Tracy Belton joined Charter Tax in 2017 from another firm of accountants and works within the Private Client team as an Assistant Client Manager. Her role mainly involves the preparation of accounts and tax returns for sole traders, partnerships and trusts. She also has some involvement with small limited companies.
Tracy says she enjoys the variety of the work and the range of businesses she supports; she particularly enjoys the accounts for farming clients, as her husband works on a farm, so she has a good knowledge of how they operate.
“I have always liked numbers and maths, so accountancy seemed to be a logical choice when I was at school,” Tracy says. “However, I ended up starting my working life in a completely different role in a manufacturing company. I worked and helped out in pretty much every department of the company at some point in the eight and a half years I was there. The directors were very good though, as they knew that I was keen to work in accounts and they put me through my AAT qualification.”
She continues: “I then moved to another job where I was the purchase ledger clerk for a few years before becoming a trainee in a firm of accountants. I completed my ATT qualification and gained a few years of experience before moving to Charter Tax and my current role.”
Two years ago, Tracy passed the STEP certificate in Trusts and Estates, gaining a distinction.
“I am involved in the preparation of trust accounts so having this qualification has really helped me with understanding the basics of how trusts work and how the various taxes interact when it comes to trusts,” she says.
Tracy adds that although working from home over the past 12 months has been ‘quite enjoyable in some respects’ she says she’s missed seeing everyone in the office.
“You don’t realise how much you pick up just by being in the office about what is going on with regards to clients and tax and accounting changes,” she explains. “The main difference with regards to my role has been obtaining the paperwork from the client to be able to do the preparation of the accounts. However, between us and the clients we have managed to get the paperwork needed with various doorstep drop-offs!”
She continues: “Having everything set up at home gives me the flexibility to be able to help my colleagues and the clients at any time if needed, in a way that wouldn’t have been possible had I had to go to the office, so this is an advantage.”
Tracy admits that home schooling has been challenging, particularly with her youngest son starting school in September.
While Tracy hasn’t picked up any new hobbies during lockdown, she has acquired a few new habits…
“As I haven’t had to commute, I have used the time to walk a bit more,” she explains. “I have discovered that walking for ten minutes longer in the morning makes me feel set up for the day and ready to sit down and focus. I am lucky that I don’t have a long commute, but somehow not having to actually go to the office feels less rushed.”
She adds: “Spending so much time at home has meant that we have been able to get our garden a bit more organised. My sons enjoy being outside and we have several more raised beds which we have been growing vegetables in. Not much of it makes it to the table though as they tend to eat it all raw, straight from the garden!”
