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Poll: Do you earn more than 2000 EUR net/month as a linguist? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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Dan Lucas 
United Kingdom
Local time: 23:51
Member (2014)
Japanese to English
Baran Keki wrote:
I didn't say that
Sorry, I didn't mean to put words in your mouth.
As far as I can see it's hard to live on less than 2k a month in a developed country unless somebody else is paying for or subsidizing your housing and food. I guess I'm saying that the people you call "full-time translators" aren't actually dependent on translation income for their lifestyle, which in turn suggests that they are in reality people like the students, housewives, spouses with high-earning partners, and pensioners that you excluded from the category. Not sure if all that makes sense...
The alternative explanation, implied by Zea, is that they don't live in developed countries.
Dan
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Baran Keki
Türkiye
Local time: 01:51
Member
English to Turkish
Justin Peterson wrote:
Taxes are three times higher in Spain than in the UK? I'm not an expert, but find that hard to believe
I may have exaggerated a little... that conversation was from three years ago and, having found the email thread, she was actually referring to being a freelancer. Here are the bits from her emails:
"...Brexit is fine. I've been here for eight years, so they gave me full rights. And being a freelancer here is 10 times better than being a freelancer in Spain. The amount of taxes I save is unbelievable."
"Spain is really horrible for taxes. And Italy is worse, from what I've heard. It's the price to pay, a nice simple living or the sun."
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Dan Lucas wrote: Christopher Schröder wrote:
40% is hardly horrendous. And it goes to good causes. I don't believe there is persuasive evidence to support such sweeping statements. I believe there is tremendous waste in anything government does simply because there is very little accountability and effectively no hypothecation. No, 40% is not a high level, I agree on that, but taxation as a percentage of GDP is at its highest since the post-war period, and that is a problem. The other problem is that there are certain features of the UK tax system that result in some people facing tremendously high levels of marginal taxation, as high as 80% if I remember correctly. Perceptions of higher taxes arising from higher earnings are damaging, as Michael's post shows. (Actually, it seems that the most recent budget has implemented some measures to mitigate that, which is surprising but welcome.)
Working less hard so you pay less tax because some of it is wasted is not exactly community-minded.
Politics aside, though, either people want/need more money or they don't. The occasional freak marginal tax rate won't make a material difference.
Realistically, a translator is not going to pay more than 40% in the UK. Most will only pay 20%. And the first £12k is tax-free so the effective tax rate is very low.
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Dan Lucas
United Kingdom
Local time: 23:51
Member (2014)
Japanese to English
| Reconciling those two approaches is not going to be easy | Mar 28 |
Christopher Schröder wrote:
Working less hard so you pay less tax because some of it is wasted is not exactly community-minded.
Gently, may I suggest that this argument lacks a certain persuasive force when delivered by somebody who quite recently suggested that people should work fewer hours so that they can spend the rest of their time on things they enjoy?
(For what it's worth, I think people should work as few or as many hours as they like, providing that they can support themselves and their dependents.)
Going back to the wider argument, the issues with marginal tax rates are well-documented here. Even if you disagree with their conclusions, the problems are more widespread than you think.
GPs, for example, have been complaining for years about the disincentive it creates to work more hours. We can argue about whether that is morally right or wrong, but as a practical matter many UK citizens seem to be struggling to get appointments with GPs, so any factors that discourage GPs from working longer hours need to be given some consideration.
Dan
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Dan Lucas wrote:
Gently, may I suggest that this argument lacks a certain persuasive force when delivered by somebody who quite recently suggested that people should work fewer hours so that they can spend the rest of their time on things they enjoy?
Good point, lol. I will have to think about that when I get a moment.
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| Spain taxes vs Italy taxes | Mar 28 |
The amount of taxes I save in Spain compared to Italy is unbelievable. Really.
Perhaps it is because I was used to the Italian complicated and very expensive Italian tax system but I find fair the tax system in Spain.
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Jeff Whittaker
United States
Local time: 18:51
Spanish to English
+ ...
[Edited at 2024-03-28 17:32 GMT]
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Angie Garbarino wrote:
The amount of taxes I save in Spain compared to Italy is unbelievable. Really.
Perhaps it is because I was used to the Italian complicated and very expensive Italian tax system but I find fair the tax system in Spain.
A „fair" tax system is IMHO a contradiction in terms, less painful, maybe, but fair ... But then I don't live in Spain but in the country that defines itself with the most heavy tax burdens in the world ...
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Wolfgang Schoene wrote: Angie Garbarino wrote:
The amount of taxes I save in Spain compared to Italy is unbelievable. Really.
Perhaps it is because I was used to the Italian complicated and very expensive Italian tax system but I find fair the tax system in Spain.
A „fair" tax system is IMHO a contradiction in terms, less painful, maybe, but fair ... But then I don't live in Spain but in the country that defines itself with the most heavy tax burdens in the world ...
Less painful, right
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| Apples and oranges | Mar 29 |
Dan Lucas wrote:
Gently, may I suggest that this argument lacks a certain persuasive force when delivered by somebody who quite recently suggested that people should work fewer hours so that they can spend the rest of their time on things they enjoy?
I’m saying work fewer hours at a higher rate, which translates into similar tax revenue, less strain on the health service and greater happiness.
Not cynically avoiding giving away “my” money.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=eyGND49CBYk
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Baran Keki
Türkiye
Local time: 01:51
Member
English to Turkish
Christopher Schröder wrote:
I’m saying work fewer hours at a higher rate, which translates into similar tax revenue, less strain on the health service and greater happiness.
You was once called Chris 'Two Fatty Houses' Ice Scream. It's hard to imagine you acquiring two houses with your work discipline and your apparent soft spot for the welfare system.
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Baran Keki wrote: Christopher Schröder wrote:
I’m saying work fewer hours at a higher rate, which translates into similar tax revenue, less strain on the health service and greater happiness. You was once called Chris 'Two Fatty Houses' Ice Scream. It's hard to imagine you acquiring two houses with your work discipline and your apparent soft spot for the welfare system.
That was before the divorce
Plus I live in Wales.
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Celine Reau
France
Local time: 00:51
Member (2009)
English to French
+ ...
Kay Denney wrote:
There are months when I earn more than double that, and others when I earn less, but it all evens out to a decent amount. I earned too much in 2022, bursting through the ceiling for my mini freelance status, so I have had to cut back a bit to avoid having to take the "real" freelance status where the state would take over half my earnings.
I'm the same here, such a pity that in France we have to limit our activity in order not to pay too many taxes and just see more than half our our income go away in social contributions.
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Samuel Clarisse
France
Local time: 00:51
Member (2018)
English to French
+ ...
Celine Reau wrote: Kay Denney wrote:
There are months when I earn more than double that, and others when I earn less, but it all evens out to a decent amount. I earned too much in 2022, bursting through the ceiling for my mini freelance status, so I have had to cut back a bit to avoid having to take the "real" freelance status where the state would take over half my earnings. I'm the same here, such a pity that in France we have to limit our activity in order not to pay too many taxes and just see more than half our our income go away in social contributions.
Your limit in France is actually €77,700 (or a monthly revenue of €7,000 if you take 4 weeks off a year), which is considered pretty decent for a freelancer by most standards here. (https://www.legalstart.fr/fiches-pratiques/autoentrepreneur/plafond-auto-entrepreneur/#:~:text=En%20ce%20qui%20concerne%20les,activités%20commerciales%20et%20de%20logement)
Anything beyond that for two consecutive years would necessitate a different status, but you still have plenty of room before reaching that point. Nonetheless, with that level of income, it's worth considering contributing more to society, although that's another debate altogether.
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Christina B.
Sweden
Local time: 00:51
French to German
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Income tax in Sweden is between 30%-52% depending on your annual income.
If you earn more than 2000 €/year, you pay 30% income tax. 52% applies if you earn more than 60000 €/year.
Plus about 25%-30% social charges for freelancers.
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