IT Exam Software - Claim as Expense?

[bathingape]

Hi there - just a quick one that I'm hoping someone can clear up. I've tried searching around but no such luck. I am an IT contractor and an employee of my LTD company. I subscribe monthly to an exam training package which helps me train for vendor exams. Can this monthly outgoing be claimed as an expense from my company?

[malvolio]

Hi there - just a quick one that I'm hoping someone can clear up. I've tried searching around but no such luck. I am an IT contractor and an employee of my LTD company. I subscribe monthly to an exam training package which helps me train for vendor exams. Can this monthly outgoing be claimed as an expense from my company?

Only if it is directly and entirely related to your fee-earning work

[bathingape]

Only if it is directly and entirely related to your fee-earning work

Thanks pal. I'm asking because a colleague of mine claims a similar expense and his argument is that he requires these certifications in order to obtain his contracts - which is pretty much the case for me.

[vwdan]

Thanks pal. I'm asking because a colleague of mine claims a similar expense and his argument is that he requires these certifications in order to obtain his contracts - which is pretty much the case for me.

I claim everything related to exams including all training material and fees. My justification is threefold: Firstly, my company would simply not be competitive without them, secondly they're required to gain partner status* with the vendors I specialise in and finally I've simply never had to pay out of my own pocket throughout my entire career.

*Required for advanced support, access to software etc

I think the final one is probably the easiest to argue - if you genuinely believe that a company doing the same type of work would pay for your certs then I don't see an issue claiming.

[bathingape]

I claim everything related to exams including all training material and fees. My justification is threefold: Firstly, my company would simply not be competitive without them, secondly they're required to gain partner status* with the vendors I specialise in and finally I've simply never had to pay out of my own pocket throughout my entire career.

*Required for advanced support, access to software etc

I think the final one is probably the easiest to argue - if you genuinely believe that a company doing the same type of work would pay for your certs then I don't see an issue claiming.

Fantastic mate, cheers for that.

[TheCyclingProgrammer]

As long as they are wholly, exclusively and necessarily for business purposes, and by business I mean the business your company already operates, then yes. In practice this means the training should be necessary to further enhance or widen your existing skill that relates to your current business, not provide you with a new skill unrelated to your existing business.

The lines can become blurry with something like IT so just be pragmatic. If these vendor exams are related to something you're already doing then I'd claim them.

[BolshieBastard]

I claim everything related to exams including all training material and fees. My justification is threefold: Firstly, my company would simply not be competitive without them, secondly they're required to gain partner status* with the vendors I specialise in and finally I've simply never had to pay out of my own pocket throughout my entire career.

*Required for advanced support, access to software etc

I think the final one is probably the easiest to argue - if you genuinely believe that a company doing the same type of work would pay for your certs then I don't see an issue claiming.

This. I put a couple of ISEB \ ISTQB courses and exam fees through when I was contracting. Accountant never queried the expense.

[malvolio]

This. I put a couple of ISEB \ ISTQB courses and exam fees through when I was contracting. Accountant never queried the expense.

Did you ask them? They do what they're told, that doesn't necessarily include querying your business decisions, so them not querying something doesn't necessarily mean it's right.

That said, ISEB and similar, and the OP's stuff, are likely to be fine unless you never go anywhere near either the tin & wires or coding...

[northernladuk]

This. I put a couple of ISEB \ ISTQB courses and exam fees through when I was contracting. Accountant never queried the expense.

I would have put them through as well but just to be a pedant, does an accountant really know what those courses/exams are and is in a position to say if it's relevant or not. I know mine isn't lol. I am well aware you know more than enough to make the right choice, just making the comment for the newer guys to chew on.

[BolshieBastard]

I would have put them through as well but just to be a pedant, does an accountant really know what those courses/exams are and is in a position to say if it's relevant or not. I know mine isn't lol. I am well aware you know more than enough to make the right choice, just making the comment for the newer guys to chew on.

Well Im not bragging but having used the same accountant for 14 years out of my contracting life (a couple of years with MTM but that's another story!) and still using them, Ive built a good relationship so he knows me as more than just a business client. Its not like one of these internet IT contractor accountants who dont know you from the other 3 or 4 thousand contractors they have on their books.

I did identify the items as ISEB \ ISTQB Training Course(s) and ISEB \ ISTQB Exam(s) in my spreadsheets plus, the actual invoices were in my records so Im pretty sure, in my circumstances, he could tell what they were.

If someone just puts them down as "Training" or "Exam" they no, they probably wouldnt know.