All Umbrellas are dodgy - avoid them all at your risk....

[prozak]

It's not so much the "dodgey offshore schemes" I avoid, but more the fact that someone who is trying to sell me something, which for all intent and purpose is an extremely complicated fiscal product, can't seem to grasp the basics of the English language.

Until you sort out your spelling and grammar, I will always form the opinion that you are more Arthur Daley than George Soros.

Who is trying to sell you something?

Until you sort out your comprehension skills you might want to hide your head in shame before you are found out.

[prozak]

Are you a contractor or a provider of services to contractors prozak?

No. I am none of the above.

I am a small business owner. My business - a limited company - has an arm that provides consulting services to my clients.

[SupremeSpod]

No. I am none of the above.

I am a small business owner. My business - a limited company - has an arm that provides consulting services to my clients.

******* hell, that's impressive!

Hey lads (and lasses) we're amongst Royalty, doff yer caps!

[rootsnall]

If I was going to do a one month contract no way would I use a limited.

10K paid out through an umbrella would cost you 2K in NI alone. I'm guessing an accountant would set you up and close you down for 1K with little or no tax to pay. Just a few forms to fill in and you are in the money.

[LisaContractorUmbrella]

I think Prozak's post was directed at me

[SupremeSpod]

I think Prozak's post was directed at me

Weren't you supposed to be doing the "moonwalk" or whatever the thing is where ladies - real ones - do a sponsored walk in their brassieres.

[LisaContractorUmbrella]

Weren't you supposed to be doing the "moonwalk" or whatever the thing is where ladies - real ones - do a sponsored walk in their brassieres.

Blimey you've got a good memory - actually it was one of my team at the time - a young lady called Donna. She did it several years running. I was super impressed - a marathon at midnight Saturday and every year she was back at work first thing Monday morning

[BlasterBates]

In my view Lisa does an excellent job in highlighting the risks.

There are no statistics but I dare say the average retention on an offshore scheme is very low, in the end those in failed offshore schemes of which one has the impression affects at least half or more of anyone who's been in an offshore scheme, pay double the amount of tax they would have paid in a normal umbrella.

Now that all schemes are facing a frontal attack from HMRC I think one can assume that in the future the ones who got away with it will be a small minority.

I would compare it to trying to become wealthy by playing slot machines.

[The Spartan]

I used contractorumbrella before I ended up Zurich and I found their service fantastic, I switched to them from Parasol now there is an umbrella that I would avoid at all costs. So you see not all umbrella companies are dodgy but there are some out there.

[SupremeSpod]

I used contractorumbrella before I ended up Zurich and I found their service fantastic, I switched to them from Parasol now there is an umbrella that I would avoid at all costs. So you see not all umbrella companies are dodgy but there are some out there.

JSA - avoid.
Giant - not bad, do what they say they'll do.
Anything that Solomon Williams is involved with, avoid like the plague - his company still owes me £5k the bastard!