If you take a look at the Internet you will see that you have many different umbrella company contractors to choose from. Because of this, individuals often find it difficult to locate the ideal one for them.
What is an umbrella company and why should you consider the services of one?
Firstly, let’s start by stating the services offered by these companies are definitely worthwhile. You will say goodbye to paperwork, you don’t have to worry about invoices or taxes, and this allows for more efficiency and better budgeting too. From paying your PPC agency to ensuring your taxes are accurate; your umbrella company will take care of it all.
You need to choose an umbrella company with care
However, to reap all of these gains you definitely need to choose an umbrella company with care. Keeping that in mind, read on to discover how to compare these companies against one and other…
What is the cost of using the companies in question?
The first quality you will obviously want to evaluate is the cost of using the companies in question. It is imperative to point out that the only way to differentiate when it comes to cost is in relation to the fees that the umbrella company charges. There are companies that will claim that they are able to lower your taxes. However, this is impossible. The United States government enforces the taxes and thus no umbrella company has the power to change them.
Nonetheless, you will find a diversification in fees. Be sure not to pay more than $100 on a monthly basis or $40 on a weekly basis. Yet, don’t go for anything that seems too good to be true, as the chances are it probably is. Moreover, seek a company that has fixed payments, rather than being charged in relation to what you earn per month. Why should you be charged extra because you have had a good month? A lot of umbrella companies charge in this way because it enables them to profit from their most profitable clients.
Read reviews that have been left by previous customers
Aside from this, the next way to compare various umbrella company contractors is to read reviews that have been left by previous customers. This is the best way to gain a true reflection of the level of quality and service you are likely to receive. If a company has a bad reputation you can be sure that a wealth of unhappy customers will have taken to the Internet to express their dissatisfaction. This should warn you of using the company in question.
Nonetheless, even the best businesses in the world have negative reviews, so remember to assess them as a whole, rather than being influenced by merely one comment.
Look at the league tables that are available online
You may also want to take a look at the league tables that are available online. These rank umbrella companies based on various attributes, such as how long it takes for the net profit to be deposited into your bank account, how much they charge and so on and so forth. This gives a good insight into the quality of umbrella companies and the ones that are not so good.
How does the service actually work? What do you need to do?
Last but not least, the final attribute you will want to assess is the way in which the service actually works. In most instances, you will only be required to upload your timesheet and your expenses sheet. Nevertheless, it is worth trying to find a company that allows you to do so online. This is a lot quicker and much more convenient too. Otherwise, you will have to wait a significant amount of time for the company to receive the necessary details, and this will delay everything.
To conclude, there is no denying that there are a number of benefits that are associated with using an umbrella company if you are a freelancer. However, in order to capitalize on all of those advantages, you need to make sure you take the time to do your research and select an umbrella business with care. There are a lot of umbrella companies out there today, and so you need to make sure that the company you choose charges fair fees and that it has a good reputation in the industry. This is not the sort of decision that you should rush into.
