Best For Your Success.
Technical Support
For Other Accountants
We provide other accountancy firms with comprehensive technical support.
Advise and Lecture
We advise and lecture on a range of technical issues, including financial reporting, audit and assurance, anti-money laundering, ethical and practice compliance issues.
Technical Support
Typically, we provide technical support services for over 60 firms a year, although we have 150 firms on our current Christmas Card list.
Independent Professional
Stephen is well known by the professional bodies, but is very much independent of them, standing on the side of the practitioner.
The Minds Behind Our Success
Pauline B McAlpine BA FCA
Pauline is a Chartered Accountant with a strong background in practice. She was a partner in a medium-sized practice in the West End of London for 14 years, with responsibilities for both audit compliance and professional training.
Pauline has managed a broad portfolio of accountancy and taxation clients for over 30 years whilst maintaining her status as a responsible individual.
Stephen McAlpine BA (Econ) FCA
Stephen McAlpine is a Chartered Accountant with considerable practical and training experience. He has been responsible for accountancy training to a variety of organisations, including open courses, ranging from small businesses to major quoted companies and professional bodies.
Stephen is responsible for the firm’s assurance, training, and professional development services. He acts as external reviewer to a great many firms, providing a range of technical support services.
Frequently Asked Questions
Meet the team behind McAlpine Advisory: the husband-and-wife partnership of Stephen and Pauline McAlpine. Both Stephen and Pauline have considerable experience in providing clients with tailored technical support services.
Do you do hot and cold reviews?
Yes, we also assist firms with anti-money laundering, client money and practice assurance reviews.
Can you confirm your charge out rates?
Yes, for 2024 we are charging £180 per hour, capped at £1,350 for a day, but subject to a minimum for a visit of £850.
Are you able to review audit working papers remotely?
Yes. Increasingly firms are using Cloud based audit working papers, and our own firm has been using MyWorkpapers since before the first pandemic lockdown. We have also reviewed files using remote access computer software, and many of our clients find it convenient to send their papers files by courier. We use a professional courier to return the files as soon as we have reviewed them.
Do you give a discount if the work is done remotely?
Yes, if the work is done remotely, we discount our hourly rate by £15 per hour.
Can you tell me how long does each file review take?
Yes, but please be aware that is not a one size fits all service. Each assignment presents different challenges In general, the better prepared the file is, the fewer the issues, the less time it takes. Typically, an exercise can take between 3½ and 5 hours. Most are at or around 4 hours, with feedback taking another 30 to 45 minutes or so. But, as you will understand, predicting professional time is not an exact science.
Do I have an opportunity to challenge your findings?
Yes, of course. We are only human and limited by the information presented. If you have audit evidence that we have not seen, or if we have misinterpreted something we have seen, then we would always want the firm to have the fewest possible number of issues to carry forward.
Do I have to pay for your travelling time?
No, we have never charged for travelling time. Typically, if travel is required, we will use public transport, and if a train journey exceeds an hour, we travel first class so we can use the time on other matters.
Do you provide evidence of the review?
Yes, you will receive review notes and an audit review checklist. We can also provide a summary of our findings which can be useful where we are reviewing multiple files to allow the firm to focus on its key issues.
Can you draft a report to my professional body following the review?
Yes, we frequently produce reports to professional bodies. this usually takes around 90 minutes to draft and correct, sometimes less.
Will you send me an engagement letter?
Yes, together with a fit and proper declaration which we will refresh each year when providing further reviews.
Get In Touch
117 Fentiman Road,
London, SW8 1JZ
Office tel: 020 3897 9780
Mobile: 07545 426011
Email: info@mcalpineadvisory.com
Mon - Fri:
09:30 AM to 17:30 PM