Salary or Monthly Dividends

[nodric]

OK, I had a good chuckle at your reply, and accept that there was some fun interjected

I don’t accept that a business only has an accountant to do double entry bookkeeping, and that most of us [contractors] will seek to minimise taxes of all kinds. I suggest that many of us expect our accountants to do that for us, well the best ones do

There are those in the World that are happy to pay high taxes in a philanthropic manner, but my name is not Richard Branson, and I don't vote Labour

I agree with many of your comments about testing whether you are a true freelancer, or a disguised employee (inside IR35 or otherwise). I think we are all ‘real’ contractors, just some are not so flexible as you appear to have been with travel and roles etc.

I also agree that all the contract fudging to avoid IR35 is just that, fudging. IR35 is simply an example of HMRC trying to stifle small businesses. We can only hope the new boy brings back some of the old values. Alas, I fear the fact we [the EU] are so debt ridden will prevent anything radical in the near future.

My aim is to use current tax legislation to reduce tax burdens on contractors, whilst avoiding IR35, MSC and ERS limitations (all UK concepts). It’s not cunning, it’s legal tax avoidance, something I consider perfectly ethical and reasonable. My advisors are Deloitte.

And finally, as for quoting me, I'm flattered you know my writings/ramblings so well, and I knew one day my comments would come back and bite me on the ar*e

[Wanderer]

Sergeant Murphys Cosh, if you are indeed a legitimate business man running a business, then you truly are the big man and I admire you. Most of the rest of us contractors here fall into the same boat as nodric quite eloquently summed up:

My aim is to use current tax legislation to reduce tax burdens on contractors, whilst avoiding IR35, MSC and ERS limitations (all UK concepts). It’s not cunning, it’s legal tax avoidance, something I consider perfectly ethical and reasonable.

I spent ages researching IR35 and I've had my contract reviewed. Then there's the daily looking over your shoulder with regards to business working practices etc. I'm now sooo over it all. I've been told that I'm outside IR35 and I'm just going to go about my business, take dividends when I want and worry about the investigation, special commissioners and 10 year battles in the high court when they happen. I'm done with reading all this speculation from holier than thou contractors or nay-sayers speculating about all the nightmare investigation scenarios and how we're all going to burn in hell for avoiding tax (which is perfectly legitimate).