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I sat the Irish variant and it was not only time constraining but the questions were based on tiny portions of the book that no one could be expected to remember in great detail. It was without a doubt at least twice the difficulty of the December paper and I reckon the hardest exam I’ve sat. rest assured the same disgraceful questions won’t come up in December. fairness needs to be introduced into these exam questions rather than make it feel like a scam of for your money.
I do think that ACCA have been money motivated as 106 pounds + a paper and rising every year is surely a concern. Yet there exams questions are silly in order for you to fail. Peoples jobs rely on these exams and students work hard to pass and obtain job satisfaction. Examiners just see it as a joke to make us fail.
I do think that too many people have been taking these exams as it is international and the entry requirements are not high.My lecturer once said that if it wasn’t challenging many people would be gaining this qualification. However the exams have become purposely for people to fail. Why don’t they increase there requirements like having a degree, this way the acca would be open to another market for high education students and examine the questions on quality rather than quantity and high fees. its a scam I agree. The questions set should be key exam areas of syllabus and not little bits of study guide where you cannot surely remember in exam amongst so much of P6 text which is massive. Why not reduce syllabus and examine in more detail with difficult questions requiring mix of calculations and explanation. For example the degrouping and question 5 which tested knowledge and theory with a little bit of calculations.
I do not remember the questions exactly, but if something is not stated clearly (is a company trading or not) then you just have to consider both situations.
I agree, that this exam was very different to previous ones. And it is unfair, as ACCA’s main advise is trying past papers prepare you best. It was not the case here.
However, If I had 2 more hours for analysing the questions I would write for pass without any problem. The questions were not very difficult. Just written in a way impossible to digest in such short time.- Topics: 0
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Agree with all of the above although I have different words come to my mind instead of just douc bag. ! I don’t feel I want to be part of a body that treats his students … and here I will be “professional and ethical” and not finish my sentence. Even though this is my last paper, I’ve had enough. Sooo much work, so much money, I don’t want to throw more good money after bad. It will be interesting to see the results though, but probably within the range they are always in lol. Goodbye and lots of luck at your next try. Just remember, it can’t be any worse, or could it …
@g said:
I am astounded and not surprised that no individual has a comment about how reasonable this exam was.My post did say i thought it was reasonable. Thinking i’ve missed something here now!
Have had a look at the hybrid March/June 2016 paper and still think that Q1 all you had to do is work out payments on account, class 2 and class 4 NIC – think that was it?!
The rest of the question – i stated investing in inventory will not impact tax and the additional equipment will reduce tax due to writing down allowances of AIA.
Voluntary VAT – thought we needed to see taxable supplies. Unsure. Also mentioned how it would be more expensive if customers weren’t registered.
CGT – worked this based upon a 80k gain and took off the AE of 11k. Then stated the payment date and at 28%. Stated that we needed the rate of tax in foreign company to deduct DTR.
Stated that the additional gift of painting should be made ASAP to utilise loss @ 28%.
Stated shares should be gifted after marriage, but in hindsight should have recommended a part disposal to take up 11k annual exemption.Question 2 – all we needed to do was use the template given and amend figures. A couple of obvious mistakes – use of incorrect indexed cost, dividend of post tax proceeds being calculated using chargeable gain and not the proceeds less tax.
Then, part b, it was just a case of using whatever bottom line figure you got to (think mine was around 350k!!) and then grossing it up for a dividend or using a bonus figure and show the tax difference.The VAT question was tricky, but not impossible. I forgot to disallow the lease payments 15% but did state you could only claim 50% of input VAT rather than the full amount. There was no VAT that could be claimed on purchase outright but there was WDA @ 8% which was available for tax relief. Working out which option provides most tax relief was just thinking about which expenses are available for tax relief.
I did the question about the corporation tax too and felt that it went ok – i struggled with the enhanced capital allowances, but there were three relatively easy marks for the loan, and then explaining how the capital allowances could potentially be claimed wasn’t too shabby, given that there was plenty to talk about.
I’m probably missing something massively here, but everything on the exam was well within capabilities – cue a fail!
My post did say i thought it was reasonable. Thinking i’ve missed something here now!
Have had a look at the hybrid March/June 2016 paper and still think that Q1 all you had to do is work out payments on account, class 2 and class 4 NIC – think that was it?!
The rest of the question – i stated investing in inventory will not impact tax and the additional equipment will reduce tax due to writing down allowances of AIA.
Voluntary VAT – thought we needed to see taxable supplies. Unsure. Also mentioned how it would be more expensive if customers weren’t registered.
CGT – worked this based upon a 80k gain and took off the AE of 11k. Then stated the payment date and at 28%. Stated that we needed the rate of tax in foreign company to deduct DTR.
Stated that the additional gift of painting should be made ASAP to utilise loss @ 28%.
Stated shares should be gifted after marriage, but in hindsight should have recommended a part disposal to take up 11k annual exemption.Question 2 – all we needed to do was use the template given and amend figures. A couple of obvious mistakes – use of incorrect indexed cost, dividend of post tax proceeds being calculated using chargeable gain and not the proceeds less tax.
Then, part b, it was just a case of using whatever bottom line figure you got to (think mine was around 350k!!) and then grossing it up for a dividend or using a bonus figure and show the tax difference.The VAT question was tricky, but not impossible. I forgot to disallow the lease payments 15% but did state you could only claim 50% of input VAT rather than the full amount. There was no VAT that could be claimed on purchase outright but there was WDA @ 8% which was available for tax relief. Working out which option provides most tax relief was just thinking about which expenses are available for tax relief.
I did the question about the corporation tax too and felt that it went ok – i struggled with the enhanced capital allowances, but there were three relatively easy marks for the loan, and then explaining how the capital allowances could potentially be claimed wasn’t too shabby, given that there was plenty to talk about.
I’m probably missing something massively here, but everything on the exam was well within capabilities – cue a fail!
I spent at least a good 15 minutes reading the requirement for question 1! Very unfair!
Firstly, the exam should be to test the knowledge of tax and not whether the student can understand the question or the secenario. After all this is not an English exam!
I have two young babies, yet I studied so hard for this paper, this meant early question practicing at 4:30 in the morning and again after the kids has gone to bed til 1am in the morning! I honestly thought I was so prepared for this exam from every angle.. clearly not!
How unfair!Having done 13 papers so far, I understand time pressure during exams.. hence why papers should be set in a way, you come on read the question, pick up the pen answer, stop, read next question, answer, move on etc. But only for this exam. I spent more time trying to understand what he was actually asking than planning my question!!!!
Like many have written, as unproffesional as it sounds, but Acca should check the personal status of the examiner before allowing him to write a paper.
The worst paper ever!
And completely demotivated with acca after this sitting!Having seen the paper and the above student mentioned says “think that was it’ makes him still unsure if the wording of question was right. Question 1 was the first question and 10-15 minutes wasting time trying to intererpret examiner is destined for fail. A whole question for 11 marks which is a very small area of syllabus is very unfair with P6 being a massive paper. I agree it was within capabilities but examiner has confused individuals with way he has written it throughout most of the paper.
Giving figure for Income tax liability & taxable profits is a deliberate attempt to confuse. I find this exam technique shameful. I took P2 which is similar in size and asked lecturer for guidance, he gave me article and hints- my hard work paid off because I answered difficult questions which were clear.
Also are we expected to remember due dates and payments and every single detail of syllabus. If revised well this minor area then yes exam was OK. However it was 11 marks shocking and deliberately to waste time. Major areas was not tested.
It seems we have to assume a lot and state the obvious. Voluntary Registration was also small area of syllabus and the answer was not even in lecture notes. This is about testing tax and accountancy knowledge and unfair to use bits and pieces from study guide. Thank you examiner for wrecking peoples career prospects.
Could you give a link to this hybrid March/June 2016 paper? I cannot find it. Last ones I see is September/December 2015.
Agree with pretty much everything that’s been said.
This was without doubt the most difficult ACCA paper I’ve ever sat. This was completely due to the vagueness of the question requirements and their obscure nature – the time pressure was as expected. My preparation for this exam had been the most complete of all my 13 previous ACCA papers: 10 full days at college, 2 marked mocks, and I practiced every single question in the BPP question bank, at least twice.
All we can do is hope and prey the examining team show mercy and adjust the marking accordingly.
The sample exam questions are at the bottom of this page:
This is the wording from a requirement in question 2:
“Calculate the additional tax and national insurance contributions due, as reduced by any corporation tax savings…”
What on earth does that even mean?
Isn’t it IT + NIC liability in respect of received bonus or dividend of Gail less tax saving of the business (A Ltd) made on payments to Gail as a bonus or dividend?
Very vague and what corporation tax saving, by A or Z. A does not pay any corporation tax on dividends received from Z as dividends are not taxed. UK and overseas dividends are not taxed and therefore there is no saving by A. The questioning is not clear.
Yes, there is not tax saved for A if it pays Gail dividend. But paying bonus is allowable cost so there is tax saving for A. Because Gail owns 100% of A, tax saved by A is good for Gail. So the question is (as many in Revision kit) – what net amount can Gail receive (being the owner of A) taking into account both Gail’s personal taxes/NIC and A’s CT
Can I please urge everyone who has taken the exam to complete the Acca exam feedback survey- which you would have received via email a few days back.
The more who completes and express the point, the more chance acca may look into it.
anyone say Z and A were in corp tax group etc thus upper and lower limits divided by two?
Glad ppl are sharing there experience with this exam
Ive completed the acca feedback can anybody who hasnt already do so it can make a difference for us
Wish more voted and commented on this page though
I have just completed the feedback form. I waited a few days to cool down!
*The closing date for submission is today*
Just wondering – is anyone aware of ACCA having contacted students re feedback comments?
I thought the exam was awful. It’s my third time sitting P6 (45 first time, 46 second time) and think this one was the worst one yet.
Really considering doing something else as i don’t know what else i can do in order to pass this exam.
I’ve done numerous past papers and questions from the Kaplan revision book and felt prepared for the exam.
I’ve also completed the survey from ACCA complaining about the exam.
@natalie656
Hi I have almost the same situation- it was my third attempt! I had 44 and 44 in the past sessions and I studied so hard to get this done but I’m worried I won’t have enough points again..I would not give in to P6. By taking a different paper then you will have do more work. All the option papers especially P4 and P7 are similar by difficulty. I am in similar scenario but my second attempt and followed all my tuition providers advice.
Something has clearly happened with this sitting and if people have studied well in preparation and find they are struggling then it leaves me to believe there is undoubtbly wrong in the way ACCA are treating their students. I find it silly that someone is finding that they will get a lower mark and fail because of not their fault but of the exam itself.You should take action now, and anyone who has done there exams should complete the survey, also inform your tuition providers/fellow colleagues/friends and their employer know what has happened. The more people do something now, then improvements can happen.
It has affected many students who probably don’t know what to do, as they are unaware of the feedback.This exam was beyond doubt the worst I have ever done. So badly communicated and unfairly focused on very niche areas of the syllabus.
I have been revising full time for this exam for two months (I quit my job in March due to a move abroad), and have previously passed all my other exams first time with good marks (averaging mid 70s). I specifically have not looked for another job as I knew P6 would be tricky and wanted to focus all my attention on it. I wish I hadn’t bothered now. The only comfort is that if I found it difficult with my past good marks and full time study, then most other people would have too, and they should see this in the poor marks all round and adjust the mark scheme accordingly. Do they publish the average marks/results does anyone know?
I went into the exam feeling fully prepared, and then struggled to understand the first question with its obscure wording. When I finally did and realised it was POA (technically easy), 20 minutes had gone by. The rest of the questions were just as bad – 8 marks on ECA – I didn’t even know what this was in the exam, and had to look it up when I got back. It was half a page in the 1100 page textbook (0.05% of the syllabus for 8 marks??)
I’ve just left a very angry feedback form for p6 (like fs28 I had to wait a few days to calm down!) and would encourage everyone else feeling this way to as well. The deadline is today and I think their servers are playing up with the volume of traffic, so don’t leave it to the last minute or your experience won’t be recorded.
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