Does a "contractor" get similar tax advantages as the US for deducting costs?
If you are a true 1099 contractor, then absolutely YES!!
I find it is best to incorporate yourself, be a company of one....and do your 1099 work corp-to-corp.
You can write off a lot of things, very legally with no need whatsoever to push the boundaries of what might be shady or illegal.
IN fact, that is one of the very good reasons to work contracting.
However, it comes with a good deal of responsibilities...you have to pay monthly/quarterly taxes to the feds, state....etc. You have to keep records, and I'd highly advise having a good CPA for taxes and advice, but you figure all this into your bill rate. You also have to figure in hours you'd take off during the year for sick/vacation....insurance, etc...all those have to be calculate into your bill rate.
It sounds like a lot and at first, it is...but you get the hang of it, and there can be great tax savings.
I won't go into it in depth, but you can set up as an S-Corp, and save yourself on how much employment taxes you have to pay (SS and medicare).....
Geez, you always have this one asshole, that goes and ruins a good thing for the rest of the many that enjoy the freedoms and tax benefits that can be attained by contracting.
So what? From a human perspective (arguably the thing that matters most to you and me), normal is what we have now, and any deviations from that are going to cause us pain and suffering. It might be inevitable, but it's absolutely in our best interest to have it happen as slowly as possible. Cities, industries, and crops are where they are; moving them or hardening them is gonna be hella expensive and would be better done over long periods of time. Not to mention that really fast rates of change could destabilize the very fabric of our societies. That's nice that we're in an "ice age", but it means diddly squat to whether or not we should be trying to reduce our contribution to climate change.
Yes, but on the other hand, by the time all this happens, I'll be WELL into my "dirt nap"...and well, I don't really care that much, nor am I frightened of it.....
Now, if they figure how to prolong my life a few 100 years, well then....I might take more notice.
But the thought of cramping my current lifestyle for something that may happen well after I"m dead, doesn't really motivate me, you know?
Per my other post....I've yet to see in the US, a non-cash business in meatspace.
Do we know if the amazon store does NOT take cash?
It may take over..but I don't see it going fully that way in my lifetime.
And honestly, I don't know if it is a good idea, especially with recent news about banks and whole POS systems going offline and losing business, if no cash that's loss of all business during down time. If the power grid is terrorist attacked.....what will you buy things with before it comes back if it is down an extended period of time?
I tend to think this move, so far, is mostly outside the US, I mean, we still write and take checks here.....you know? While that isn't exactly cash, it is cash equivalent and doesn't require a network connection to accept and deposit.
You are a minority. And one banks and government would like to eradicate. There has been a concerted effort for the last 20 years if not longer to eliminate physical cash. If you search "war on cash" you'll find an abundance of articles over the years on it. There are numerous reasons for this. First, the government wants to know your every move and tracking your spending is one of the easiest ways to do this. They say it's to root out illicit activity but who's to say HOW they actually use it? Second, if you have physical cash you don't need a bank. You can transact directly with anyone without a bank getting a percentage of the transaction like they do when you use a credit/debit card. It's also why banks and governments are fighting blockchain currency tooth and nail as it is digital but it removes the two reasons they wanted to go digital in the first place.
While I agree with you on why govt's would want this....which countries have gone this way in enough of a manner to show up on the radar?
I've heard on/. about the Swiss being in this category and moving fast there, but where else...isn't this more of a EU thing?
I've not seen this manifest in any meaningful way in the US wherever I've traveled.
I've yet to encounter a non-cash business in meatspace.
Maybe the stores will just refuse to accept cash? It's becoming more common.
Well, that would not seem wise, to be voluntarily shutting yourself off from a large amount of potential business, just to not take cash.
And hey, not everyone has a smartphone, you know?
Not everyone has a credit card...
I myself prefer to use cash, I take out my weekly amounts I plan to spend on normal expenses (food, etc)....and like to do this so that I have a very good idea on my spending for the week. Credit Cards abstract you from your money much like casino chips do and makes it easy to overspend or buy crap you really don't need.
I have plenty of credit...I could use, but I also would rather buy with cash and not have my purchases associated with my identity as much as possible.
I"m certainly not alone with wanting to use cash for one of any number of valid reasons, and I can't imagine a business wanting to bar itself from a large amount of potential revenue.
Why the fuck would I pay to go somewhere else and watch the game, get drunk and eat, while dealing with obnoxious bar types, when I can do it in the comfort of my own home.
Well, to be sociable and meet new people, perhaps get laid?
Not everyone in a bar is "bad" or "obnoxious"....in fact, the vast majority of people are fun and there to have a good time.
I have a great AV system, kitchen and bar too, but at times its nice to go out and enjoy events with other people too!!
If they stop driving folks around that have been drinking, those folks will go back to driving themselves.
Hell, the #1 reason I started using Uber was that it was such a great alternate option to having to drive my own car out when having adult beverages (I live in New Orleans, EVERY outing involves alcohol), and getting back home, etc.
I would venture to guess that is one of the top if not the main reason people use Uber these days.
I use a tablet for looking things up and replying to emails, but I really don't do any serious work on it. I also get annoyed to hell about the forced mobile view of websites on Apple devices,
I"m largely like you....
However, with the iPad Pro...I maxed mine out, I find that I can do more and more with it.
The pencil has really opened up some capabilities I can use on the road. The processing power of the iPad pro seems to rival that of many laptops and I'd dare say some underpowered desktops.
I'm amazed at what I can do with apps like Affinity Photo...where I've done some very resource intensive things like multi RAW images (30+) (from canon 5D3) focus stacking that it handles it without even a whimper.
Again, can't do everything with it, I do MOST of my real work at a desktop/workstation set up....but I must say, the upper level tablets like the iPad Pro are starting to blur the lines and allow you to do some real work on them.
Because then one or more search engines would reach critical mass while also obeying the EU's privacy laws.
Those entities would then be able to compete against Google while lobbying the US to change its privacy laws.
While I *do* think here in the US we should have greater privacy laws.....YOU lost me as a foreigner advocating to lobby US on how to create or manage our laws.
WFT should you care or try to lobby how WE govern ourselves, it has fuck all to do with anyone outside our country how we wish to govern ourselves.
If a US company like google, obeys our laws, but that doesn't chime with your laws, then kick that company OUT of your country, but leave us alone with our own domestic laws.
We couldn't really give a fuck how the laws of your country are set...if you're happy with them, fine. I don't want to change how your govern yourselves...so, please don't even give OUR ways we govern ourselves a 2nd thought.
They don't have to build it, all they have to do is work their laws so that there is a healthy competitive market where companies are not allowed to subsidize their capabilities with behavior that they don't want, or at least the effect of such behavior is mitigated with penalties. That is exactly what they are doing. If a company makes billions of dollars violating the laws then what is the motivation to create an honest company locally?
But that's the beauty of the internet.
There is NO barrier from right now, someone creating their own search engine and offering it up in place of Google.
No regulation changes required.
They would have a difficult time competing with Google right now, due to being late to the game, likely not having the finances in place to create world wide server farms and all to handle the traffic, nor the long term knowledge base for algorithms, etc.
But, there is NOTHING in place now to prevent a start up from trying to compete.
Perhaps they should not have started a business in a place they where unwilling to follow the law.
Well, they seem to be just changing the laws under them over and over again...becoming more onerous each time.
This is like the EU is trying to step up and dictate what a private company's business model is.
If the EU wants a search without the things Google offers and requires of its users, why don't they just build a state sponsored service, EUuugle or something and offer that to their citizens, rather than trying to dictate to a private company?
I'm not the biggest Google fan in the world, but if I were Google, I'd just say "ok", and turn off google entirely for EU for awhile, and see how they liked it.
What actually ends up happening when UberX/XL surges is that people either wait or become more willing to upgrade to Black/SUV (aka "UberLux" elsewhere), which surges far less often.
I dunno...I guess maybe I'm a bit of a cheapskate, but I'm not willing to pay more than maybe $2-$5 more than usual.
And again, if I'm doing Uber, I'm likely NOT in that big a hurry or on a tight schedule. I can wait it out on a surge.
If I were on a tight schedule or in a hurry, I'd be driving my OWN car where I am in full control of the situation, you know?
I live in cleveland. After the parade for the Cavs after they first one the championship a trip that would cost $10 was $50
I've seen this happen from time to time here in New Orleans.
There's always something going on here, but I don't see it as a big deal.
I've been dining and drinking downtown and was about to leave, when I see surge pricing on Uber....last time a concert had let out of the superdome I think.
no big deal, I just sat down back and the bar and met folks, hung out, etc....generally had fun and waited 15-20 min or so, and surge pricing went back to normal again and I was on my way.
I figure that's the "price" you pay for not driving your own car and have to wait from time to time for someone else to do it at the price I want.
That's my dilemma. Photoshop is the bad one with this. I absolutely refuse to go with their subscription based model. I'm not going to pirate their product- I'll go with a rival product instead, despite being inferior.
Give Affinity Photo a try. I really like it and the engine is faster than PS.
If you know PS, then AP won't take you long to adapt.
It came out for Mac first, but there is a windows version, they have a trial I think, give it a look.
I"m also working with On1 RAW to replace Lightroom since Adobe took it CC *rental* too.
So far, i find it really great and with luminance masking in the RAW workflow...amazing.
I refuse to rent my software at this time too...and while adobe is raking $$ in the stock market....this rental move has given their competitors room and incentive to develop and they are coming up with REAL
I think Adobe's CC move next, is to more and more push and someday maybe 'force' your content to be kept on their cloud.
The LR CC and classic thing seems to be paving the way for that.....I wouldn't like that.
Slashdot Mirror
If you are a true 1099 contractor, then absolutely YES!!
I find it is best to incorporate yourself, be a company of one....and do your 1099 work corp-to-corp.
You can write off a lot of things, very legally with no need whatsoever to push the boundaries of what might be shady or illegal.
IN fact, that is one of the very good reasons to work contracting.
However, it comes with a good deal of responsibilities...you have to pay monthly/quarterly taxes to the feds, state....etc. You have to keep records, and I'd highly advise having a good CPA for taxes and advice, but you figure all this into your bill rate. You also have to figure in hours you'd take off during the year for sick/vacation....insurance, etc...all those have to be calculate into your bill rate.
It sounds like a lot and at first, it is...but you get the hang of it, and there can be great tax savings.
I won't go into it in depth, but you can set up as an S-Corp, and save yourself on how much employment taxes you have to pay (SS and medicare).....
Geez, you always have this one asshole, that goes and ruins a good thing for the rest of the many that enjoy the freedoms and tax benefits that can be attained by contracting.
Yes, but on the other hand, by the time all this happens, I'll be WELL into my "dirt nap"...and well, I don't really care that much, nor am I frightened of it.....
Now, if they figure how to prolong my life a few 100 years, well then....I might take more notice.
But the thought of cramping my current lifestyle for something that may happen well after I"m dead, doesn't really motivate me, you know?
Do we know if the amazon store does NOT take cash?
It may take over..but I don't see it going fully that way in my lifetime.
And honestly, I don't know if it is a good idea, especially with recent news about banks and whole POS systems going offline and losing business, if no cash that's loss of all business during down time. If the power grid is terrorist attacked.....what will you buy things with before it comes back if it is down an extended period of time?
I tend to think this move, so far, is mostly outside the US, I mean, we still write and take checks here.....you know? While that isn't exactly cash, it is cash equivalent and doesn't require a network connection to accept and deposit.
While I agree with you on why govt's would want this....which countries have gone this way in enough of a manner to show up on the radar?
I've heard on /. about the Swiss being in this category and moving fast there, but where else...isn't this more of a EU thing?
I've not seen this manifest in any meaningful way in the US wherever I've traveled.
I've yet to encounter a non-cash business in meatspace.
Well, that would not seem wise, to be voluntarily shutting yourself off from a large amount of potential business, just to not take cash.
And hey, not everyone has a smartphone, you know?
Not everyone has a credit card...
I myself prefer to use cash, I take out my weekly amounts I plan to spend on normal expenses (food, etc)....and like to do this so that I have a very good idea on my spending for the week. Credit Cards abstract you from your money much like casino chips do and makes it easy to overspend or buy crap you really don't need.
I have plenty of credit...I could use, but I also would rather buy with cash and not have my purchases associated with my identity as much as possible.
I"m certainly not alone with wanting to use cash for one of any number of valid reasons, and I can't imagine a business wanting to bar itself from a large amount of potential revenue.
Well, to be sociable and meet new people, perhaps get laid?
Not everyone in a bar is "bad" or "obnoxious"....in fact, the vast majority of people are fun and there to have a good time.
I have a great AV system, kitchen and bar too, but at times its nice to go out and enjoy events with other people too!!
If they stop driving folks around that have been drinking, those folks will go back to driving themselves.
Hell, the #1 reason I started using Uber was that it was such a great alternate option to having to drive my own car out when having adult beverages (I live in New Orleans, EVERY outing involves alcohol), and getting back home, etc.
I would venture to guess that is one of the top if not the main reason people use Uber these days.
Err....something like CASH?
I think it is something similar and related to a "check"....
I've often used a check book to write a check, but I've never heard of a cheque book before...?
I guess another one of those unique European misspellings.
Hell NO!!!
Repackage that stuff....slap a picture of a porn star on the front, and it will sell like hot cakes!!!
Err...I've never been on a flight, day or night where you were "required" to close the windows (i.e. pull down the shades)....
Lord, it just keeps going....and going....and going....
No shit...
I keep wondering when "I" can find one of these gravy trains.....and quit fscking working!!!
I just know there's a sucker out there waiting to be found....
I"m largely like you....
However, with the iPad Pro...I maxed mine out, I find that I can do more and more with it.
The pencil has really opened up some capabilities I can use on the road. The processing power of the iPad pro seems to rival that of many laptops and I'd dare say some underpowered desktops.
I'm amazed at what I can do with apps like Affinity Photo...where I've done some very resource intensive things like multi RAW images (30+) (from canon 5D3) focus stacking that it handles it without even a whimper.
Again, can't do everything with it, I do MOST of my real work at a desktop/workstation set up....but I must say, the upper level tablets like the iPad Pro are starting to blur the lines and allow you to do some real work on them.
I agree on the forced mobile website thing...ugh.
While I *do* think here in the US we should have greater privacy laws.....YOU lost me as a foreigner advocating to lobby US on how to create or manage our laws.
WFT should you care or try to lobby how WE govern ourselves, it has fuck all to do with anyone outside our country how we wish to govern ourselves.
If a US company like google, obeys our laws, but that doesn't chime with your laws, then kick that company OUT of your country, but leave us alone with our own domestic laws.
We couldn't really give a fuck how the laws of your country are set...if you're happy with them, fine. I don't want to change how your govern yourselves...so, please don't even give OUR ways we govern ourselves a 2nd thought.
But that's the beauty of the internet.
There is NO barrier from right now, someone creating their own search engine and offering it up in place of Google.
No regulation changes required.
They would have a difficult time competing with Google right now, due to being late to the game, likely not having the finances in place to create world wide server farms and all to handle the traffic, nor the long term knowledge base for algorithms, etc.
But, there is NOTHING in place now to prevent a start up from trying to compete.
...And as the number of internet users continues to increase...the collective IQ of the internet continues to decrease...
Well, they seem to be just changing the laws under them over and over again...becoming more onerous each time.
This is like the EU is trying to step up and dictate what a private company's business model is.
If the EU wants a search without the things Google offers and requires of its users, why don't they just build a state sponsored service, EUuugle or something and offer that to their citizens, rather than trying to dictate to a private company?
I'm not the biggest Google fan in the world, but if I were Google, I'd just say "ok", and turn off google entirely for EU for awhile, and see how they liked it.
And well, what happens when there's a glitch in the system and all the virtual windows go dark?
Queue the claustrophobia.....
I dunno...I guess maybe I'm a bit of a cheapskate, but I'm not willing to pay more than maybe $2-$5 more than usual.
And again, if I'm doing Uber, I'm likely NOT in that big a hurry or on a tight schedule. I can wait it out on a surge.
If I were on a tight schedule or in a hurry, I'd be driving my OWN car where I am in full control of the situation, you know?
Sure gives a person a "lot of faith" in a cashless society, eh?
I've seen this happen from time to time here in New Orleans.
There's always something going on here, but I don't see it as a big deal.
I've been dining and drinking downtown and was about to leave, when I see surge pricing on Uber....last time a concert had let out of the superdome I think.
no big deal, I just sat down back and the bar and met folks, hung out, etc....generally had fun and waited 15-20 min or so, and surge pricing went back to normal again and I was on my way.
I figure that's the "price" you pay for not driving your own car and have to wait from time to time for someone else to do it at the price I want.
Give Affinity Photo a try. I really like it and the engine is faster than PS.
If you know PS, then AP won't take you long to adapt.
It came out for Mac first, but there is a windows version, they have a trial I think, give it a look.
I"m also working with On1 RAW to replace Lightroom since Adobe took it CC *rental* too.
So far, i find it really great and with luminance masking in the RAW workflow...amazing.
For video, it appears Davinci Resolve 15 will chip away at Premier....
I refuse to rent my software at this time too...and while adobe is raking $$ in the stock market....this rental move has given their competitors room and incentive to develop and they are coming up with REAL I think Adobe's CC move next, is to more and more push and someday maybe 'force' your content to be kept on their cloud.
The LR CC and classic thing seems to be paving the way for that.....I wouldn't like that.