ACCA TX (Taxation): Exam Guide, Key Topics and Pass Tips

What Is the ACCA TX Paper?

Taxation (TX) is an Applied Skills paper covering the UK tax system as it applies to individuals and businesses. TX-UK is the standard variant for UK-based candidates and covers income tax, corporation tax, VAT, capital gains tax, and inheritance tax. It is one of the most practically useful ACCA papers — the content applies directly to everyday accountancy work.

Exam Format

TX is a 3-hour 15-minute exam. Section A has 15 multiple choice questions worth two marks each (30 marks). Section B has 70 marks, combining three 10-mark OT case question sets and longer constructed response questions including two 15-mark questions. Pass mark 50%. All questions are compulsory.

Key Topics in ACCA TX (UK)

Income tax: Employment income, property income, trading profits, personal allowance, tax bands, reliefs and allowances. Corporation tax: Chargeable accounting periods, trading income adjustments, capital allowances, corporation tax computation. Value Added Tax: Registration, standard rating, VAT returns, partially exempt businesses. Capital gains tax: Computation for individuals and companies, principal private residence relief, business asset disposal relief. Inheritance tax: Chargeable transfers, exemptions, business property relief, IHT computation.

TX Pass Rates

TX pass rates are typically 50-60% globally. The 55% pass mark (versus 50% for other Applied Skills papers) means candidates need stronger performance. The time pressure of completing five distinct tax computations in 3 hours 15 minutes is significant.

Study Tips for ACCA TX

Learn the pro forma tax computations for income tax and corporation tax and practice them until they are mechanical. ACCA always sets exams to the Finance Act of the prior year — check which Finance Act applies to your exam sitting. Section C questions on VAT and CGT are often the most challenging — practise these specifically. Allow 12-16 weeks of part-time study.

FAQ

Does ACCA TX cover UK or international tax?

ACCA offers TX variants for multiple jurisdictions including UK, Ireland, Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia, and others. The UK variant (TX-UK) is the most popular globally. Candidates should choose the variant relevant to where they work or plan to work.

Further Reading

• ACCA at Learnsignal
• ACCA ATX Guide
• Tax Accountant Career Guide

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