I'm currently in the process of incorporating in the Netherlands, and it turns out setting up a Ltd is a lot more expensive over there than in the UK. I just don't feel that the UK will make good use of my tax receipts any more, so I'm almost obligated to take my work elsewhere.
The only voices actively trying to counter that are former prime ministers (sorry Tony - right message, really really wrong guy) and the Lib Dems who lack the political presence at the moment.
When do we get a meaningful opposition to this?
The fact of the matter is this - a referendum was held with the pre-agreed rule that what the majority decided would happen, and the majority of voters voted to leave the EU. So thats what needs to be done, regardless of how "slender" the margin was. All of this talk of "opposition" to Brexit just shows how many people really don't get why the vote happened as it did.
I have my Ltd in the UK. I am sticking to the UK for the time being, and will keep a close eye at:
1) Tax scheme/calculations for dividends.
2) Ability to transfer money in & out and at what cost (in the extreme case of Capital Controls or limiting transfers abroad).
3) Exchange Rate of GBP against EUR, USD, and a couple more so I make sure that my payments are not losing 10% on the get-go.
All the above are extreme situations. If I feel that my income/finances are threatened, then I will act, otherwise I will continue to support UK economy as UK has been "supporting" me (not really), these years.
GBP is not going to "collapse" any day soon (if at all). But if I feel that there is an "incident" imminent (e.g. an important negotiation about to fail, and I am expecting a large payment in GBP, I would still receive it and pay taxes within the UK, but I wouldn't mind receiving it in USD or EUR.
Pound was, is, and will remain hard currency.
UK corporation tax is on the way down. It'd be higher in NL anyway than in the UK. Enjoy the cheaper rates and if you really feel obligated, give the surplus direct to whatever cause you want. I doubt going via the EU is the most efficient way of doing that.
Campaigning for the Liberal Democrats.
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At 11% in the polls we're not going to stop Brexit right now, but certainly (where I live) we have a real chance of becoming part of the local administration for the first time since 2005. From little acorns...
Looking to move medium term. Bored of this place.
It really upsets me that the inclusive welcoming culture that we used to have (not to mention the economic benefits) is being destroyed.
OP could just as well seek naturalization if hes actually spent his entire life there.
Being asked to leave your citizenship behind isn't just some paperwork, it's a very big blow to your identity. In my case, it would have almost no practical effect (I'm European either way), but it would be a huge issue.
It's kinda like marrying. You may claim that it's just paperwork (and I'm sure some people really feel that way), but I felt there was something more about it. Sure, I had been with my now-wife for eight years at that point, but being the act of marrying made it much more Serious (yes, capital S). If you've ever been married, maybe you can relate to that feeling.
Requiring a visa or a work permit would switch that around. It may expire and not be renewed for a formality. It certainly would make our live more miserable by introducing an extra element of uncertainty.
When I was choosing where I'd go for university, the UK wouldn't have even made the shortlist if moving here was even slightly more inconvenient than just walking in. The only thing the UK had going for it is that I already knew the language. There are plenty of other places in Europe where skilled labour is in demand.
Let me ask you this, if the US or Canada offered you a job, would you refuse it as their requirement for a visa means they don't want you there?
I've built my life over here, have a family and I really don't want to be forced back to the UK away from my children.
At present I'm considering taking out German nationality since I've pretty much been here long enough to do so, but I'm not keen on being forced to give up my British citizenship as a result. Being British is a core part of my identity.
The goalposts have been moved and after being encouraged to take advantage of freedom of movement I now find myself up against the wall as a result. This stinks.
I hear you.
I have two nationalities (German and Italian). If Germany would force me to choose between them, I'd probably remain German for practical reasons -- but at the same time, it would greatly alienate me from the German state. As opposed to what politicians claim: that it would strengthen my integration into German society.
Being part of two nations, two peoples, is just fundamentally who I am, and I insist on governments acknowledging it.
Fun fact: my children have three nationalities.
The petty racism behind this, plus loss in two years time of my ability to move to any country in the EU, makes me very sad.
To be fair, we are in crisis 90% of the time. This just adds fuel to the fire.
Genuinely curious.
On this side of the pond its double plus ungood badthink to support borders of any sort, which makes discussion about the importance of borders in UK/EU sound really weird on this side of the pond.
The USA has always had borders, and absolutely is allowed to have them.
> On this side of the pond its double plus ungood badthink to support borders of any sort
No, it's not. It's just one set of extremists as to what the rules should be at the border portrays any disagreement with them as being opposed to borders (the same group does the same kind of generalization on other issues as well) to avoid engaging in debate about the substance of their proposals on the rules. There's a very small minority of actual open borders supporters, and except for the one group that rhetoricallt conflates that small group with their larger opponents, they basically are irrelevant in policy debate.
Is there anything else you can do?
edit: added UK part
There is nothing similar in the UK AFAIK.
The UK has incredibly generous tax breaks for new companies. SEIS must be the most generous in the world, which for investments of up to £150k allows you to write 50% of the investment off directly against your tax bill and a further 25% if it fails. So in reality, you get a 75% reduction in exposure.
Combine this with R&D tax credits and it is a very tax efficient place to run a small tech startup.
Mind, your company has to be paying a pretty low corporate rate for this to make a difference (like if it's incorporated in the Channel Isles).
Further, unless the countries have a tax treaty, you might incur double tax and an arrest warrant may be issued if you fail to comply with the rules.
Sure, I'm well aware that big companies play games with this sort of thing, but the rules are pretty stingent and your SMB cannot take afvantage of the same complex legal structures.
You missed my point, which is it's 100% legal to do this, it's not unreasonably difficult to do this, and people do this right now.
> Small businesses operating in the UK are required to pay tax within the UK
So, incorporated in the Netherlands (or elsewhere) and do business there, but subcontract the work to yourself through a UK company that is paid stuff-all (to avoid income/corporate tax). Then take the profits as dividends.
> your SMB cannot take afvantage of the same complex legal structures
Individuals can take advantage of these loopholes; e.g. most media celebrities do work as an employee of an off-shore incorporated business. Heck, you can get them with a UK business and UK employee (sole trading/contracting), if you can show non-habitual employment (i.e. more than one employer).
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4369558/Greed-bankru...
The law is as such if the company or directed from the UK, then you have to pay UK tax. Further, most of us would simply be bankrupted defending yourself.
You're peddling bad advice. I say this as someone who has had HMRC investigations against them.
I'ma software developer so I have skills in demand in Europe, but the language is a barrier in some places. My girlfriend is Polish and speaks a little German, and I have been considering taking German language lessons.
That said, a few people I know have moved to Germany without speaking the language and said they did fine and everyone was really friendly, so perhaps I could learn once I was there.