Saturday 12 October 2019

A Lawyer Writes To One Of Their Service Providers . . .

Dear [Redacted],

By way of (belated) confirmation of our conversation of last month – I confirm that my firm’s cash-flow is expecting NOT to include any payments to [your employer] for period(s) after 1st November 2019 (by virtue of the termination of my firm’s subscription to the [relevant] service - by reference to / after the relevant date).

This is NOT in any way a reflection of your personal performance – but rather, the sad (for [your employer]) result of your employer’s (frankly) greed (as rather arrogantly communicated to me by automatic systems).

As a working private practice lawyer, I have to habitually ensure that I am not ‘priced out of my market’ - by virtue of a small claimed fee leading to my potentially losing many multiples of such sum over years to come.

The analogy for your employer is that an attempt to gain an additional GBP £x00 in one year – has led to their losing an established multiple-year client, who has historically been prepared to pay GBP £x,000 p.a.

I hope that it is a useful lesson for both of our businesses . . .

With best wishes for your working week

Regards

Dan.Johnson@EquitableLaw.com

+44 (0) 7788 537 187 = U.K. Cell. (& e-Tel.)

www.EquitableLaw.com


Social Media Posts = THINK!

Dear All,

I've been thinking (quite hard) recently about the concepts and practice of online communications.

Something quite strange happens to people (I acknowledge - occasionally including me), when 'one' is  presented with a keyboard as a means of certain types of remote communication - With 'one's social media etc. posts habitually being formed in a quite different manner and content (generally) from (say) business emails.

I'll leave the psychologists in my life to explain the detail to me - but it's a resultant effect of something akin to the difference between communications between two vehicle drivers (= often snarling rage) -v- two pedestrians (= frequently over-done politeness) - often in much the same set of circumstances (save for the disassociation arising from the physical 'separation' of the relevant individuals) .

It was brought to my attention recently that many schools now use a 'THINK' acronym to teach appropriate communications to young people (not least for the purposes of avoiding bullying behaviour).

There are a number of variations to the acronym, but I'm going to record (not least, for my own assistance - in terms of easy reference):-

Is it Truthful?

Is it Hateful?

Is it Immoral?

Is it Necessary?

Is it Knowledgeable?

Why am I talking about this now?

The answer is that over the last few years, the tone and language of online discourse has become increasingly nasty, and many of us (for example - whether supporting leave or remain in the Brexit debate ) have been targeted by trolls of the worst kind, who use language to harass and intimidate us.

Personally, I was mainly helped by realising that most of my worst abusers were 'bots' (or possibly that they were completely unable to inter-react with a reasoned argument for some other reason?)!

If you follow THINK, you can still comment upon your the appalling state of British (& American) public life (and the inadequate nature and abilities of too many of the individuals involved) - while hoping to do good / no evil.

I hope that the above helps you - It has me . . .

Regards

Dan.Johnson@EquitableLaw.com

+44 (0) 7788 537 187 = U.K. Cell. (& e-Tel.)

www.EquitableLaw.com
 

Wednesday 9 October 2019

'IR 35' - Forthcoming Changes From April 2020 - Don't Get Caught Out!

The 'IR35 legislation', was introduced by HMRC to crack down on a particular form of perceived tax avoidance - whereby individuals would seek to avoid paying employee income tax and national insurance contributions by supplying their services through an intermediary (usually a limited company) and paying themselves in dividends.

'IR35' may have started life as a simple press release in 2000, but it has since become a notorious and difficult area of law for businesses to understand (and hence comply with).

What is colloquially known as ‘IR35’ - generally refers to various separate (and quite 'inelegantly' drafted) legislative provisions – designed to deal with perceived inequality in taxation treatments of certain remuneration related payments - which position (in turn) arises from H.M. Govt.’s own (arguably illogical) taxation approaches to how businesses and individuals are taxed.

The relevant legislation habitually changes over time (as what are seen as ‘tax loopholes’ are ‘closed’); and the U.K. taxation system is about to undergo quite a significant ‘tightening’ in that regard (as I envisage many of you are aware and which may affect your businesses  - operating in the private sector).

Specifically, in July 2019, H.M. Government published draft legislation implementing the Autumn 2018 Budget announcement that, with effect from April 2020, medium and large companies in the private sector that contract with personal service companies (PSCs) for the provision of workers' services will have to account for tax and national insurance through PAYE in the same way as the public sector has been required to do since April 2017. The legislation will be included in the 2020 Finance Bill - scheduled for the Autumn of 2019.

Accordingly, if you (and/or your businesses) are involved with PSCs - Now would be a good time to review your arrangements - If you wish to avoid HMRC scrutiny.

For further information, please do not hesitate to contact:-

Regards

Dan.Johnson@EquitableLaw.com

+44 (0) 7788 537 187 = U.K. Cell. (& e-Tel.)

www.EquitableLaw.com