concern about postgraduate study is whether investing in learning will apply to the job. Especially if you have moved countries.

Hannah has ten years' experience in audit and over two years in tax and super. She is also a dux graduate to The Tax Institute advanced subjects: CTA2A Advanced. She says that before her current job, she had very limited knowledge of Australian tax, especially being from the United Kingdom.

She says study with The Tax Institute has been a great benefit to her career because it supported her move into tax, which landed her a promotion.

“I started the Tax Agent Program which includes commercial law for entities, business structures and property so that I can become a qualified tax agent next year,” she says.

“My background is in audit, but I moved from the city to a regional town to work for a firm that required a much wider knowledge of both audit and tax.

“I started studying at The Tax Institute to try and bring my knowledge up to speed as quickly as possible.”

Equipped to assist struggling clients

Hannah says CommLaw2 Entities and Business Structures furthered her understanding of bankruptcy and insolvency law which she had a bit of knowledge on before studying.

“Now this knowledge has increased considerably and in the current climate is still very important to assist struggling clients,” she admits.

“I learned a lot more about insurance law in CommLaw3 Property, which I knew relatively little about and is really important when assisting clients to make decisions about the best way to protect their assets and businesses.

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How to manage work and study

Hannah says it can get hard when you have various tax and other deadlines that need to be met at work which may require more than working 9-5.

“I would suggest doing as much study upfront as you can so that you still have the time to continue to meet work obligations during busy periods without worrying that you are getting behind in your studies,” she says.

“I think the Tax Agent Program is a really great program to undertake in terms of the course materials and information that you learn and is very applicable to real life situations.”

And where to now?

Hannah says, “My tax education will continue through regular updates I receive from The Tax Institute, attending courses and webinars.

“Tax laws and legislation are constantly changing, which means my education will never stop and the challenge of keeping up to date and always learning.

“This one of the aspects that I really enjoy about my job.”

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