If you end up writing full time you'll probably end up being VAT registered which means you'll have to have an accountant anyway so he will take care of it for you
For a fee 
My first contract Page 4
It's this kind of stuff that wannabe writers like us really should know about.
But don't.
Quote: Seefacts @ April 25 2008, 2:57 PM BSTIt doesn't really say. It just says pro-rated where used for fractions of a minute.
Surely they'd have done it a quarter of a minute - so 2mins10 would be 2 and a quarter minutes?
Can you explain (if possible) how the taxing works re: this fee.
Do I have to register as self-employed eventually?
Will I have to fill in one of those big forms that Hector The Tax Inspector goes on about next April?
As it's a second income doesn't the taxing % go up to 25% or something silly?
Seefacts, if you pay tax at the moment...i.e. not unemployed and on benefits, all you need to do is ring up the tax office [the one that deals with you] and explain the amount that you are invoicing the company. They'll take all the details and if this is a one off payment they'll just adjust your taxcode next time, but you should tell them or you can really get in the mire later on.
If you're on benefits then you need to ring them, as you're allowed 16hrs a week Ii think it is to work as well as claim.
Quote: bushbaby @ April 25 2008, 3:32 PM BSTSeefacts, if you pay tax at the moment...i.e. not unemployed and on benefits, all you need to do is ring up the tax office [the one that deals with you] and explain the amount that you are invoicing the company. They'll take all the details and if this is a one off payment they'll just adjust your taxcode next time, but you should tell them or you can really get in the mire later on.
If you're on benefits then you need to ring them, as you're allowed 16hrs a week Ii think it is to work as well as claim.
I do work full time, don't worry. I'm not a lazy sod!
I'll probably wait until the end of this tax year - i.e next April - as I'm obviously hoping I'll have done other stuff by then.
Yes, my husband got a few hundred for writing and he rang the tax people. They adjusted his taxcode the following year, so he paid a bit more each month rather than 20% coming out all at once.If you don't declare it, as someone said further up, when the ch4 accounts are dealt with, they'll tie that contract to you and then look into whether you declared it or not.
Quote: Seefacts @ April 25 2008, 2:39 PM BST2 mins 10 of material
Out of interest, how long did it take you to write them from scratch?
Just for my personal satisfaction: does anyone know if you are still liable for the tax if you don't cash the cheque?
Dan
Quote: bushbaby @ April 25 2008, 3:40 PM BSTYes, my husband got a few hundred for writing and he rang the tax people. They adjusted his taxcode the following year, so he paid a bit more each month rather than 20% coming out all at once.If you don't declare it, as someone said further up, when the ch4 accounts are dealt with, they'll tie that contract to you and then look into whether you declared it or not.
Yeah, but surely waiting until April next year is fine. I'm still declaring it, but not until the self-assessment thing comes round at the end of the tax year.
Quote: Winterlight @ April 25 2008, 3:47 PM BSTOut of interest, how long did it take you to write them from scratch?
I came up with the idea in bed one night. So about 5 seconds to get the idea.
I wrote the sketch straight off the next day. About 5 minutes of work.
I got asked to make it a runner, so could I do another. I chanced my arm and did two. About 15 minutes of work.
Then I was told Channel 4 thought the show had too many sketches set in offices, so could I re-write it. Another 10 minutes of work.
About half an hour of actual work.
Okay, in reality I wrote loads of other stuff for consideration AND went down and stayed in London to see the filming so really the fee isn't as great as it might sound.
The experience and the foot in the door is worth much more than the cash.
Quote: Seefacts @ April 25 2008, 3:51 PM BSTThe experience and the foot in the door is worth much more than the cash.
Well yeah, that's worth much more.
And I'm sure the cash works out to a little bit more than the minimum wage.
Quote: Winterlight @ April 25 2008, 3:55 PM BSTWell yeah, that's worth much more.
And I'm sure the cash works out to a little bit more than the minimum wage.
Yeah.
But:
1st trip to London - 75 quid for travel, 5 for other bits.
2nd trip (to see show) 40 quid for travel, 85 to stay
205 quid. Take off tax too, I've only made about 50 quid.
Quote: Seefacts @ April 25 2008, 4:02 PM BSTYeah.
But:
1st trip to London - 75 quid for travel, 5 for other bits.
2nd trip (to see show) 40 quid for travel, 85 to stay205 quid. Take off tax too, I've only made about 50 quid.
You tell the tax office that too as expenses, they should take that into account
Quote: bushbaby @ April 25 2008, 4:13 PM BSTYou tell the tax office that too as expenses, they should take that into account
Again, that's something he'd need to check with a professional. This is what Wikipedia says about tax deductions in the UK:
In the UK, Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs allow certain expenses to be deductible as necessary to complete the work from which the income was derived.
Examples of allowable expenses include:
* Professional Subscriptions
* Mileage or other expenses incurred as part of the work
* A proportion of home expenses where part of the home is used for work purposes (e.g. a self-employed person who works on a computer in the spare bedroom)
that's the case for employees but if he's self employed its more flexible - it doesn't have to be "necessary to complete the work". More to it than that but as I'm up against Wiki i didn't think i needed to get too complex 
Quote: Winterlight @ April 25 2008, 4:19 PM BSTAgain, that's something he'd need to check with a professional. This is what Wikipedia says about tax deductions in the UK:
In the UK, Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs allow certain expenses to be deductible as necessary to complete the work from which the income was derived.
Examples of allowable expenses include:
* Professional Subscriptions
* Mileage or other expenses incurred as part of the work
* A proportion of home expenses where part of the home is used for work purposes (e.g. a self-employed person who works on a computer in the spare bedroom)
I'll chance my arm and put in the receipt for that slushy baked potato and those Polos than nearly gave me the shits.
(Remember? Remember how I posted that many months ago . . . Ah, forget it.)
Quote: M Lewis @ April 25 2008, 4:23 PM BSTthat's the case for employees but if he's self employed its more flexible - it doesn't have to be "necessary to complete the work". More to it than that but as I'm up against Wiki i didn't think i needed to get too complex
Don't fret everyone - M Lewis has helped me out.
I know some of you have argued with him, but when you need advice about the long green, he's REALLY useful.
Quote: Seefacts @ April 25 2008, 4:25 PM BSTI know some of you have argued with him, but when you need advice about the long green, he's REALLY useful.
lol ..... thanks....i think