BV or freelancer set up

Old Jun 9th 2017, 10:07 am
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Default BV or freelancer set up

Hello

I'm an Aussie moving from London to Amsterdam. I was contracting as a project manager in the UK for 2 years with a Limited company setup in UK. My client is in the UK and they wish to continue working with me, but I have to move to Netherlands on a working holiday visa as my UK visa has ended. My day rate will be paid by my UK agency into an NL bank account.

1. Should I set up as a BV or freelancer? If there are any other contractors in this forum I would love to hear your views!
2. Any suggestions on phone plans? I use 3GB of data, dont need many calls/text, and good international roaming options are key.
3. Best bank for personal and business banking?
4. Recommendations for accountancy/tax services?

Thank you!!
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Old Jun 9th 2017, 6:26 pm
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Default Re: BV or freelancer set up

I believe that if you have a British Ltd for a minimum of 12 months, you can still use it to invoice clients here. Be aware that IR35-like legislation exists here too - ie. many clients vs 1 client has implications.

I would strongly advise getting more up-to-date advice though. Suggestions would be (Dutch chamber of commerce) KvK and/or ContractorUK website. If you plan (or if it turns out you need) to set up as Dutch tax resident, (as the Dutch tax office have teeth as sharp as HMRC) and most are very wary of falling foul of the taxman be ready to add another step - a Dutch payroll company - to the chain between UK agency and NL bank account.

We use OrangeTax for our tax affairs, I'm not sure how they rank - it's merely a suggestion for a combined payroll and personal tax service who work in fluent English, and might be able to offer advice (ask for Arnold).

There are lots of phone plans. Just today I set my son up with a plan which is unlimited calls/SMS/and 4G data (!) for just 25 euros per month: but you will need to prove that you live here and have a bank account here for a 1 or 2 year contract. I think you can work these comparisons out without translation software

I can't advise on banks. We used ING but changed to Rabobank, but if you insist in English-everything, some will advise ABM AMRO as the expat bank (but I have no experience with them, however). You will need a BSN number to open a Dutch account, which you get upon registration of your address (a legal req. within 5 working days of signing a rental agreement).

Last edited by Red_Wine_Fairy; Jun 9th 2017 at 6:28 pm.
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Old Jun 15th 2017, 8:39 pm
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Default Re: BV or freelancer set up

Depends on how long you plan to stay and if you are committed to learning the language.

If you only have 1 client, i.e. the UK company, you will be treated as an employee of that company. If you want to setup as a freelancer (ZZP'er it's called here, self employed with no personnel..) then you will need local clients also. Using a LTD. in NL only has advantages if you have a high income.

Phone: T-Mobile unlimited plans probably the best deal at the moment.

You could do your own accounting with some knowledge of Dutch but there are many local independent tax advisors who will do your paperwork for a decent fee.

ABN Amro bank: not the cheapest but certainly the most efficient especially in international matters.
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Old Jun 20th 2017, 9:59 am
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Default Re: BV or freelancer set up

Just one point to using a company type based on British law in the EU. Things here can change with Brexit. I can only talk about Germany so you would need to check if things are different in the Netherland. In Germany you can found a company according to any law of a EU member. Meaning you have a choice of legal entities and laws. So you can found a "Limited" in Germany according to British law.

Depending on the outcome of the negotiations this might not be possible after Brexit. In that case legal uncertainies will arise for any Limited in Germany. In Germany it could happen that a Limited company would be reverted back to German law - which could mean that the director/owner would be personally liable for all company debt.
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Old Jun 27th 2017, 12:51 pm
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Default Re: BV or freelancer set up

Thanks so much guys! Looks like my choices are either to set up a BV, register my UK business in the NL or set up as a freelancer. Every accountant I've spoken to is providing different advice though which is maddening...
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Old Jun 27th 2017, 12:54 pm
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Default Re: BV or freelancer set up

What do you mean by "high" income? Would EUR 130,000 count?
Originally Posted by calman014
Depends on how long you plan to stay and if you are committed to learning the language.

If you only have 1 client, i.e. the UK company, you will be treated as an employee of that company. If you want to setup as a freelancer (ZZP'er it's called here, self employed with no personnel..) then you will need local clients also. Using a LTD. in NL only has advantages if you have a high income.

Phone: T-Mobile unlimited plans probably the best deal at the moment.

You could do your own accounting with some knowledge of Dutch but there are many local independent tax advisors who will do your paperwork for a decent fee.

ABN Amro bank: not the cheapest but certainly the most efficient especially in international matters.
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Old Jun 27th 2017, 4:49 pm
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Default Re: BV or freelancer set up

At that level I would set up a BV. A Ltd. Wouldn't offer any benefit so close to brexit changes.
You can pay 20% corporate tax on your wages instead of up to 52%!!

Tax Scales, Regular Income Tax.

Taxable Income

Percentage

1 t/m € 19.981 36,55%

2 Vanaf € 19.982 t/m € 33.790 40,8%

3 Vanaf € 33.791 t/m € 67.071 40,8%

4 Vanaf € 67.072 52%

Last edited by calman014; Jun 27th 2017 at 4:52 pm.
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Old Jun 28th 2017, 9:33 am
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Default Re: BV or freelancer set up

At that level I would set up a BV. A Ltd. Wouldn't offer any benefit so close to brexit changes.
--> To be clear, you mean incorporate a BV in the NL rather than use the UK company? To get the 30% ruling though, I'd need to pay myself something like a 50,000EUR pa minimum wage, and pay tax on that anyway right?
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Old Jun 28th 2017, 9:53 am
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Default Re: BV or freelancer set up

To go back to the beginning..it all depends on the timing and reasons for being in NL.
Short term: by all means use the UK Ltd. Long term: go for the BV.

https://www.belastingdienst.nl/wps/w...he_netherlands
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Old Jun 30th 2017, 5:08 pm
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Default Re: BV or freelancer set up

If you are close to earning the figure you said, you'd know better than to leave your financial arrangement to internet forum users.

Find a tax lawyer/accountant experienced with expat clients - the country's full of them - and get up-to-date advice from an expert who knows far more than we do. What do you know, for example, about the Dutch rule on having only one client at a time? Get Professional Advice!
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