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Freelancing/consulting
Could anyone please give me pointers - unable to find work so am thinking of freelancing, primarily i writing. I have looked a freelance.com and perhaps will sign up. BUt it's not clear to me how to set myself up. If I freelance and work for clients abroad (say US, UK) how do I set myself up here in Belgium? Do I stil get a vat etc? Is it difficult/slow to get it, or better to go through an umbrella org? And what about the social security payments, I remember it's quite high at several hundred per quarter - what if you don't earn that much? Since I have never worked before, it might take some time for me to get any contract, not to mention a while to build up any sort of bank balance. Any advice??? Deeply appreciated.
Look at this:
http://www.tentoo.nl/en/freelancers/payrolling/how-does-payrolling-work....
Basically, you work through an umbrella organisation like Tentoo, at least until you get established. This keeps your costs low and keeps you in line with tax and social security.
If you manage to get your writing work to pay well enough on a regular basis, then it's worth talking to a local accountant about the best way to set yourself up to be fully independant.
Something like Tentoo will give you a starting point so you can work legally without the overheads of going freelance from the start.
I have no particular afiliation or experience with Tentoo - that's just the first company I cam accross that does this sort of thing. There are others, and one of these may better suit your needs.
