Timesheet Not Signed - Options

[malvolio]

Answer my questions without charging me extra (other than the amount I already pay them). They also chase payments on my behalf if needed. I tend not to trust anyone who works in Finance / Banking / Trading, as they are all theiving gits.

Careful. You're confirming my assertion that you're not running a business other than as a tax dodge...

[ASB]

Careful. You're confirming my assertion that you're not running a business other than as a tax dodge...

He has given no indication of whether he considers himself to be running a "business" or not. In fact the only thing he has said is that a PSC is raising invoice so he can get paid.

This may be owned by him, it may not. It may in fact be poorly described and in fact be a factoring agency for all we know (though I doubt it). He may consider himself well and truly caught by IR35 and simply accepts it and ensures his personal remuneration is all PAYE. From the tiny bit of information we do know (which was only related to why he has 3 timesheets and no problems with doing that) you have drawn an awful lot of conclusions and simply damned him.

You may indeed be right, but you have got very little to base your criticism of him on.

[malvolio]

He has given no indication of whether he considers himself to be running a "business" or not. In fact the only thing he has said is that a PSC is raising invoice so he can get paid.

This may be owned by him, it may not. It may in fact be poorly described and in fact be a factoring agency for all we know (though I doubt it). He may consider himself well and truly caught by IR35 and simply accepts it and ensures his personal remuneration is all PAYE. From the tiny bit of information we do know (which was only related to why he has 3 timesheets and no problems with doing that) you have drawn an awful lot of conclusions and simply damned him.

You may indeed be right, but you have got very little to base your criticism of him on.

OK, but as I said earlier, I wasn't pointing at him (her?) specifically, merely illustrating the point from a convenient example. That said, I think we can assume that the PSC is not what we would call MyCo, but is some external accountancy/umbrella/ex-MSC from the context used. AS you say, he may well be ntirely right in what he's doing, but there are a lot of non-brolly-using people out there getting business-level benefits to their income while not actually being in business in any accepted sense of the term.

And anyway, This is Malvolio speaking. Always grumpy, usually wrong - remember?

[ASB]

And anyway, This is Malvolio speaking. Always grumpy, usually wrong - remember?

Don't recall him as particularly grumpy (or wrong), but certainly pompous. Mind you anybody who could get tricked into that outfit must also be fairly gullible.....

[NotAllThere]

Answer my questions without charging me extra (other than the amount I already pay them). They also chase payments on my behalf if needed. I tend not to trust anyone who works in Finance / Banking / Trading, as they are all theiving gits.

Many accountants will charge a fixed monthly which allows you to ask questions for no extra charge. Raising invoices isn't exactly difficult. And chasing payments - well in over 10 years of contracting, I've only had to do that once, and followed payontime.co.uk's advice and got the money.

However, so long as you are in control of your company, you may not be caught by MSC legislation.

Who is your supplier, seeing as your happy with them?

[pmeswani]

Many accountants will charge a fixed monthly which allows you to ask questions for no extra charge. Raising invoices isn't exactly difficult. And chasing payments - well in over 10 years of contracting, I've only had to do that once, and followed payontime.co.uk's advice and got the money.

However, so long as you are in control of your company, you may not be caught by MSC legislation.

Who is your supplier, seeing as your happy with them?

The one thing I did forget to mention is that they do check my expenses as and when I submit them as well as make sure that I am IR35 complaint. They also provide, as part of the monthly charge, the insurance I need (Employers - £10 Mil - and Public Liability Insurance £5 Mil). There are other services they do offer, which I cannot recall off hand. I know accountants are cheaper, and yes I am in control of my business, I just chose to call on help from a 3rd party whilst I am focusing on day to day things. Once I am firmly placed in the contracting world, I will obviously look at more economical options. Am I entirely happy with the PSC? Not really.. but I don't believe that anyone or any company is perfect. I prefer not to advertise the company by name, as I don't benefit from doing their advertising.. but all I will say is that they are Contractor UK Alliance Partners (if their website is accurate enough).

One day I will learn how to do basic accounting, but not right now.

[malvolio]

[quote]as well as make sure that I am IR35 complaint[//quote]

Or even compliant... How deeply do they do that then? Negotiate contractual changes or simply review and approve it? Anyway, you don't want to be compliant, you want to be in a position where it doesn't apply.

The thing is, there are a lot of bits and pieces you don't actually know which will become important when you go independent, so make sure you learn as much as you can rather than hand it all over and forget about it.
At the very least read the First Timer guides - here, the PCG website and the SJD website.

We all need expert support to some extent; doesn't mean we shouldn't be aware of what they are doing for us, even if we can't do the detail.

[pmeswani]

as well as make sure that I am IR35 complaint

Or even compliant... How deeply do they do that then? Negotiate contractual changes or simply review and approve it? Anyway, you don't want to be compliant, you want to be in a position where it doesn't apply.

Thanks for pointing out the typo. If my contract is not IR35 compliant, they would point it out, if I have seen it already. I would negotiate the contract myself and be prepared to walk away from the job if I cannot get the compliance. I understand what you mean about not getting the IR35 to apply, and in my own way I see that as being compliant.

The thing is, there are a lot of bits and pieces you don't actually know which will become important when you go independent, so make sure you learn as much as you can rather than hand it all over and forget about it.
At the very least read the First Timer guides - here, the PCG website and the SJD website.

I don't intend to hand over control of my company to anyone other than me. I do read the articles on PCG from time to time. I think I have read the stuff on this site as well... There is far too much information to read.

We all need expert support to some extent; doesn't mean we shouldn't be aware of what they are doing for us, even if we can't do the detail.

[malvolio]

There is far too much information to read.

Agreed. Snag is, you have to know it...