Following on from Neil Harding’s juvenile spat with Bob Piper he witters on about Bob’s income.
I wonder what part-time job puts you in the 40% tax bracket?
As he’s raised this one a couple of times, I just couldn’t resist by making the obvious observation; mine does. Anyone who works as a consultant on a day rate will be charging their clients in the region of £400 – £600 per day, more if their specialism is exclusive. Twenty weeks a year takes you comfortably into the 40% marginal tax rate. So, Neil, should you be reading this; trainers, assessors, auditors, specialist advisors, engineers, designers… All of these can afford to work part time and earn a decent income. It just requires the courage to go it alone rather than work for a company on a salary. Self-employment is a feast or famine existence. That’s why we charge so much for a day’s work; it compensates for when we are not working. Frankly, I don’t want to work more than twenty weeks a year. Self-employment gives me the option to make choices about my work/life balance, plus I don’t have to put up with the politics and horseshit dished out by employers.
I’ve no idea what Bob Piper does, but his claims are perfectly believable if you have any experience of the real world of industry and commerce.
LR, you seem to have had a long and varied career, what are you consulting in nowadays?
Mostly, I am carrying out quality audits in the track safety training and assessment disciplines – which is a fairly specialised area. It’s interesting because although we are technically auditing, our scope is much broader – we are seeding good practice and providing technical advice and guidance. Often, my role slips into providing assessment services as assessors and trainers tap us up for professional advice. I am also doing a bit of internal verification for one client and NVQ assessments for another. Variety keeps the wolves from the door.
Twenty weeks a year paid is not even remotely part time: the time you spend selling/drumming up that work is still work, it’s just work that you cannot invoice for.
But I doubt that is a distinction that Neil would understand…
It is true, I spend a lot of time planning and arranging work while at home, supposedly not working. I also spend a lot of time on the phone just answering questions, for which I am not paid. The more you get known in your own field of expertise the more people will contact you to ask for free advice. I am happy to give that advice as the goodwill pays dividends later on.
You can add to that; no paid sickness or holiday benefit and we have to make our own arrangements for pension provision.
Is that why you can be based in France?
Frankly I doubt “distinction” is a word Neil would understand, or “consultant”, or “work”.
In over 20 years on the net I’m pretty sure Neil is the biggest twat I have come across. And that’s pretty fucking impressive!
When it comes to sheer unadulterated idiocy, he is hard to beat.
Yes. I commute back to the UK for three or four weeks at a time.