starting as freelancer

[DevinUD]

Hello People,

 

I have my first appointment with KVK in a few weeks. My business will sell business to business digital product. Since I just started the company, I will have to pay some expenses but the business income for the next months will be most probably zero.

 

1. What do I have to be careful with that appointment in order to be legit?

2. How do I manage to explain these cost to Belastingdienst?

3. What is the tax that I will pay for the next year as business of a very low income? (is there a table of content for that)

4. Do I have to open an new bank account for the company in order to be more legit and efficient with incomes and expenses? (what would be the most advisable to do)

5. If the above is true what do I need to be careful in order to make the right choice as a business?

 

Any input and tip would be much appreciated.

[Branko Collin]

  Op 25-10-2020 om 13:42, DevinUD zei:

1. What do I have to be careful with that appointment in order to be legit?

Uitklappen  

 

In my (extremely dated) experience, if you don't look like a business (yet), they will be hesitant to register you as one.

 

On the other hand it is illegal to do business (sustained, with the intent of making a profit) without registering, so it may be useful to insist.

 

See also :

 

https://ondernemersplein.kvk.nl/inschrijven-bij-kvk/

 

https://www.kvk.nl/informatiebank/vooraf-inschrijven-bij-kvk/

 

  Op 25-10-2020 om 13:42, DevinUD zei:

2. How do I manage to explain these cost to Belastingdienst?

Uitklappen  

 

The belastingdienst expects that you may have preparatory costs:

 

https://www.belastingdienst.nl/wps/wcm/connect/bldcontentnl/belastingdienst/zakelijk/winst/inkomstenbelasting/inkomstenbelasting_voor_ondernemers/zakelijke_kosten/kosten_gemaakt_in_de_aanloopfase

 

Their main worry is whether or not your expenses are business expenses.

 

If the belastingdienst does not deem you a business for the inkomstenbelasting, you cannot deduct anything. The criteria for when one counts as an ondernemer are slightly different for KvK, inkomstenbelasting en omzetbelasting.

 

  Op 25-10-2020 om 13:42, DevinUD zei:

What is the tax that I will pay for the next year as business of a very low income?

Uitklappen  

 

I read on Higher Level that if your profit is less than 27.000 euro and you get all the credits and deductions, you won't pay income tax (but you will pay zorgbijdrage).

 

There are several online tools to calculate your income or taxes, for example: https://www.berekenhet.nl/werk-en-inkomen/bruto-netto-inkomen.html

 

Also the belastingdienst has a tool for voorlopige aangifte.

 

When that was still a standalone tool that you had to download and install on your computer, you could run it, get the calculation and then stop before actually reporting your expected income. I am not sure if that is still possible with the online version.

https://www.belastingdienst.nl/wps/wcm/connect/nl/voorlopige-aanslag/voorlopige-aanslag

 

  Op 25-10-2020 om 13:42, DevinUD zei:

4. Do I have to open an new bank account for the company in order to be more legit and efficient with incomes and expenses? (what would be the most advisable to do)

Uitklappen  

 

Yes, exactly for those reasons. Also banks will typically forbid you to use your private account for business purposes, though in the past there have been people that have reported doing exactly that without problems.

 

Another reason to keep your business and personal accounts separate is that this gives you a better overview of how your business is doing.

 

There may be reasons to still pay for things through your personal account, for example when the T&C of a product or service are better for a consumer than for a business. This is especially relevant for eenmanszaken.

 

The way to square this for your business books is through the privéstorting: https://www.belastingdienst.nl/wps/wcm/connect/bldcontentnl/belastingdienst/zakelijk/winst/inkomstenbelasting/inkomstenbelasting_voor_ondernemers/privestortingen_en_priveonttrekkingen

 

  Op 25-10-2020 om 13:42, DevinUD zei:

5. If the above is true what do I need to be careful in order to make the right choice as a business?

Uitklappen  

 

You need to compare the T&C of the different offerings. Currently the most obvious difference between the different types of bank accounts are the full service accounts of the large banks (ABN, AMRO, ING), that are largely aimed at retailers, versus the cheaper, freelance-only accounts of the more internet-oriented smaller banks. The SNS / Regiobank offerings are an interesting hybrid.

 

[DevinUD]

Branko I can not thank you enough for these advise you shared with me along with the links. It is time to study for me. :D