How to Drive Safely During the Holidays

If you’re struggling with excessive credit card debt,Michigan Debt Relief Help can help you. Before choosing a company,it’s imperative that you do your due diligence. Many people simply fail to realize that debt can really take years to eliminate,even if you do it all in one fell swoop. A debt consolidation service that takes the time to explain what the options are,makes the process easier to manage and provides financial tools and advice to help you get on the right track.

First Choice Credit

Debt consolidation is when all your smaller debts are rolled into one single payment,which is usually a lower interest rate. The goal is to get rid of debt entirely,but it doesn’t necessarily have to be this way. Many companies are available to assist you with negotiating lower payments and interest rates. This is particularly helpful if you have an adjustable-rate mortgage loan,auto loan or other type of loan,because you won’t have to deal with fluctuating interest rates. If your debts are still rising too quickly,a debt consolidation agency can still help you,as they will likely be able to get them reduced as well.

Free Consultation with a Saginaw Debt Consolidation Agent

When choosing Michigan debt relief help for consolidation,you want to make sure that you’re dealing with an honest company that offers legitimate service. A lot of debt consolidation companies will charge a fee up front,which could get in the way of your overall goal to pay off your debt and stay out of debt in the future. By taking the time to do your homework and research companies before choosing,you can ensure that you find the best company for you and your situation. Be sure to speak to some of the consumers that work with the debt consolidation services you’re considering,so that you know what you’re getting yourself into and why they chose that company over others.Michigan Debt Relief Help

Umbrella Company Pension Schemes – What You Need to Know

Pension schemes help employees put money aside for retirement directly from their wage. The problem for self-employed professionals is that they need to manage this themselves,either by setting up a pension scheme or saving money from their income.

Fortunately,umbrella companies class contractors as employees,giving them all the benefits of employment. That includes a pension scheme,which now requires contribution from the umbrella company too. Let’s take a closer look at the statutory pension schemes available through umbrella companies.

Auto-enrolment pensions

In 2012,the UK Government decided that workers weren’t saving enough for their retirement. People were relying too much on the State Pension,which had not received adequate funding to match the continuing rise in life expectancy and an ageing population.

To combat this,they introduced automatic enrolment. The new system,rolled out from 2012 to 2018,requires employers to automatically enrol eligible employees onto a workplace pension scheme. Employers are also responsible for deducting contributions from their pre-tax income and making a minimum statutory contribution to the employee’s savings.

In October 2012,this minimum contribution was set to 1 percent for employees,which was matched by employers,rising in 2018:

• October 2012 to 5th April 2018: employers 1%,employees 1%
• 6th April 2018 to 5th April 2019: employers 2%,employees 3%
• 6th April 2019 onwards: employers 3%,employees 5%

However for anyone that doesn’t want to contribute to a pension once you’re enrolled you can still opt out.

Umbrella company pension scheme

Working through an umbrella company,contractors are classed as an employee. That means,yes,you are automatically enrolled onto the umbrella company’s pension scheme as long as you meet the following criteria:

• Your work is primarily UK-based
• You earn more than £10,000 per year
• You’re between 22 and the state pension age.

Until 5th April 2019,3% of your pre-tax salary will go directly into a pension fund,with the umbrella company contributing a further 2%. From 6th April 2019,5% of your pre-tax salary will go into the same pension fund,with your umbrella company contributing a further 3%.

The benefits of an umbrella company pension

Some contractors may worry that this will eat away at their wages. Don’t. Pension contributions are made before your wages are taxed. That means anything that goes from your wage into your pension fund is tax-free rather than being taxed at 20% or even 40%. So,instead of receiving 60% of your income,you receive 100% via a pension fund.

Let’s say you earn over £46,351 per year,which puts you in the higher rate band of income tax. Anything you earn beyond that £46,351 per year (roughly £3,863 per month) is taxed at a rate of 40%. You get just £60 for every £100 of income. Why not put the full £100 straight into the pension fund instead?

That’s why many people,especially those in the higher rate band of income tax,choose to put more than the minimum into their pension fund. And this is entirely possible. Contractors can contribute up to £40,000 to their pension scheme per year,comprising tax-free income and employer contributions. Currently,there is a lifetime allowance of £1,030,000 which can be contributed before incurring any tax.

Using your funds

With the increased earnings of contracting,it’s common for contractors to retire early. Alternatively,you might simply want to get some of the money out for a holiday,new car or home improvement. The good news is: you don’t have to wait until the state pension age to access the pension funds you’ve built up through your umbrella company pension.

Once you’re 55 or over,you can access up to 25% of your pension pot as a tax-free lump sum. Anything beyond the 25% will be taxed as an addition to the rest of your income that tax year – either 20% over £11,850,40% over £46,351 or £45% over £150,000,as things currently stand. That’s why most people choose to take their pension as regular income once they have retired,to minimise the amount of tax paid.

What about limited companies?

Contractors who operate as a limited company can still benefit from the tax relief of a pension scheme. However,as with most things relating to limited companies,this requires a lot more effort on their part. Firstly,they have to get the right balance between salary and dividend payments to increase the limit on their pension contributions.

Because employer contributions,such as pensions,count as a business expense,they are subject to tax relief. So,when you contribute to your pension scheme,as a director,the company could save money in corporation tax.

However,this has added complications because it needs to be fully compliant as an allowable expense. Any other employees,for example,should be given comparable packages to prove to HMRC that it is a genuine business expense.

On top of all that,using a limited company pension scheme means setting up and paying into the pension fund yourself. Along with all the other administrative work for limited company owners,it’s definitely worth seeking advice and assistant from a trusted accountant.

Get the right assistance

Whether you’re looking to compare umbrella companies or find the right accountant,you can make the right choice with -. Our online comparison tool lets you assess multiple companies in a matter of minutes. It couldn’t be easier to take the hassle out of contracting. Contact us today for more information.

When you want to get your name & talents known to a wide audience,being excellent at what you do is only the first step,and the most important part is arguably acting on self-marketing ideas.

The Many Types of Self-Marketing Ideas

Great marketing isn’t just something you blindly jump on without looking at the caveats. It’s something where,by the end of a campaign,you won’t be asking yourself about what could’ve made it a whole lot easier.

There are many different types of marketing out there. Some time-tested & very effective,and others not as effective in the long run.

There’s a means of marketing which you’re probably mulling over. Chances are,it’s because there are just as many people who think it’s effective,as there are those who think it’s INeffective!

Why Search Engine Optimization

Search engine optimization is just one of those things. Where it seems that knowing SEO is very much a commonality across digital marketers,it seems that there’s an equal amount of people who’ve skeptically yelled “SEO is dead” out loud repeatedly.

Truth be told,SEO can be difficult to measure. There are tons of ins and outs to it,and Google is changing their search algorithms every week,so one technique that may’ve worked last week won’t work the next.

Carefully executed with every aspect taken into consideration,SEO can be the most effective form of marketing you’ll have ever experienced. Today,society turns to Google more than anything else when they want their questions answered,so whatever niche you’re in,it’s certain that people are looking for experts like you. Effectively,Google decides who your target audience gets to work with.

For SEO to truly work,Google wants trust from you as an authority. You don’t develop that long-term trust using PPC. You do it using SEO,and there are internet marketers who know how.

Trust,in general,is essential to you when you do your personal branding,so a well thought-out SEO campaign could be the ultimate inciting force for your exposure to a wider audience.

When You’re On Top of Google,It Gives You Bragging Rights

Professional SEO gives you bragging rights about your self-marketing. It gives you the confidence that when people ask you how you’re doing,you can resoundingly answer that you’re on top of the world – well,on Google anyways! Google is one of the ultimate platforms for people to discover people and businesses,so consider yourself thankful that you even landed here.

You’re a rare gem that is on the verge of taking action on tried-&-true services to get your name out there,where other people wouldn’t even think of touching it.

So why not act on it?

You’ll be amazed that someone is helping you to be found on-demand on Google. That doesn’t happen so easily using pay-per-click ads. Use SEO for your self-marketing.

Read Our Featured Links

Read these featured links to learn more about SEO and what it means for you.

• A very handy guide aboutSEO Newmarket and the business benefits of SEO. It clarifies the specific techniques that enable forward-thinking entrepreneurs,leaders and changemakers to scale hands-off and create a positive image for their customers. All thanks to the inherent marketing systemization that results from their choice of SEO campaign. Not convinced yet? This readthrough will tell you all about it.
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