We recommend that you group your exams by syllabus topic. You don’t need to pass the Diploma exams before studying for the Advanced diploma.
If you work your way through the Diploma and then work your way through the Advanced Diploma exams you will study the same topics more than once and run the risk of “knowledge fade” which means that you have already forgotten much of what you learned only 6 months ago. PLUS of course the rules may have been changed anyway so you have to dig deep and start all over again. Grouping your exams by topic reduces this risk.
Another advantage of grouping your exams by syllabus topic is that you could be looking to get 70 CII exam credits for just a little extra work (each individual exam normally only has 20 or 30 credits) and thus enhance the speed of your progress towards CII Chartered Status.
We therefore strongly recommend that you group your exams into:
1. Taxation and Trusts or
2. Investments
The Taxation and Trusts exams are J01 and R03 (Personal Tax) , J02 ( Trusts) and AF1 (Personal Tax and Trust Planning). The overlaps are self-evident especially when you realise that J02 also covers the taxation of trusts! This is why we have grouped three of our guides into the Taxation and Trusts Suite, with our CGT Guide as an added option.
The Investment exams are CF2 (Investment and Risk), R02 (Investment principles and risk), J06 (Investment Principles, Markets and Environments) and AF4 (Investment Planning). Again there are substantial syllabus overlaps and indeed AF4 often tests the same areas of knowledge as R02 or J06. To help you in this area we have again grouped three of our guides into the Investments Suite plus we strongly recommend that you buy the Financial Calculations Guide to help you with J06, R02 and AF4.
Alternatively if you are only targetting the Diploma exams then we recommend the following:
For J01 and R03
- Income Tax Calculations
- IHT Calculations
- CGT Calculations
For J02
- IHT Calculations
- The Taxation of Trusts
For J06 and R02
- Tax Update and Fixed Interest Securities
- Financial Calculations
For R06 and AF5
- Income Tax Calculations
- IHT Calculations
- CGT Calculations
- Financial Calculations
For CF2 *** this is 20 credits towards your Diploma if you did the old FPC exams
- The Investments Suite
And a reminder for the Advance Diplomas:
For AF4
- The Investments Suite
- Financial Calculations
For AF1
- The Tax and Trusts Suite
- CGT Calculations
If you need to know more visit the CII site at www.cii.co.uk