Are UK Taxes Higher Than in Other EU Countries?
If you could do business anywhere in the world, wouldn’t you want to know the potential income taxes before moving and how that compares to the U.K tax rates?
The most straightforward answer to this question is that UK tax revenue is below the average of other developed economies. The UK stands out as raising less from social security contributions. This article from luminablog.co.uk aims to compare UK taxes with that of other countries in the EU.
Taxes in the UK
Britain’s tax system is made up of income tax bands at 20%, 40% and 45%, plus national insurance contributions of a further 12%, with low earners benefiting from a tax-free personal allowance at £11,500, which is higher than most other countries.
Higher earners pay income and social security taxes that are on a par with the US, Australia and Spain, but which are much less than those in France, Sweden and Ireland.
VAT, levied at a standard rate of 20%, is towards the lower end of sales tax rates across the EU, though council taxes are relatively high by comparison.
Countries with the Highest Income Tax
Based on information from online wealth and tax management firms, these are the EU countries with the highest income tax.
Germany
Germany has a progressive tax, which means that higher-income individuals pay more taxes than lower-income individuals. The country levies a progressive income and capital tax that caps out at 45%. Sources of taxable income include agriculture, forestry, business ownership, self-employment, employment, savings and investments, rental property, and capital gains and other income. The first €801 in savings and investment income is not taxed, thanks to the saver’s allowance. There is a 25% withholding tax on interest and dividends and a 15% withholding tax on royalties.
Members of certain churches pay an 8% or 9% church tax, which is tax-deductible. Church taxes are levied in many European countries. In some cases, only church members are required to pay a percentage of income to the church to which they belong; in others, all taxpayers pay a church tax, but have the option of paying it to the state instead of to a religious organization.
Belgium
Belgium’s top progressive tax rate is 50%. Income from property, work, investments, and miscellaneous sources is all taxable. Capital gains tax rates depend on the type of capital. Employees pay a social security tax of 13.07% of their income. The government allows deductions for business expenses, social contributions, and 80% of alimony payments, and there is a personal allowance based on filing status.
Lithuania
Lithuania’s taxes its income earners at rates that top out at 32%. Taxable income includes employment, commercial activities, royalties, leasing assets, and “other.” … Read more
Opening Your Store: Costs and Requirements
Many people dream of opening their store. Whether it is a boutique, a wine shop, a sportswear store, or a bookstore, presenting customers with interesting products is tempting. However, setting up a company should always be done carefully. â
Own store: plans
For most people on luminablog who want to start a business, it is very early what their own business should offer. But the exact business model requires time and care. A new store has a better chance of success if it has a unique promotion offer. After all, there is competition in most cities from which the retailer must stand out. Some online retailers are also attractive to customers. In the beginning, there should also be an analysis of the current competitive situation. Define your target group and use it as a guide when choosing a product.
Of course, the design of the store and the presentation of the goods must match. Also, dare to look to the future: how will this area develop in the next few years? Where is the threat of increased competition and where are the new opportunities? Also, if you still don’t have the money to open a new store check American loans reviews.
Estimate costs realistically
Before you start, you need a business plan: it shows the income and expenses you can expect. This way, you can also see how high the funding requirement is. Because equity is often not enough to cover costs. The founders then need a loan or an investor. Also important: you need a separate account for your business.
When you open a store, the cost can be quite different. Consider these factors, among others:
- Are extensive renovations needed?
- What does the installation cost?
- How much money do you need to buy goods?
- Do employees have to be paid?
- What kind of taxes do I have to pay?
- What does the necessary insurance cost?
Products and prices
At this point, you should start thinking about both the price and the product policy. Certainly, as a small retailer, you can’t offer many products as cheap as large chains that get incredible discounts on shopping. But you can open a store that can offer very special products due to its independence. You can make up for much of what big chains can offer with an individual ambiance, personal service, and unique branding.
Location
The location question is directly related to the issue of funding because of course, you should keep fixed costs as low as possible. However, the position of saving price is not a long-term solution, as it is crucial for your profits.
Do the district where you want to open the store and your target … Read more
The Top Three Engagement Strategies You Can Employ for Better Customer Loyalty
We have heard it all before, but we’ll say it again: your customers are your business’s lifeblood. Without them, your business wouldn’t thrive, and there’s a big chance that it won’t even survive. It’s as simple as that. The truth of the matter is that if you don’t make your customers happy, it won’t take long for your business to flounder. But the opposite is true as well – if you make them happy, then you can very well be reaping the rewards of success before you know it. The key to making your customers happy is to engage with them, and it’s not just about coming up with the perfect sales pitch. If you understand what it takes to engage your customers, you can have happy customers who will come back again and again. But what makes a good strategy for engagement? Here are the top three engagement strategies you can employ for better customer loyalty.
1. Invest in a deeper, more emotional bond and connection
Building a stronger emotional bond and connection with your customers takes a bit of effort, but you can start by letting them know that you are real. You are not just a company per se – show your customers that they are dealing with a real person instead of just a faceless organisation. You can show your business’s human side, first and foremost, by introducing yourself. Send out a direct message or an email if you have a new follower on Twitter, or welcome a new customer to your online forum with a personalised message.
Another distinct way to show your human side is to use authentic images of your team members on social media and include authors’ bios in your company blog, as recommended by the experts in customer experience and engagement from TheLoyaltyWorks.co.uk. If you want, you can go further and choose a brand ambassador, and it need not be a celebrity, either. It can be someone from your team that can serve as your organisation’s face – much like how Steve Jobs served as the face of Apple.
2. Establish an online community
There is no denying that people are spending more time online these days, and you can take advantage of this shift by establishing an online community. Forums and communities online have been around for years, and they’re not about to go away anytime soon. One singular benefit to such is that you can engage with your customers directly as you answer their questions, have discussions, and keep them updated with the goings-on in your business. You can encourage them to share info with your brand and with each other as well. More social media channels … Read more
Top 5 Payment Gateway Providers in the World
The payment gateways in this world are enormous. There are both domestic and international payment gateways.
You can visit Collected.Reviews to read some of the payment gateway opinions packed there. As you know, a payment gateway offers you financial payment security. It allows a merchant to accept multiple financial transactions mostly through credit and debit cards, as well as wallets.
With incredible benefits to e-commerce stores, it is a way to access digital products and services without physical payments for such activities. Money management firms’ reviews express that payment gateway facilitates fast, smooth, and secure financial transactions. It helps in increasing customer trust in an E-commerce store.
Things that Make Payment Gateways Significant
- Security: Payment gateways offer a 3D integrated security in concert with PCI Data Security Standard.
- Integration with a Website Comes with Ease: With good customer support, it is easy to resolve issues.
- A Flexible Payout Time: A payment gateway doesn’t hoard your money. If their payment schedule is bi-weekly, it remains bi-weekly.
- It allows Different Currency: Different people across the world can engage in reasonable financial transactions without stress.
The following are some of the top payment gateways:
1. PayPal:
This is designed to help companies and individuals send and receive payments. As a top-rated service, it doesn’t require financial information to perform transactions. It is available in 203 countries and it offers a barcode scanning feature, shopping cart, PCI compliance, virtual terminal, express checkout, and other features.
2. Amazon Pay:
This service is primarily designed for Amazon shoppers and merchants. It offers a fast and secured payment solution for a great shopping experience. You can easily log in and pay as a merchant or a shopper. Its features include fraud protection, inline checkout, customer identity, automatic payments, etc.
3. Skrill:
Thus is a modern payment gateway recognized through awards like B2B EGP Awards, Deloitte Technology Fast 50 Award, and a few others. It offers support to over 30 currencies and enables the purchase of products and services globally. It allows credit card transactions, email transactions, quick access, operation with a free account, etc.
4. 2Checkout:
This payment platform is available in 87 countries and 25 languages. It offers 8 different payment methods and it is acceptable across the globe. As a US-based payment gateway, it is a reliable and secure means of financial transaction. Its features include a customized checkout option, multiple payment options, recurring billing, account updater, and a few others.
5. Payza:
This is a convenient, fast, and secure payment gateway solution for people and businesses across the world. It allows the sending and reception of money from different customers worldwide. It operates in 190 countries, and it supports about 22 … Read more
Learning to Take Better Decision in Trading
Decision-making is the most important thing in trading. One correct and timely decision can make you win the trade while a wrong or untimely decision may lead you to a loss. You can make a better decision when you will understand the market well. Traders need to be informed about the market condition from time to time as it helps to take their further decision about trading.
There is the continuous movement of the price of different things, sometimes the rate goes high and sometimes it becomes low. If the rate of any particular asset is lowered, then we assume that the asset is not behaving the same way as it did before.
The rate of the gold rises and the value of the dollar goes down because it is less return to those who hold it. You can see the financial market is very difficult to understand. So, you need to analyze before taking any trading decision.
Unexpected events
It impossible to assume what will happen next, in fact, no one can do this. In the finance market, anything may happen and you have to be prepared for this and take a decision with your analysis. Your every decision should be considered as a bet as both success and failure are probable. So, to ensure safe returns from your investment, be ready to deal with the unexpected events.
Probability factors
You may not feel restricted always when you have to take an important decision, yet you need to raise your probability of being right. You can increase your expected value calculation more if you can raise your probability of being right. You should take more information as the smart traders do in this regard.
Look for the best solutions
When you are in the trading or investing platform, then you should make the best decision to increase the chance of your return and reduce your risk. For this reason, you need to be more focused on your goal and should give importance to the perspective of others. You cannot be correct in decision-making every time. And remember, people who consider things with only their perspective are going to hamper their position.
If any particular subject is creating a hindrance for you to think properly, then try to find out the answer and make the decision accordingly. During the testing phase, you could try here and rely on the paper trading account of Saxo. Find the solution by testing things in the demo platform and then switch back to the real trading account.
Try to know the unknown
You will be capable of making the best decision when you will be able to find out the proper use of … Read more
Top Tips to Remember if You’re Leasing a Business Vehicle for the First Time
Leasing a vehicle can be a major decision, and this is particularly true if you are a start-up business owner who wants to have a vehicle for regular use or would like to have a fleet of vehicles for your staff. Vehicle leasing for businesses has taken off in a big way, but you still have to make your decision wisely based precisely on what you need. You have to consider your budget, for one, and you also have to think about the vehicle that would be most economical for you. But what else should you think about when leasing a business vehicle for the first time? Here are some top tips to remember.
- Choose your vehicle carefully
When you have decided to lease a vehicle, the first step is to choose the vehicle carefully. But what kind of vehicle should you choose? Think about the type of business you have because this can impact the body type and make and model of your vehicle. For instance, if you have salespeople who regularly meet clients and need a vehicle for this, you can select between a diesel or petrol engine, and this will also depend on whether or not they are meeting clients locally or nationally.
If you make regular deliveries or provide trade services that require you to transport tools from one location to another, you may want to opt for a van. You also need to remember that you can make VAT claims on vehicles with lower CO2 emissions, which can bring you some great benefits.
- Think about your budget
Your budget is another prime consideration, so you need to figure out how much you can afford to pay monthly for your contract, as recommended by experts like Diamond Contract Hire. Many business enterprises often find that committing to a contract of two years works for them – but you also have to consider your exact requirements in order to make the best decision regarding your budget.
Apart from your budget, you have to come up with the initial deposit at the beginning of the contract, ranging from 1 month’s worth of the monthly payment to up to a year’s worth of the payment. For this, look through your finances carefully so you can determine what you can afford. It’s worth remembering that the more you pay in your upfront deposit, the less you have to pay for your monthly payments throughout the entire contract.
- Set your mileage and insurance coverage
You need to figure out the mileage you are most likely to use in one year because if you go above the limit on mileage, you could end up paying more for each extra mile … Read more
5 Best Ways to Generate Leads in 2021
Customer is king and a business is nothing without them. To attract customers, you need to make sure you have a well-thought strategy in place. Brainstorming and trying new ideas is a great place to start, but we are here to make your work a bit easier. Take a look at 5 ways you can utilize to generate leads in 2021.
Cater to Your Target Audience
Your audience is the backbone of your business, so they are the ones you need to impress the most. You might have the perfect product, plan, and strategy in place but it goes down the drain if your audience doesn’t relate to it or get excited about it. Know your audience and craft content especially formulated for them.
You ascertain the audience demographic, sort them out by how far they are in the buying process, or reach out to them through feedback and poles. Check out the data behind the website to see which part of it being visited the most. You can find out which customer is eyeing which product, or what has left to customer retention and attrition.
Perk Up Your Website
It’s 2021 and if your website is an old outdated, barely used platform, then you are inviting the devil. The entire world has turned online and to impress them, you need to use tactics that will ride in the same boat as them. Your website should be a definition of your business, vision, and efforts. Use colors that symbolize the nature of your product and design the website based on the demographic of its visitors.
Interact With Your Leads
Transparent communication with your audience is very important to retain them and earn their trust. Your audience should be able to rely on you and for that, you need to show them overtly that you care. Collect their feedback, set up virtual webinars, and organizes polls to find out their opinion and interest. There are endless possibilities in the virtual world if you play your cards right.
Email marketing is another great way to do this. You can find the people you want to reach out to as well as potential allies through emails. Try using getemail.io, a website with a LinkedIn email extractor that makes finding emails profoundly easier.
Focus on Customer Retention
Attracting new customers is very important but retaining older ones is more important. The customers who stay are responsible for quite a bit of lead generation and marketing. If one person likes your brand, they will convey it to others through word-of-mouth publicity which is one of the most impactful ways of marketing. So make sure you take care of those you have at hand … Read more
How to Choose a Guest Speaker who will Deliver Value to your Event
A guest speaker is often the highlight of an event. It may be that they’re a subject matter expert who is going to educate attendees on a particular topic or give them a new way of thinking about an issue. Alternatively, you might be seeking a motivational speaker to challenge thought processes and boost motivation.
Whatever you’re looking for in a guest speaker, you need to be sure that they will add value to your event so that you can justify the cost.
Understand your Requirements
Before you begin your search for a guest speaker for your event, you need to make sure that you understand what you’re looking for. It’s important to think carefully about your attendees, along with the goals of your event. For example, if your audience is medical students, you might be looking for a subject matter expert to talk about a specialist topic to increase their knowledge base.
You’ll also need to think about the logistics. This includes the date of the event, where it is being held and how long you expect the speaker to present for. Event courses which go through the logistics of planning an event and the responsibilities involved in the process may help you with this process.
Finally, you’ll need to consider what budget you’ve got available for hiring a guest speaker, as this may influence which speakers are available for your event.
Timing is Critical
Different stages of your event will have different levels of energy, and the timing of your speaker will help to determine what type of guest speaker you need.
At the start of the day, you’ll be looking for a kick-off speaker who is able to outline the bigger picture, setting the tone for the day and putting your event into perspective. This speaker should be able to get the audience excited about what’s to come and build anticipation for the rest of the day.
After lunch, you’ll probably find that your audience are slightly more tired and lacking energy. If you’re looking for a speaker to occupy this slot, they’ll need to have energy and enthusiasm to motivate your attendees.
Your closing speaker needs to be able to pull together the key messages from the event. They’ll need to reflect on what’s been said and bring it all together. They’ll also need to end with a memorable message, as this is what your audience will remember as they leave your event.
Evaluating Success
Ultimately, you need to know whether or not your speaker was successful in their goals, and whether you’ve achieved that all-important return on investment.
It’s important to consider the measures of success before the event and take the … Read more
What Can a Virtual Assistant Do for You? Your Essential Questions Answered
More individuals are turning to virtual assistants today for their business and personal requirements, especially since many of us find ourselves having difficulty balancing all our tasks. But the virtual assistant has levelled up in a big way – they are not just there to manage your administrative responsibilities and ‘standard’ tasks such as organising your calendar, schedule, and so on – they are now a lot more skilled and can present you with various services that you can make use of to grow your business as well. If you are a business owner, you want someone by your side who can help your business move forward and not just remind you of deadlines and appointments or keep your paperwork in order. So what can a virtual assistant do for you? Here, your essential questions are answered.
They can help drive the growth of your business
If you are an entrepreneur or are running your own business, you know very well that you cannot accomplish everything on your own. You would need an additional hand on various projects which can spur the growth of your business. Your virtual assistant can help you in this by collaborating with you so your business can expand and flourish, and they can be a sounding board and advisor in terms of your plans and decisions. To make your relationship with your virtual assistant work, however, you have to give them a good understanding of your ethics, goals, and vision, and you have to be willing to listen to their ideas as well.
Access to talent and skill
Of course, if you want to go the traditional route, you can hire a virtual assistant who will simply perform administrative duties for you. But if you would like to maximise their services, you should rely on someone who has talent and skill – especially with things you are not entirely familiar with. For example, if you are having difficulty managing social media or market research, you can depend on your virtual assistant to do this, provided they have the background and experience to handle the job. Some are also well-versed in marketing, branding, and advertising, and some virtual assistants can manage your website as well. In other words, if you choose your VA carefully, you can have access to a new set of skills and talent that you may not otherwise get if you hire a standard personal assistant.
Reduced operational expenses
As an entrepreneur or business owner, one of your key priorities is to save money and reduce your expenses in any way possible. And a virtual assistant can help you reduce your operational expenses– the service is outsourced, which means you need not worry … Read more
5 Reasons Why Starting a Family Business is a Good Idea
Your vision of managing a business might include a picture of your family working with you. This is a great thought because, in today’s global economy, family firms are flourishing. Not only are the most prosperous family companies well-founded, but also excellently run.
Before you start a business, there are various management and financial tips you should learn – at least the basics. Britainreviews.co.uk is a site that provides hundreds of reviews on different companies in the UK. It is a great website to check for finance services companies’ reviews.
The following are 5 reasons why starting a family business is a good idea.
1. Greater incentive to work hard
One of the potential advantages of running a family company is that family members could work harder than they would if they were employed anywhere else. This would allow you to ensure the company’s success because they have a personal interest in the business’s growth. This is different from a business where the employees are working (most times) solely for their income. In a family business, everyone is ready to work hard and take risks for the success of the business.
2. Flexibility in work schedules
When the leadership of a business is composed of members of the same family or clan, the members are usually willing to concurrently carry on several different positions and workloads to ensure the success of the business. As a result of this versatility and flexibility to provide more than what is expected, it drives sustained success, enrichment and a greater understanding of the organisation. Also, as a family, when unexpected incidents arise, you will be more willing to cover for one other than for a non-family co-worker.
3. More relaxed environment
As long as there are no major family disputes, collaborating with family can be relaxing. Since you already know each employee well, you don’t have to take the time to get to know one other and find out their likes and dislikes. With deeply rooted trust among family members, the leadership of the organization will be able to communicate, debate and criticize more honestly and openly.
4. Decrease in costs and expenditures
When launching new sub-ventures for the company corporation or when there are financial challenges, family members are likely to invest their personal financial capital. This lowers expenses required while reinforcing the company’s financial power. As part-owners, this willingness to ensure long-term sustainability is innate.
5. Next-generation ingenuity
The next generation of members of the management and work-and knowledge-force of the organization can be included in the family business early, to raise the strategic advantage over other non-family businesses and have access to their youth. This is a great way … Read more