CA magazine: February 2023
By Sarah Speirs, ICAS Executive Director of Member Engagement and Communication
2 February 2023
CAs provide clarity, are inquisitive and ask the right questions. To reflect this, CA magazine will continue to explore thought-provoking topics and keep you informed of new developments, both in the profession and the wider world.
This month's edition introduces the first of our new special reports. The February report investigates the rise of global financial crime and offers expert guidance on how to avoid being caught in the money-laundering storm.
Most CAs don’t have the luxury of easing themselves into a new year. For many, January is, by some distance, the busiest month – although the decision in December to postpone the introduction of Making Tax Digital for the self-assessed until 2026 will make this year a little less stressful. Even so, the past month would have felt relentless and clients are increasingly expecting more from their accountants beyond merely filing a tax return.
This is also the time of year when we ask you to renew your membership. It is incumbent on us at ICAS to help you get full value from that membership and to ensure you are aware of all its benefits. To give one example, Evolve is a programme set up to assist our members in practice. It helps firms stay up to date on technical matters, regulation and practice management, but also supports individuals in their growth through personal development.
Some of our members in practice are dealing with financial pressures both professionally and personally. We have a special report on financial crime, which outlines how criminals exploit those pressures and provides invaluable advice for what to look for when taking on a new client.
ICAS delivers courses on anti-money laundering. We examine why CPD matters now, perhaps more than ever, while highlighting some of the other key courses available this year.
We also look further ahead to examine the trends that will shape both the profession and the wider business world.
Understandably, people are focused on dealing with the here and now and riding out the recession, but it’s important to keep an eye on the future, too. Inside these pages, President Indy Singh Hothi CA sets out our vision to reach net zero by 2045.
I hope you enjoy the issue.
Renew your ICAS membership for 2023