Reply to: Anyone using/used Access Financial Services?

[Eirikur]

Funny, on their website it says "we are proud contributors to: Contractoruk.com"

[Professional]

Thank you for having taken the time to reply to my post, Fred.
I found in the forum few people talking positively about i-paye, but mainly with reference to UK contracts: checking out their website, it looks that they do provide the type of support I mentioned in my first post.
Let´see if any user can share his/her own experience with this company for overseas assignments.

[Fred Bloggs]

Hello All,
it is my first post in the forum. I am an Italian management consultant, based in Germany who is considering start contracting in 2021.
It is very likely that I will be involved in multi-countries projects (for example: working 50% in Germany, 30% in Netherlands, 20% in Switzerland) and with contracts signed with non German Legal Entities, which means I will need to find a Company which can be able to fill up tax returns in most of the EU Countries, and of course also UK.
I was recommended Access Financial but of course after reading these reviews, I would wonder if any of you may advise a good reliable Company that is able to support Contractors on tax matters when they work internationally and being able to fill tax returns in multiple EU countries.
Honestly, I googled and searched everywhere, also in the forum, but I could not find any clear recommendation and indication as most of them are related to local accountants and I search a company that can cover at least the majority of the western EU countries.
This is to me the biggest problem / decision to start my new career as a free lancer.
Any help and recommendation would be extremely appreciated.
Thank you.

The zero replies is the best answer, it's all you need to know. However, I will give my point of view. Though residency and movement of labour within the EU states is harmonised, there is no harmonisation of employment taxation. Each country will gather it's tax as it is due on your income. Many people, including myself will never work in other EU states because the tax situation is a mess. Good luck with your search. There is nobody I know of who is reputable enough to recommend who can do what you ask. If you find someone, even if they are reputable, it is likely to be very expensive. Good luck.

[Professional]

Hello All,
it is my first post in the forum. I am an Italian management consultant, based in Germany who is considering start contracting in 2021.
It is very likely that I will be involved in multi-countries projects (for example: working 50% in Germany, 30% in Netherlands, 20% in Switzerland) and with contracts signed with non German Legal Entities, which means I will need to find a Company which can be able to fill up tax returns in most of the EU Countries, and of course also UK.
I was recommended Access Financial but of course after reading these reviews, I would wonder if any of you may advise a good reliable Company that is able to support Contractors on tax matters when they work internationally and being able to fill tax returns in multiple EU countries.
Honestly, I googled and searched everywhere, also in the forum, but I could not find any clear recommendation and indication as most of them are related to local accountants and I search a company that can cover at least the majority of the western EU countries.
This is to me the biggest problem / decision to start my new career as a free lancer.
Any help and recommendation would be extremely appreciated.
Thank you.

[Andy Hallett]

A bit of googling should have you looking for another company.

[fruxi]

Keep away, they are scammers. Let me explain my issues with them:

1. From the beginning, contacting the accountant was really hard, she would hardly answer my emails.

2. They were supposed to do all my tax declarations as long as I was contractor, but they refused to do it the second year as I also was permanent employee. In any case, they charged the 550 euros per month for doing nothing. I requested a refund, but they didn't accept.

3. The accountant was very incompetent and caused so much trouble that took a couple of years to solve with German authorities. At some point I was facing thousands of euros in fines. They are not skilled enough to do your tax matters.

4. When explained the problem to Access Financial, all they did was blaming the problem on the accountant and asked me to insist further...

5. When I requested all my documents to accountant, she ignored my request. So far I couldn't get my documents yet. I gave up as I think she will never release those.

Please, don't do worst mistake in your contracting career. If some agency forces you to work with Access Financial, a much better option is to lose the contract opportunity. The will cause so many sleepless nights and problems...

[milzee]

Just putting this here as an FYI to warn off other potential victims. I used Access Financial for six months last year before switching to another payroll company ASAP at my next renewal. Expensive, utterly incompetent and I am still sorting out and paying for problems they have caused over a year later. Avoid them like the plague.

They charged me a fortune to work via self-employed scheme in Malta and then basically subcontracted the work out to a local accountant who I could have found in the local yellow pages and who was absolutely useless. I had to do all my own registration paper work (VAT, tax, social security and work permit), keep my own books, raise my own invoices, and do my own VAT returns and my own tax return. I had to submit documents to the accountant multiple times because they kept losing them. I had to correct forms filled out incorrectly by the accountant. The deregistration process when I quit their scheme is still going on almost a year after the contract ended (I’m still submitting nil VAT returns every quarter) and, to add insult in injury, I am now getting penalties for late submission of forms which I sent to the accountant on time. All through this Access have done absolutely nothing, denied all responsibility and blamed everything on the accountant, whilst charging me about three times what I was paying my old accountant to do my old company accounts. I would have been better off finding a local accountant and setting up my own limited company.

[dropbaer]

I have used Access, but I will never use them again.

They have a convincing sales patter, so be careful to not be taken in by it.

Hi there! I am considering using AFS but am having second thoughts after I read your post. Would you mind to elaborate why you wouldn't use them again? What problems did you encounter with them? Many thanks!

[newbie13]

I have used Access one time, but will never use them again.

I have used Access, but I will never use them again.

They have a convincing sales patter, so be careful to not be taken in by it.

[howlsy]

UK Contract from Spain

Hi,

Was wondering how you got on with the above?
I have just moved to Spain recently and working on a UK contract from here and with some vendors here with the odd trip back to the UK.
I have previously worked in the UK through a LTD Company but don't think that's really a viable option to pay myself here.
Wondering if anyone had used any payroll companies or umbrella companies that enabled them to meet Spanish tax and social security obligations whilst still invoicing the UK client, that are trustworthy and recommendable!

Thanks!
Ryan

[Brussels Slumdog]

I am using Access right now and am VERY unhappy with their service.
They have not held up their end of the quote, give me the run around every month, have supplied me with ONE payslip in 2 and a half months and are currently short on payment to me to the tune of £1400.

I highly recommend staying away from these clowns, I am dumping them tomorrow after I re-incorporate and locate some insurance.

I work in Belgium but am in a transition from the UK and they have royally screwed up my UK taxes, I would have been better off just dealing with it myself using spreadsheets while drunk on cheap scotch.

Seriously.

What has working in Belgium using AFS got to do with your UK taxes?
They should be deducting their fee, employer NI, employee NI and Belgian taxes.
You are only paying them to make payments to the tax authorities and social fund.No more and no less.They most likely offer an employee or self employed solution.

Did you get a quote from them on how they arrive at your your net pay?
If you wish to work in Belgium for longer than a year then make enquiries about self employment.

[ExpatZ]

Sorry to revive a zombie thread but...

I am using Access right now and am VERY unhappy with their service.
They have not held up their end of the quote, give me the run around every month, have supplied me with ONE payslip in 2 and a half months and are currently short on payment to me to the tune of £1400.

I highly recommend staying away from these clowns, I am dumping them tomorrow after I re-incorporate and locate some insurance.

I work in Belgium but am in a transition from the UK and they have royally screwed up my UK taxes, I would have been better off just dealing with it myself using spreadsheets while drunk on cheap scotch.

Seriously.

[NicosAF]

Intelligent contractors

I must say that it is encouraging to see professional contractors making the effort to investigate the solutions and options available to them, when considering a cross-border assignment. Unfortunately, for every one that takes the time to investigate, there are 100 that dont, or, even worse, seem to think that they are a law unto themselves.

I represent AFSS ( head of sales and business developement ) worldwide and, by far the most problematic solutions are those agreed to under duress from the contractor or his/her agency. In these instances, the only objective appears to be net retention, regardless of the risk or the consequences. What many dont appreciate is that we, as a payroll company, are obliged to sign a contract with your agency or end client and every contract we sign holds AFSS personally liable for all of your fiscal obligations in the work country. Therefore, those payroll companies that take the view that ' it is the contractors problem if things go wrong ' are either ignorant of the contracts they sign, or dont care. Furthermore, it is incorrect to think that the payroll company carries no liability, especially where the solution provided is that of 'employment'.

Bottom line........I am not aware of one solution that AFSS has made available where the consultant has not first spoken with the candidate contractor, asked a great many probing questions and, on the back of the information provided, offered a suitable solution. Suffice to say that, if a solution is sought in a rarely visited country, for a short term and where we do not have a solution, we might, with the authorisation of all concerned ( agency/client/contractor ), agree to a simple payment and invoicing service ( P&I ). In such an instance, the facts would be clearly explained and any potential risks made known upfront. Other than that, the typical information we would require would be:

FULL NAME
DATE OF BIRTH
NATIONALITY/PASSPORT(S) HELD
MARITAL STATUS
NO. OF DEPENDENT CHILDREN
WHERE ARE YOU CURRENTLY REGISTERED FOR INCOME TAX
WHERE ARE YOU CURRENTLY REGISTERED FOR SOCIAL INSURANCE
WHICH COUNTRY WILL YOU BE WORKING IN
HAVE YOU EVER DONE CONTRACT WORK BEFORE & WHERE
WHAT WILL BE THE CONTRACT RATE
WHAT IS THE EXPECTED START DATE
HOW LONG WILL THE ASSIGNMENT BE FOR
WHO IS THE AGENCY
WHO IS THE END CLIENT
CONTACT NUMBER
EMAIL ADDRESS

1.Do mistakes happen? Without a doubt.
2. Are we infallible. Definitly not.

We do, however, strive to provide all of our customers with the most appropriate advice, at a commercially attractive fee and ensure that they retain as much of their hard earned money as possible.

I and my team are available and willing to speak to anyone who requires our assistance and, as importantly, encourage all to check what we state and ensure that you fully understand and are comfortable with the recommendations. It is your money and your security at stake and you owe it to yourselves to check before buying.

Regards,

Nicos

[mod] Hi Nicos, please see the T&Cs of this forum regarding advertising and ask admin to change your login to Nicos@AFSS before you post again. [/mod]

[nodric]

I am currently using AFS in Netherlands. The Indians sort out the Admin work
and a local Dutch Accountant does the payroll work. The Swiss just manage the operation and make a profit.

Always choose the 100% Compliant option
If not choose a country you will never return to or has no double taxation agreements with your resident country
Do your own research on Tax ,residency and SS

All payroll European companies have one thing in common

They are tax compliant in their own operating country ie Commission less expenses eq tax payable
They assume that you wish to avoid tax
They seldom have an office in the country you are working
They pay your salary via a local accountant

Remember All you are paying them is to do is the following
Receive money from the client.
Transfer your net pay to your bank account
Transfer your salary deductions to the local accountant

Be aware of payroll companies that pay you before they receive payment as this needs to be financed

Everything BSD says is valid. I would add the following.

The Netherlands has a 30% rule, and any 'management' company operating there should be/has to be, compliant. It's very hard not to be compliant in the Netherlands. Similar rules exist in Switzerland, and some other countries.

The problem I have with management companies is that few make it 'very clear' to their clients (YOU), that splitting income offshore is dodgy at the very least, potentially criminal at worst. If they were upfront and told you from the off that they'll stick your cash anywhere you want, but the tax and other legal issues are your problem, then at least you go into it with your eyes open. The problem is that is they did, they would not grab as many contractors, or would leave themselves open to legal action for operating a tax evasion/money laundering scheme.

However, if they try to claim some sort of tax compliant voodoo, but don't tell you how it works in detail, or still get you to sign contracts to absolve them of any liability if it all goes T**Ts UP, then they are not acting in your best interests.

It is YOU, the contractor, who are supposed to declare your income to the local authorities in the jurisdiction where you are tax resident, mainly the place were you are working, unless it’s very short term. Most dictate that you must declare all your Worldwide income, and be taxed on it in their country.

As many have found out recently, even the most 'compliant' systems are fragile. BN66 anyone. Connexions split income for years via numerous offshore tax havens, and via other mechanisms, but when it all came crashing down on them the contractors were hung out to dry.

Be very wary of any scheme that takes a big slice of your wedge and sticks into some ‘fund or trust’ that is not in your name, that you have no access to, and that will pay out to you at some later date when you move countries. Many of these are failing right now and leaving the contractor with none of his war chest. A search on this forum will bring many stories of anguish and huge losses from such arrangements.

I have no problem if a contractor wants to ‘swing the lead’ for a while when working overseas, and good on em if they get away with it. Just be sure you have made that conscious decision, and are not being lulled into some false sense of security, and paying high fees for some promise of protection that will dissappear as soon as the knock at the door comes.

.

[Brussels Slumdog]

Access and Indians

I am currently using AFS in Netherlands. The Indians sort out the Admin work
and a local Dutch Accountant does the payroll work. The Swiss just manage the operation and make a profit.

Always choose the 100% Compliant option
If not choose a country you will never return to or has no double taxation agreements with your resident country
Do your own research on Tax ,residency and SS

All payroll european companies have one thing in common

They are tax compliant in their own operating country ie Commission less expenses eq tax payable
They assume that you wish to avoid tax
They seldom have an office in the country you are working
They pay your salary via a local accountant

Remember All you are paying them is to do is the following
Receive money from the client.
Transfer your net pay to your bank account
Transfer your salary deductions to the local accountant

Be aware of payroll companies that pay you before they receive payment as this needs to be financed