Experience with ITECS?

[The Lone Gunman]

Met with Pearl's guy yesterday. Signed up with them today.
Thanks for the advice.

Lone Gunman Steve owes you a pint

He already mailed me. Said I had convinced some mad Irish guy to sign up.
I hope your experience is as pain free as mine was.
Try and generate a raport with the girls in Denmark.
If you are in touch with Steven it is your duty to point out that he is a typical essex wide boy (even though he is from Scarborough). When he suggests you pay for dinner you should point out that as you fill his wallet him paying would be much the same thing.
He is a good guy and will probably try to get to see you some time.

[perfectlblue]

Thanks for the advice guys.

When I spoke to them, one of the companies being discussed on here talked about becoming a shareholder and issuing Belgian dividends etc, obviously the tax on dividends being less than income tax/social sec in Belgium.

Does this strike anyone else as being risky? I'm thinking of when you have to explain to the UK authorities where you got all those Euros from that they might not consider it a genuine shareholding - although my understanding of the double taxation stuff is pretty limited.

I wouldn't like to think it's as fraught with difficulty as issuing dividends in the UK (wrt ISR35 etc. which I'm currently caught by)

All I am looking for is a company who will put my legitimate expenses through (rental, flights etc), hopefully by obtaining expatriate status, and not try anything too creative...

I'm speaking to Pearl tomorrow so will see what they have to say, but any advice anyone can give would be useful.

Cheers,
PB

[mikeyboy]

PB I would hold off on any decisions until after you've spoken to Pearl.
Their solution is less complex and legal.

[The Lone Gunman]

PB: That sounds like a legit solution, but I would suggest the Belgian tax man can choose to look right through such an arrangement should he so wish.
If one of the big management companies is suggesting it then it is likely to be a proper solution as they would be risking a lot should they end up in court.

I would suggest you have good look at what Pearl offer.

[perfectlblue]

I thought something similar re dividends. The company that mentioned it is the same one about which I have heard (anecdotal) reports of bad service recently (from the agency as well as on this thread) - so I think they are fairly big, and very helpful sales-wise. The old "if it sounds too good..." thing is playing on my mind though.

Guys, thanks for the advice. I will speak to Pearl and let you know what comes of it...had a very brief chat with them the other day and they seemed pretty sensible.

[remontado]

Guys I am new to this thread, but I am interested in all you are saying.
I am about to sign a contract in Belgium that may extend to more than a year, I have read all this thread from the very beginning and since I am newbie here, I am considering my options.
perfectblue, please share your experience.

My simple question would be, are these solutions either pearl or ITECS perfectly legal?

[The Lone Gunman]

Guys I am new to this thread, but I am interested in all you are saying.
I am about to sign a contract in Belgium that may extend to more than a year, I have read all this thread from the very beginning and since I am newbie here, I am considering my options.
perfectblue, please share your experience.

My simple question would be, are these solutions either pearl or ITECS perfectly legal?

All reputable firms will be legal, though some may not stand up to close scrutiny from the tax man. The tax man is generally not looking too close in Belgium.
I know one of the staffers at Pearl so am biased towards them but I like them and the way they operate. It is simple. It is legal.
Dont know what ITECS solution is but I know a number who use them and I have never heard any complaints though others on here seem to have issues.

If you are doing over 12 months then go with a management company. Once you break the 183 day rule you become Belgian resident for tax and need a Belgian solution. The Belgies regard your UK Ltd income as your so tax you on the lot. They can do this regardless of the 183 day rule should they wish if you run your company. You being in Belgium means your company is in Belgium.

Get some proper advice. Talk to ITECS and Pearl and any others you find and go with what they tell you.

[remontado]

Lone Gunman, thank you for the advise.
I currently do not have my own Ltd UK company, so I am thinking of using an umbrella one. To me that is convenient as they will do all my tax papers in the UK and Belgium. I just want to make sure that the Taxman is not going to complain.
I have been told that the government in the UK are not very comfortable with that kind of setup, but I think as long as everything is done legally there isn't much to be blamed about.
I am going definitely to talk to Pearl and others, but I now need an advise from a peer. Is there a way to contact you directly?

Thanks

[mikeyboy]

Remontado Speak to Pearl and ITECS and everything will be quite clear. Although you may have some difficulty contacting ITECS (They haven't responded to any e-mails I've sent them in the past fortnight.) I found Pearl's solution more straightforward and found their representatives very easy to talk to.
I looked at using a UK Umbrella Co too (Atlantic). Their projections weren't as good and they seemed to be applying the same model they use in the UK to Belgium which left it up to you to sort out the Belgian tax.
Tax-wise, Pearl will move you out of the UK system, you become tax-resident in Belgium, so there is no need to worry about UK tax-returns etc. They will also put you in-touch with a Belgian accountant who will sort out your tax there.

[remontado]

Remontado Speak to Pearl and ITECS and everything will be quite clear. Although you may have some difficulty contacting ITECS (They haven't responded to any e-mails I've sent them in the past fortnight.) I found Pearl's solution more straightforward and found their representatives very easy to talk to.
I looked at using a UK Umbrella Co too (Atlantic). Their projections weren't as good and they seemed to be applying the same model they use in the UK to Belgium which left it up to you to sort out the Belgian tax.
Tax-wise, Pearl will move you out of the UK system, you become tax-resident in Belgium, so there is no need to worry about UK tax-returns etc. They will also put you in-touch with a Belgian accountant who will sort out your tax there.

MikeyBoy,
Thank you for the kind response.
The solution I was advised with seemed sound to me. You will be a Belgian tax resident but paid though a non-Belgian company inside Belgium. Part of you income/salary will be paid through dividends in the UK.
This way you get sorted in both countries with a fair amount saved.
I found this to be OK and not prone to a taxman discomfort. Isn't it?
I will surely shop around, but I am only curious to know what other schemes/offers are based on?
Thanks in advance.