Thank you to Amicus: Search and Recruitment for Sponsoring this episode. To find your next Finance or Accounting Role, head to https://amicus.ie/ and tell them that we sent you!

In this episode of Study for Tax in Your Coffee Break, I’m going through the December 2025 ACCA Irish Advanced Tax Examiner’s Report — and honestly, it’s gold dust. The examiner has given us a clear window into what went well, what didn’t, and where valuable marks were left behind. Whether you’re preparing for your first sitting or reflecting on a recent attempt, this report is packed with insight that you simply cannot afford to ignore.

We walk through all three questions on the paper, including the 50-mark Question 1 with its mix of ethics, financial distress, share disposals and PRSA contributions. I highlight where students slipped up — from VAT on property (you know he loves it!) to gift splitting rules and, most importantly, failing to read the requirements properly. We also unpack Question 2’s specified intangible assets and permanent establishment issues, and Question 3’s termination payments, FED relief and close company transactions with a strong focus on the examiner’s repeated message: "know your conditions and know how to apply them!"

A major theme throughout this paper was professional marks — commercial acumen, skepticism, and real-world thinking. The examiner has clearly raised the bar here, and I share practical advice on how you can prepare for that. If you’re serious about passing this exam, this episode will help you understand exactly what the marking team is looking for — and how to avoid a “bloodbath” in the next sitting.

Resources mentioned in this Episode:

1. December 2025 ACCA Irish Advanced Tax Examiner’s Report
2. ACCA ATX Examiner's Reports Portal
3. "Ep040 Ethics"

Thank you for listening to Study For Tax in your Coffee Break! If you enjoyed the episode, make sure to leave a rating and review on your Podcast platform and share it with others to let them know you enjoyed the podcast.

To improve your study for the ACCA ATX Exams this year, head to Paula Byrne's website to purchase the ACCA ATX IRL Revision Book for Exams in 2025 and Tax Conditions - the Spoken Word for audio-based revision.

Thank you to Matthew Bliss for editing and production of this episode. If you'd like him to edit your podcast, send an email to business@mbpod.com or head to https://www.mbpod.com/.

Thank you to Amicus: Search and Recruitment for Sponsoring this episode. To find your next Finance or Accounting Role, head to https://amicus.ie/ and tell them that we sent you!

In this episode, we're talking through a brand new CGT relief introduced by the Finance Act 2024: the Relief for Investment in Innovative Enterprises, more commonly known as Angel Investor Relief. It’s an interesting and welcome relief that’s designed to help innovative Irish startups access early-stage funding while rewarding investors with a reduced CGT rate.

There's a number of qualifications, conditions and interactions of this relief with others that may preclude certain other available reliefs, so make sure to listen carefully in the case that it becomes an examinable relief!

Main Topics Discussed in this Episode:

1. Overview of Angel Investor Relief: What it is, why it was introduced, and how it reduces CGT for qualifying investors.
2. Who Can Qualify as an Investor: The key conditions an individual investor must meet, including shareholding limits, minimum holding periods, and connection rules.
3. What Makes a Company “Qualifying”: The importance of the certificate of qualification, what Revenue looks for, and why commercial innovation and going-concern status matter.
4. Eligible Shares and Investment Conditions: What counts as eligible shares, why cash investment is required, and why buying existing shares won’t qualify for the relief.
5. Interaction with Other Tax Reliefs: How Angel Investor Relief interacts with EIIS, Entrepreneur Relief, and Retirement Relief, highlighting why choosing the right relief can make a significant tax difference.

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Thank you for listening to Study For Tax in your Coffee Break! If you enjoyed the episode, make sure to leave a rating and review on your Podcast platform and share it with others to let them know you enjoyed the podcast.

To improve your study for the ACCA ATX Exams this year, head to Paula Byrne's website to purchase the ACCA ATX IRL Revision Book for Exams in 2025 and Tax Conditions - the Spoken Word for audio-based revision.

Thank you to Matthew Bliss for editing and production of this episode. If you'd like him to edit your podcast, send an email to business@mbpod.com or head to https://www.mbpod.com/.

Thank you to Amicus: Search and Recruitment for Sponsoring this episode. To find your next Finance or Accounting Role, head to https://amicus.ie/ and tell them that we sent you!

In this very special (and slightly self-indulgent!) episode of Study for Tax in Your Coffee Break, I’m delighted to catch up with one of my favourite ex-students of all time, John Lyons: now officially Mr ACCA. After a semester without his questions, comments and general banter, I couldn’t resist inviting him back for a chat… and I’m so glad I did.

John shares his brilliant (and very real) story of taking the long road to qualification. Starting with Accounting Technician exams, stepping up to ACCA, navigating setbacks, life “hiccups”, and still coming back stronger every time.

We talk honestly about what it’s like to study later in life when work, family, and responsibilities are all competing for your attention, and why comparison is a trap. John’s mindset of “running your own race” is one I think every student needs to hear.

We also dig into why Irish tax is such a valuable subject in the real world (even if some of the syllabus bits make you roll your eyes!), how employers view it, and why effort from week one matters more than most people want to admit.

Main Topics Discussed in this Episode:

1. John’s non-traditional journey into accounting, moving from electrician to ACCA through the Accounting Technician route after a career-changing injury.
2. The realities of studying for professional exams later in life, including balancing work, family responsibilities, and maintaining focus and motivation.
3. Why persistence matters more than natural ability, with honest reflections on failing exams, building resilience, and “running your own race.”
4. The practical value of Irish tax in everyday life and why it remains one of the most employable and relevant specialisms for accountants.
5. The importance of consistent effort, student engagement, and using available supports from the very start of the course to give yourself the best chance of passing.

Get in touch with John Lyons:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-lyons-acca-cat-3bb54474/

AB Magazine's "The View with John Lyons" article

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Thank you for listening to Study For Tax in your Coffee Break! If you enjoyed the episode, make sure to leave a rating and review on your Podcast platform and share it with others to let them know you enjoyed the podcast.

To improve your study for the ACCA ATX Exams this year, head to Paula Byrne's website to purchase the ACCA ATX IRL Revision Book for Exams in 2025 and Tax Conditions - the Spoken Word for audio-based revision.

Thank you to Matthew Bliss for editing and production of this episode. If you'd like him to edit your podcast, send an email to business@mbpod.com or head to https://www.mbpod.com/.