Being Sure of Your Status: Checking IR35 With an Umbrella Calculator
There are a massive range of benefits to attaching yourself to an umbrella company
An umbrella calculator is a web-based item of software, usually found on the websites of umbrella companies for “hire”, that allows the user to enter his or her own financial circumstances and a number of other factors, such as their hourly rate, amount of billable hours they usually work and regular expenses , for example overnight accommodation and subsistence when travelling on business. Other variables you might put into an umbrella calculator will include business mileage and any other genuine business expenses. The function of an umbrella calculator is to take these various inputted data and use them to get an understanding of whether a person will be financially better off working for an umbrella company or under contract as a self employed person. The Umbrella calculatorchecks all of the variables against the tax system and works out a potential saving should the applicant choose the umbrella company option.
Over and above taking advantage of an umbrella calculator, you should ensure you have a comprehensive grasp of and are totally compliant with IR35. IR35 is the name of a piece of UK legislation issued to ensure that people set up to be hired by an umbrella company do not benefit unfairly from their change in situation. IR35 was issued in 1999, prior to which time people employed by an umbrella company could without fear of punitive action take their income as company profits, which were exempt from National Insurance payments. IR35 also worked to prevent an umbrella company from being shared by different members of the same family, such that all of the owners could benefit from spreading the company’s income across each owner’s lower income tax band and personal allowances, which minimised their tax obligation to the point of avoidance. Although it has been subject to regular consideration and review by various governments, IR35 is still intact and also remains largely unchanged since its issue.