For many years, people leaving jobs to become self-employed were advised to instead set up one man companies to provide their services. One reason for this might be the security offered by limited liability, but in many cases the use of a 'personal service company' was to create the opportunity for some quite substantial savings, particularly of national insurance contributions (NICs).
Consider James and Robert, who have for many years worked as managers in a local professional business. They have, until now, each been paid a salary of £75,000 pa. In 2010/11, each would pay income tax of £19,930.00 and primary Class 1 NICs of £4,509.60. In addition, their employer would pay secondary Class 1 NICs of £8,867.84 x 2 = £17,735.68. So, at a cost to his employer of £83,867.84, James would receive £50,560.40 net. Likewise Robert.
James and Robert decide to become self-employed. James finds office accommodation and begins to build up his own client base. Robert instead arranges to work for different firms - say mornings for one and afternoons for a second. In the first case, there is little doubt that James's change to self-employment would be genuine, but in the second there is a strong case for saying that rather than having become self-employed, Robert in reality has two jobs, and PAYE tax and NICs (both primary and secondary) are payable.
The rules for people like James and Robert have existed for many years
The tests for deciding whether someone is accepted as self-employed for tax purposes are a little vague, but if Robert in reality has what amount to two part-time jobs, the mechanics exist for him to be classified as an employee of the two firms he works with, and for PAYE to be operated accordingly. The effect of all this is for extra costs, in the form of primary and secondary Class 1 National Insurance to be payable by Robert and his employers.
Assume that Robert's company has profits, before Robert takes any salary or dividends, of £83,867.84, and that he takes £7,200 in salary and the balance of the profits, after tax, in the form of dividends.
First, we need to consider the company's tax position - the company will have to pay Robert his salary and secondary Class 1 NICs of £189.44, but the remaining profit will be charged to corporation tax - amounting to £16,060.46. On this basis, Robert can take net dividends of £60,417.94 - plus, of course, his salary of £7,200.
Robert's tax position for 2010/11 would be:
The aim of the IR35 legislation is to stop people who, if they were claiming to be self-employed would in fact be re-classified as employees with all the consequences for primary and secondary Class 1 NICs, using an intermediary. This intermediary being in the form of a personal service company or a partnership to obtain a tax advantage over other workers.
IR35 achieves this by forcing the company to operate PAYE in respect of an amount of notional remuneration, being basically the difference between the company's profit on work caught by the IR35 rules and the remuneration drawn by the owner-director in respect of that work.
Of course, on the facts, James will not be caught by the IR35 rules, and could set up a limited company through which he can operate his business. Operating his business through a limited company could save James over £3,300 compared with operating as a self-employed sole practitioner.
If you have any queries then please contact Trueman Brown on 01708 854943 or at http://www.truemanbrown.co.uk/ .
Consider James and Robert, who have for many years worked as managers in a local professional business. They have, until now, each been paid a salary of £75,000 pa. In 2010/11, each would pay income tax of £19,930.00 and primary Class 1 NICs of £4,509.60. In addition, their employer would pay secondary Class 1 NICs of £8,867.84 x 2 = £17,735.68. So, at a cost to his employer of £83,867.84, James would receive £50,560.40 net. Likewise Robert.
James and Robert decide to become self-employed. James finds office accommodation and begins to build up his own client base. Robert instead arranges to work for different firms - say mornings for one and afternoons for a second. In the first case, there is little doubt that James's change to self-employment would be genuine, but in the second there is a strong case for saying that rather than having become self-employed, Robert in reality has two jobs, and PAYE tax and NICs (both primary and secondary) are payable.
The rules for people like James and Robert have existed for many years
The tests for deciding whether someone is accepted as self-employed for tax purposes are a little vague, but if Robert in reality has what amount to two part-time jobs, the mechanics exist for him to be classified as an employee of the two firms he works with, and for PAYE to be operated accordingly. The effect of all this is for extra costs, in the form of primary and secondary Class 1 National Insurance to be payable by Robert and his employers.
A possible solution
To avoid this, Robert could in the past have set up a limited company, and contracted for the company to provide his services to the two customers. Robert would then have been both the owner of, and an employee of, his own personal service company. He could then choose to take part of his remuneration in the form of dividends - with scope for a substantial increase in his income.Assume that Robert's company has profits, before Robert takes any salary or dividends, of £83,867.84, and that he takes £7,200 in salary and the balance of the profits, after tax, in the form of dividends.
First, we need to consider the company's tax position - the company will have to pay Robert his salary and secondary Class 1 NICs of £189.44, but the remaining profit will be charged to corporation tax - amounting to £16,060.46. On this basis, Robert can take net dividends of £60,417.94 - plus, of course, his salary of £7,200.
Robert's tax position for 2010/11 would be:
| Salary | 7,200.00 | Gross income | 74,331.00 |
| Dividend | 60,417.94 | ||
| Add tax credit | 6,713.10 | Income tax | 13,638.20 |
| Gross income (say) | 74,331.00 | ||
| Personal allowance | 6,475.00 | Primary Class 1 NICs | 162.80 |
| Taxable income | 67,856.00 | ||
| Net income | 60,530.00 | ||
| Tax at 10% on | 37,400.00 | ||
| Tax at 32.5% on | 30,456.00 | Compared with | 50,560.40 |
| Tax due | 13,638.20 | ||
| A saving for Robert of | 9,969.60 | ||
| Primary Class 1 NICs | 162.80 | ||
The aim of the IR35 legislation is to stop people who, if they were claiming to be self-employed would in fact be re-classified as employees with all the consequences for primary and secondary Class 1 NICs, using an intermediary. This intermediary being in the form of a personal service company or a partnership to obtain a tax advantage over other workers.
IR35 achieves this by forcing the company to operate PAYE in respect of an amount of notional remuneration, being basically the difference between the company's profit on work caught by the IR35 rules and the remuneration drawn by the owner-director in respect of that work.
Of course, on the facts, James will not be caught by the IR35 rules, and could set up a limited company through which he can operate his business. Operating his business through a limited company could save James over £3,300 compared with operating as a self-employed sole practitioner.
| Self-employed profit | 83,867.84 | Gross income | 83,867.84 |
| Personal allowance | 6,475.00 | ||
| Taxable | 77,393.00 | Income Tax | 23,477.14 |
| Class 2 NICs | -124.80 | ||
| Tax at 20% on £37,400.00 | 7,480.00 | ||
| Tax at 40% on £39,992.84 | 15,997.14 | Class 4 NICs | -3,452.73 |
| Tax equals | 23,477.14 | ||
| Net income | 56,813.18 | ||
| Class 2 NICs | 124.80 | ||
| Compared with | 60,530.00 | ||
| Class 4 NICs | 3,452.73 | ||
| Costing James | 3,716.82 | ||
If you have any queries then please contact Trueman Brown on 01708 854943 or at http://www.truemanbrown.co.uk/ .
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