ACCA Exam tips for December 2008

NOTE: These exam tips should only be used in conjunction with proper studying. We
cannot guarantee that these tips will appear in the actual exam as we have not seen the
exam papers. Examiners are not predictable so it is vital that all core syllabus areas are
revised fully. The tips are based on Kaplan’s experience and understanding of the ACCA
exams and will help focus your last minute revision.

Please also read all the Examiners Articles – available on the ACCA website or in the
Student Accountant magazine.

Kaplan Financial 1 Exam tips Dec 2008

F4 Corporate & Business Law

• English legal system - delegated legislation/interpretation of statutes
• Obligations - formation and terms of a contract, duty of care in tort or professional negligence
• Employment - dismissal
• Company law

• Incorporation procedure or articles
• Maintenance of capital
• Termination of directors office and directors powers
• Types of meetings and resolutions
• Fraudulent behaviour - Money Laundering

F5 Performance Management
• Budgeting
• Learning curves
• Variances, possibly including mix and yield
• Performance measurement including financial and non financial performance indicators
• Transfer pricing or ROCE/ RI
• Throughput accounting

Kaplan Financial 2 Exam tips Dec 2008

F7 Financial Reporting

Q1 Consolidation possibly 3 company SFP or 2 company I/S and SFP
Question will probably include the update to IFRS 3 affecting Goodwill and NCI
calculations.
Q2 Preparation of published accounts from TB to include I/S, SOCIE and SFP. Possible
transactions, depreciation, revaluation, income tax and deferred tax, lease,
development costs.
Q3 Possible mixed interpretation question to include calculation of a basic statement of
cash flow and a report to include calculation of ratios and interpretation of the accounts
using the cash flow and ratio results.
Q’s 4 & 5 Construction Contracts, IASB Framework (elements or qualitative characteristics),
Impairment or Provisions.

F8 Audit & Assurance

Q1 Audit procedures: purchases/payroll, CAATs & substantive tests (30 marks)
Q2 Facts/standards: engagement letters/acceptance (10 marks)
Q3 Risk & audit approach: identification of risks in audit risk model (20 marks)
Q4 Specialist audit areas: internal audit (20 marks)
Q5 Collection of evidence/reporting: events after the reporting date (20 marks)
Ethics - conflict of interest /confidentiality

F9 Financial Management

• Investment appraisal - NPV/IRR with tax, inflation and working capital is a favourite topic of the
examiner, although areas not examined to date include payback, replacement analysis, capital
rationing and lease v buy.
• Working Capital Management - receivables are traditionally the most popular topic but payables
and cash are due a turn.
• Cost of Capital – given recent articles CAPM, its advantages and disadvantages, and its use in
calculating a cost of equity and a risk-adjusted WACC must be expected.
• Risk Management - hedging foreign exchange risk
• Business Finance - gearing/capital structure calculations and comment
• Valuations - asset and cash flow based values

Kaplan Financial 3 Exam tips Dec 2008

P1 Professional Accountant

• Internal audit: independence or appointment (possibly via audit committee)
• Remuneration committee
• Directors induction and / or appraisal
• Ethical decisions: AAA or Tucker
• Stakeholder categorisation
• Normative / instrumental views of stakeholders
• Board structure: family / insider or unitary / two tier
• Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
• Sound internal controls

P2 Advanced Corporate Reporting

• IFRS 3 Revised
• Cash flow statements
• Ethics
• Deferred tax/share-based payments/Held for sale and discontinued activities/impairments could
potentially come up.
• Group cash flow

P3 Business Analysis

Section A
• In December Q1 will still focus mainly on the strategic planning process (key areas may
be SWOT, Ansoff and acquisition). Also expect it to include an implementation issue such as
culture or change management
Section B
• If culture or change management don't appear in the compulsory question then they may appear
in the option questions
• Other areas may be TQM, supply chain management, and choosing & evaluating an IT system

Kaplan Financial 4 Exam tips Dec 2008

P4 Advanced Financial Management
Section A
•
Business valuation (various methods, with pros and cons)
• Option pricing – Black Scholes model
Section B
•
Interest rate hedging (futures and options), bond pricing and credit spreads
• Stakeholders and conflict of objectives
• Investment appraisal – with foreign currency

P5 Advanced Performance Management

• Corporate failure as per recent article (July 08)
• Pricing (transfer pricing)
• Strategic planning and gap analysis
• Performance measures for both private and public sector
• Environmental management accounting

Kaplan Financial 5 Exam tips Dec 2008

P6 Advanced Taxation

Corporation tax Loan relationships
Takeovers
Controlled foreign Companies
Capital Gains Tax Gift and incorporation relief
Principal private residence and letting relief
Shares
Income tax Car and loan benefits and share schemes
CYB closing years
Investment advice
Capital allowances
Inheritance Tax Lifetime gifts
Business property relief
VAT Partial exemption
Registration
Special schemes
General Overseas aspects

P7 Advanced Audit & Assurance

Core areas of the syllabus expected to be examined in every sitting:
• Engagement planning and risk (audit risk likely this sitting);
• Gathering evidence;
• Ethics/professional issues; and
• Engagement reporting (particularly audit qualifications).
Subject of recent articles:
• Forensic investigations and audit (September 2008). (Likely to include elements of planning
and/or gathering evidence similar to question 2 of pilot paper).
‘Peripheral topics’ from exam approach article yet to be covered:
• Regulatory framework;
• Obtaining professional work; and
• Corporate governance.