Textbroker - Writing for money (not vouchers)

googler

miwa wrote: »

Go on, I'm curious, how many of you actually signed up as self-employed to work on TB?

Signed up with whom?

CWSmith

miwa wrote: »

Obsessed with commas.

Go on, I'm curious, how many of you actually signed up as self-employed to work on TB?

It's just a hobby for me and I only joined up about 6 months ago. All I do it pick up an article if I feel like it and it appeals to me, which could be none a week, or ten a week. This has still made me several hundred pounds "easy money" simply for doing something I enjoy.

sachatith

Written my first five articles for TextBroker, so just got the painstaking wait for them all to be assessed now. Two have been accepted which is great, I only wrote them yesterday and this morning! Does anyone know what the waiting time is at the moment for assessment? If I can keep going at the rate I have, I could easily make about £50 a week from it (yes I am registered anyway) which would be perfect!

miwa

I was graded a 4* writer and did 5 articles; cashed out just above £20. I enjoyed writing the articles and it took me about an hour to write them altogether, with research included. It was paid into my PP a few weeks later.

However I later found out about declaring as self-employed, as Textbroker do not sort out tax etc, and if you don't declare while still doing the work and getting paid, you can incur several fines - one of up to £100 for not declaring as self-employed and another one that takes into account how long you haven't been paying tax on your earnings (that can go back to as long as you have been using the site). Since then, I haven't touched TB. I am curious if any/all of you are aware of the tax implications of using TB (or clickworker), or if you don't care, or what. I am not throwing around recriminations or scare-mongering.

Patchwork_Girl

miwa wrote: »

However I later found out about declaring as self-employed, as Textbroker do not sort out tax etc, and if you don't declare while still doing the work and getting paid, you can incur several fines - one of up to £100 for not declaring as self-employed and another one that takes into account how long you haven't been paying tax on your earnings (that can go back to as long as you have been using the site). Since then, I haven't touched TB. I am curious if any/all of you are aware of the tax implications of using TB (or clickworker), or if you don't care, or what. I am not throwing around recriminations or scare-mongering.

It's really not difficult to register as self employed and fill in a tax return - I know I was scared of the process but it's all online and it really, really doesn't hurt!

I'm not a huge risk taker and didn't like the idea of hiding any earnings - even though I was nowhere near the tax threshold when I first started picking up a few mystery shopping jobs - so I registered immediately.

It makes it a lot easier to pick up little extras like this with no worries about fines or getting caught - just keep track of your income and stick it all on the form at the year end. Sorted!

Edited to add - I've always found the staff at HMRC to be really helpful and approachable with questions too (when you eventually get though to them).

gb12345

miwa wrote: »

However I later found out about declaring as self-employed, as Textbroker do not sort out tax etc, and if you don't declare while still doing the work and getting paid, you can incur several fines - one of up to £100 for not declaring as self-employed and another one that takes into account how long you haven't been paying tax on your earnings (that can go back to as long as you have been using the site). Since then, I haven't touched TB. I am curious if any/all of you are aware of the tax implications of using TB (or clickworker), or if you don't care, or what. I am not throwing around recriminations or scare-mongering.

I take it you don't do any surveys or reviews on sites such as DooYoo then?

miwa

gb12345 wrote: »

I take it you don't do any surveys or reviews on sites such as DooYoo then?

To Patchwork Girl - thanks very much for your reply. When I was researching registering for self-employment it seemed incredibly bamboozling. I am glad it was a simpler process that it first seems.


Anyway, to answer your question, gb12345, as I receive the 'rewards' from my personal business you felt necessary to bring into this discussion as vouchers only, no, I do not declare them. As far as I am aware these are classed the same as winnings (e.g. for 'professional' compers), tax free and not requiring declaring to HMRC. If I am wrong on this subject I am sure you will inform me. Is there anything else you'd like to know..?

gb12345

miwa wrote: »

To Patchwork Girl - thanks very much for your reply. When I was researching registering for self-employment it seemed incredibly bamboozling. I am glad it was a simpler process that it first seems.


Anyway, to answer your question, gb12345, as I receive the 'rewards' from my personal business you felt necessary to bring into this discussion as vouchers only, no, I do not declare them. As far as I am aware these are classed the same as winnings (e.g. for 'professional' compers), tax free and not requiring declaring to HMRC. If I am wrong on this subject I am sure you will inform me. Is there anything else you'd like to know..?

You bought up the subject of taxation, so I thought I would just enquire whether you were compliant as you were presenting the subject for everyone else. I didn't mention vouchers - survey sites pay in cash as well as does DooYoo (one of the options) - which obviously has to be declared.

But as you mention (and seem to be paid in) vouchers - as far as I know they are treated as a "payment in kind" (not a reward or a winning, but a payment for the work that you have done) and are taxable. Might be an idea for you to inquire with HMRC to make sure you're not liable for one of those many fines.

spiritwood

gb12345 wrote: »

You bought up the subject of taxation, so I thought I would just enquire whether you were compliant as you were presenting the subject for everyone else. I didn't mention vouchers - survey sites pay in cash as well as does DooYoo (one of the options) - which obviously has to be declared.

But as you mention (and seem to be paid in) vouchers - as far as I know they are treated as a "payment in kind" (not a reward or a winning, but a payment for the work that you have done) and are taxable. Might be an idea for you to inquire with HMRC to make sure you're not liable for one of those many fines.

i think miwa asks a fair question. vouchers seem safer but what about cash payments. are you not supposed to declare any of it under other income regardless if it is under the tax allowance threshold? vouchers are not called payment in kind, they are transferred as gift vouchers. cash is much more complex.

gb12345

spiritwood wrote: »

i think miwa asks a fair question. vouchers seem safer but what about cash payments. are you not supposed to declare any of it under other income regardless if it is under the tax allowance threshold? vouchers are not called payment in kind, they are transferred as gift vouchers. cash is much more complex.

Any income from self-employment (which includes surveys and review writing) has to be declared regardless of whether it (or your total income) is under the tax threshold.

Vouchers appear to be an area that even confuses HMRC - I asked them on 2 occasions about 5 years ago and got conflicting answers - once I was told it was a benefit in kind the other time that they were a gift and not taxable. I no longer do surveys for vouchers as I have no use for them, so I don't know if HMRC have tightened up their response.