 | This article relies largely or entirely on a single source .(April 2007) |
| Formation | 1961 |
|---|---|
| Founded at | United Kingdom |
| Legal status | Professional body |
The Insolvency Practitioners Association (IPA) is a professional body whose purpose is to inform and regulate insolvency practitioners (IPs) [1] within the UK and Ireland. There is a similar organisation in Australia.
Formed in 1961 as a discussion group of accountants specialising in insolvency, it became incorporated under its current name in 1973. It became a Recognised Professional Body under the UK Insolvency Act 1986, empowered to grant and renew insolvency licences. It is the only such body whose membership is composed solely of IPs. Its members act as trustees in bankruptcy, nominees and supervisors of individual voluntary arrangements, liquidators, administrators and administrative receivers of companies.
The IPA's main objectives are to encourage recruitment of IPs; to promote their training and education; to maintain and improve standards of performance and conduct, and to regulate and monitor its members' practices, and, where appropriate, discipline them.
Every individual wishing to qualify for an insolvency licence needs to satisfy the IPA that he is a fit and proper person and has passed the examination set by the Joint Insolvency Examination Board.
The IPA has over 2,000 individual and companies registered as members. The IPA recently widened access to affiliate membership (AIPA) and introduced a new category of affiliate firm membership for those practices, businesses and organisations which are involved in insolvency related work.
The IPA sets two annual intermediate level insolvency examinations, the Certificate of Proficiency in Insolvency (CPI) and the Certificate of Proficiency in Personal Insolvency (CPPI).
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An accountant is a practitioner of accounting or accountancy. Accountants who have demonstrated competency through their professional associations' certification exams are certified to use titles such as Chartered Accountant, Chartered Certified Accountant or Certified Public Accountant, or Registered Public Accountant. Such professionals are granted certain responsibilities by statute, such as the ability to certify an organization's financial statements, and may be held liable for professional misconduct. Non-qualified accountants may be employed by a qualified accountant, or may work independently without statutory privileges and obligations.
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Chartered accountants were the first accountants to form a professional accounting body, initially established in Scotland in 1854. The Edinburgh Society of Accountants (1854), the Glasgow Institute of Accountants and Actuaries (1854) and the Aberdeen Society of Accountants (1867) were each granted a royal charter almost from their inception. The title is an internationally recognised professional designation; the certified public accountant designation is generally equivalent to it. Women were able to become chartered accountants only following the Sex Disqualification (Removal) Act 1919 after which, in 1920, Mary Harris Smith was recognised by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales and became the first woman chartered accountant in the world.
In the United Kingdom, only an authorised or licensed insolvency practitioner (IP) may be appointed in relation to formal insolvency procedures.
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