It's not cagey, it's common sense. People post way too much information about themselves online. It's another reason I stay away from the likes of Facebook etc.

 

Then HMRC thinks you earned 2k though? Better to just charge each other 1 pound I think?

 

Of course this is why the place is going to the dogs


Much easier to slope off to the other side of the world ,blaming all teh politicians for everything

 

Or plan it for years and years but never actually do it?

 

I don't!


What I meant was - I don't pay '**** all' tax.
I *do* pay tax.

 

in a way it is obvious that "barter" could be seen as income/benefit

consider the artist, who can create value simply by simply drawing a house on napkin and signing it - I think Picasso paid a few restaurant bills by simply signing the bill

the artist would rarely need cash , he could simply "barter" his work, for small, or if famous enough, very large amounts

that situation would simply be unacceptable to the Tax Man

 

Not what you are supposed to.


Some people may tell themselves they do but they don't.

 

It *shouldn't* be taxable though if there's no monetary value.
How can you put a tax rate on time?

If I want to give my time for free in exchange for someone else's free time then it shouldn't matter one jot.

I guess, as someone else said above, just charge a nominal £1.00

 

Eh?

I know I do because the Inland Revenue and my accountant tell me I do.
It's here in black and white.

Being self employed isn't a way of evading tax.

 

You have to be a registered charity to give free time as a business. You can give quotes etc but that's to gain business.

Could be wrong

 

Yeah, ok

 

Sorry, but I think you're now trolling.

I've been self employed since 1995 and I've paid tax twice a year, every year, since.

 

Then why not be certain of something before you make a statement?

 

I'm self employed and play plenty of tax, but then I'm an idiot according to most on here

 

Exactly.

The misconception that the self employed can avoid paying tax and get away with it, is frankly idiotic.

Normally spouted by employee slaves.
Poor things.

 

Yep.

I don't know about being poor things though, there's days when I envy them.

 

Never!

I've just done two days decorating some offices at a recruitment agency - by Christ, I couldn't work in an office as an employee!


(And on a side note - watching the 20-something brylcreem boys strutting around like a plumped up Peacock. Utter *******!)

 

Couldn't agree more, office **** jockeys were another part of the reason I quit work, and I was self employed too.

I would say that if no actual goods changed hands then there's nothing to tax as it's just an exchange of time between friends, after all I'm sure if you and I were pals outside of the internet we'd do each other favours, as that's what me and mine do.

I have just come back from my mates forest where I spent the day cutting down trees, he fed and watered me and will at some point be coming here to help me put 10 x 3.5m beams up in the extension I'm building.

And I'm sure you've probably designed a website for a mate for nothing or done other computer related stuff for free, I have a mate that's going to be doing my website for free and he can have a week out here for free, his name is Chris and he's a regular poster on here.

 

Nah, you're right. You just reminded me with the plumped up peacock analogy! Got out of that nonsense in 2002, every day was a like being on a bad episode of The Apprentice :lo1l:

 

Who is he? Sounds like a right ****

 

Yeah your not the first to say that about him and I doubt you'll be the last.

 

I was self employed for a long time and paid lots of tax but anyone who says they follow the letter of the law when they pay their tax is talking ****.


My brother in law is a accountant and has his own firm and he would laugh if any face who says otherwise.


For example, my wife worked on the farm, she did a few hours but not enough to justify the 10k tax exempt that we got for her being part of said business. Or getting money back for elec and gas bills because I used to do paper work in the house. We got a new washing machine and used it for my work gear, so guess what, bye bye tax.


All legal but taking the p1ss.

 

quote zip


It *shouldn't* be taxable though if there's no monetary value.
How can you put a tax rate on time?

If I want to give my time for free in exchange for someone else's free time then it shouldn't matter one jot.

I guess, as someone else said above, just charge a nominal £1.00



This sounds like a man who pays all his tax and cuts no corners.

 

Not to mention the fact you pay National Insurance whether you earn any money or not, no Holiday pay, sick pay, harder to get mortgages, no company pension/healthcare, zero job/work security, people not paying their invoices on time or, in fact, at all, etc.

Depends what you do and what's important to you. I'm self-employed. It's great for me but there are drawbacks. Bookings cancel with little or no comeback. Your tax-free limit is actually lower than those in employment. You have to do your own book keeping. Also have to have certificates for Hygeine training, personal liability cover.....basically you are your own HR Manager. Don't get me wrong it's not a woe is me thing, but it is other stuff that you have to think about when you are not at the stoves. I decided on self-employment to gain control of choosing where and when I worked and to get paid fairly for my time, which simply doesn't happen in my industry when salaries are handed out. You give up a lot for "security" and I'd rather the paperwork and risk for a freer working life. It would need to be an utterly fantastic offer for me to go back to being on someone's books again......I just can't ever see that happening.

Granted there are some that take their expenses to the limit but I'd rather not be bogged down by paperwork/receipts! I claim mileage, equipment, phone and internet. I know people who claim haircuts, gas bills, portion of rent, paper, ink cartridges, laundry, basically everything you need day to day except food! Good luck to them. It's not illegal. Personally I'd rather play a little more morally fair than risk a HMRC investigation.

 

Stop being a ****.
I pay, and always have paid, any tax that is due.

I actually take it personally that you accuse me of fiddling my tax.



And sort those bleeding smilies out - it's really simple, they're over there ---->

 

Davey, I absolutely agree with what you say.

I prefer the sometimes little difficulties that go with self employment, but tomorrow I'm having the day off because I want to.
I'm not getting paid obviously, but that's one of the luxuries of not being a wage slave.

I always remember my late FIL, when I started up by myself, saying to me something along the lines of 'just make sure you pay what is due to the taxman as and when he wants it - you'll sleep soundly at night'.

Damn right.

 

You may not break the law but that is also the case for Amazon etc.


Just compare what tax you pay with a friend who earns a similar amount as you, make sure hes not eating at the time, you may kill him.


Plus not you saying this but I used to get sick pay (ins monthly) and NI is next to nothing compared to paye.


Just for people that are PAYE, if you earn about 30k someone self employed will only pay about 2k on that, maybe a bit more if unlucky.

 

Has someone turned your meds up to 11 today?

As for NI - I pay Class 2 monthly and also Class 4 yearly on profits.

 

No offence Chris, but you've no idea what anyone on here pays in tax so it's not really on to accuse people of being economical with the truth as regards their tax arrangements.

 

People that are self employed preaching about how hard it is gets on my ****. Im not saying this is what you or anyone else is doing but when I went self employed it was one of the best things to ever happen to me.


You pay a much smaller percentage of what you earn than PAYE and are your own boss. Its great, get a few ins to play it safe and you are laughing.