# Teaching private English classes in Spain



## AloraAnn (Jul 7, 2010)

Hello, I'm new to the forum and found this thread from Pesky Wesky. Please can you confirm if this is still relevant today. What started as a hobby has expanded and I need to register as autonomo. What worries me is the fact that through the summer and Christmas time I don't work. Also, can one be exempt from paying VAT? and is there any help if one is earning less than the minimum wage. 



REF: Oct 2009 As a freelance teacher, with no office and no employees and being exempt from certain things it seems my cirumstances are less complicated. I do my own invoicing for example (I just send a bill every month to my clients, it's not complicated) and I don't I present invoices every quarter to anyone; it's not necessary, so while there's a lot of good info here, nothing's written in stone


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

AloraAnn said:


> Hello, I'm new to the forum and found this thread from Pesky Wesky. Please can you confirm if this is still relevant today. What started as a hobby has expanded and I need to register as autonomo. What worries me is the fact that through the summer and Christmas time I don't work. Also, can one be exempt from paying VAT? and is there any help if one is earning less than the minimum wage.
> 
> 
> 
> REF: Oct 2009 As a freelance teacher, with no office and no employees and being exempt from certain things it seems my cirumstances are less complicated. I do my own invoicing for example (I just send a bill every month to my clients, it's not complicated) and I don't I present invoices every quarter to anyone; it's not necessary, so while there's a lot of good info here, nothing's written in stone


Yes, it still stands.
I come off the self employed register when I'm not working; in fact I did it yesterday! You can go off and on as you need, the only thing is you need to go to the tax offices and the employment offices every time you do it. (Maybe you can do it online????)
English teachers( maybe it's language teachers) don't pay VAT.
Make sure you you're going to be making enough money 'cos you have to pay more than 200 euros a month.
And please, make sure you get this scanty info backed up by someone more professional!! I'd go to the tax offices and employment offices and get them to explain it to me if I were you. You'll need time of course and to keep your fingers crossed that you get a nice person to see to you, but there are some there! You can get info on internet, but tbh I looked just now and didn't see anything that was really correct for my situation, so I think a lot of people just don't have the correct info. 

Have you looked at the teaching English thread on the forum? Please add any comments that you might have positive or negative


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## AloraAnn (Jul 7, 2010)

Thank you for answering the thread so quickly. I have been looking on the internet for months trying to find information. Your comments are the first that relate to my situation and I'm so grateful. Now I will follow your advise and have the details confirmed. Do you think the Gestor could be helpful? 
By the way I'm from Cheltenham.


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## timr (Feb 1, 2010)

AloraAnn said:


> Hello, I'm new to the forum and found this thread from Pesky Wesky. Please can you confirm if this is still relevant today. What started as a hobby has expanded and I need to register as autonomo. What worries me is the fact that through the summer and Christmas time I don't work. Also, can one be exempt from paying VAT? and is there any help if one is earning less than the minimum wage.


Hi, the monthly contribution as an autonomo to the Social Security is 251 euros. I believe there a reduction of 30% for the first 15 months for women under the age of 36. As Pesky says if your work isn´t continuous then do a "baja" from both the Hacienda and the SS for the months you are not working. 

There´s been a lot of discussion on Spanish forums about whether its possible to work legally without being autonomo if your income is below 8,000 euros pa and the work isn´t habitutal. It very iffy and complicated - I´ve written it up as a blog post because in some situations it looks to be possible.

Work | Empty Deckchair


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

timr said:


> Hi, the monthly contribution as an autonomo to the Social Security is 251 euros. I believe there a reduction of 30% for the first 15 months for women under the age of 36. As Pesky says if your work isn´t continuous then do a "baja" from both the Hacienda and the SS for the months you are not working.
> 
> There´s been a lot of discussion on Spanish forums about whether its possible to work legally without being autonomo if your income is below 8,000 euros pa and the work isn´t habitutal. It very iffy and complicated - I´ve written it up as a blog post because in some situations it looks to be possible.
> 
> Work | Empty Deckchair


Looks interesting - will definately read it when Demetrio the builder stops demolishing the house next door! Thanks
(Yes, he's back for those who remember last year!)


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## AloraAnn (Jul 7, 2010)

Pesky Wesky said:


> Looks interesting - will definately read it when Demetrio the builder stops demolishing the house next door! Thanks
> (Yes, he's back for those who remember last year!)


I agree it does sound interesting but I'd be worried that if over a couple of years there appeared to be a pattern of working time, I'm sure the Social Security office would be sending you a strong letter along with a fine.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

AloraAnn said:


> I agree it does sound interesting but I'd be worried that if over a couple of years there appeared to be a pattern of working time, I'm sure the Social Security office would be sending you a strong letter along with a fine.


No, it's not a problem - it's not illegal (you mean going on and off autónoma, don't you?) I've done it for about 5 years now.
By the way I was born in Bibury and lived there 'til I was 11. We used to go on special day shopping trips to Cheltenham - lovely place.


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## AloraAnn (Jul 7, 2010)

Hello again. I went along to see the local Spanish Gestor to get some of your advice confirmed. He agreed that there wasn't any VAT to pay by any teachers. He said that the SS payments would be about 270 euros per month. No special reduction for someone of my age, 56. Also his charges for doing the tax returns etc would be 60 euros + vat per month. AND the charges for setting up the books??? 100 euros. I tried to explain again that my income was not going to be regular because of school holidays cancellations etc. and also because I do one to one there is no great scope for increase business. There are only so many hours in a day. He then confirmed the "darte de baja" was possible.

Any comments from any of you in a similar situation would be very much appreciated. I'm beginning to think private medical insurance is the way to go.


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## Guest (Jul 23, 2010)

If you´re working you have to pay SS, there´s no option. There are cheaper accountants than that about so shop around


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## AloraAnn (Jul 7, 2010)

I realise I have to pay SS if I'm working but I wanted some members views on the prices quoted by the Gestor. Also, to clarify my comment about private medical. Maybe I would be better off not working and paying private medical. Sorry for the confusion. I'm a freelance English teacher, whose work load could increase if I wished it to and was trying to find out if there was a simplified system for this type of work. The information I received from the Gestor seemed to be setting me up as a bigger business with complaint books etc. I'm not fresh off the boat, I've lived here a number of years.


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## Guest (Jul 23, 2010)

His costs for an autonomo sound about right but there are cheaper people out there. I´m autonomo, only raise a few invoices a month, all very simple but my current accountant charges 95€+IVA per month and that covers everything but the initial registration with social security & tax office for which they charge 135€+IVA - Hence I´ll be moving soon!

If you´ve lived here for a number of years you should know by now that there´s no such thing as a simplified system for anything!  I´m sure most people in your situation would be being paid in cash and indeed have private medical cover


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## AloraAnn (Jul 7, 2010)

I know Spain and simple shouldn't be used in the same conversation. My working life in Spain has had a few twists and turns. I had private medical, then didn't need it because I was working, then had private medical again. So I do try to be a good resident of Spain. This teaching is another new turn for me. Thanks for your comments.


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## Guest (Jul 23, 2010)

If you used to be working and it was contract/employed role then you may be entitled to a discount on your SS payments in their "coming back to work" category, there is a whole host of reductions at the moment so a decent, well informed, accountant should be able to inform you if you are entitled to anything


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

AloraAnn said:


> Hello again. I went along to see the local Spanish Gestor to get some of your advice confirmed. He agreed that there wasn't any VAT to pay by any teachers. He said that the SS payments would be about 270 euros per month. No special reduction for someone of my age, 56. Also his charges for doing the tax returns etc would be 60 euros + vat per month. AND the charges for setting up the books??? 100 euros. I tried to explain again that my income was not going to be regular because of school holidays cancellations etc. and also because I do one to one there is no great scope for increase business. There are only so many hours in a day. He then confirmed the "darte de baja" was possible.
> 
> Any comments from any of you in a similar situation would be very much appreciated. I'm beginning to think private medical insurance is the way to go.


I don't use a gestor, but I do have a husband who knows his way around these things. The 60 E a month sounds about right, but you don't need any books, so I don't know where that comes from. This has come up before somewhere so try searching for autonomo teacher or smth. 
In theory they can give you all the info and help you need in the INEM and Hacienda. We're nearly in August when most people will be away, so if you have any free time I really advise you to get a good book, bottle of water and go to the offices directly being prepared to spend as long as necessary and get all the expanation you need (in writing!!)
I can send you a model invoice if you want. PM me your email.
What did the gestor say about baja and medical coverage?
PS. I wonder constantly whether it's worth my while being autónoma, but right now, I couldn't do what I'm doing if I wasn't. I go to three different companies in the same area, plus I have some phone classes. If i was in an academy I'd get paid less, and I'd have to go further afield...


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## AloraAnn (Jul 7, 2010)

Now THAT sounds interesting. I'll go and check it out. Thank you ShinyAndy


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

ShinyAndy said:


> His costs for an autonomo sound about right but there are cheaper people out there. I´m autonomo, only raise a few invoices a month, all very simple but my current accountant charges 95€+IVA per month and that covers everything but the initial registration with social security & tax office for which they charge 135€+IVA - Hence I´ll be moving soon!
> 
> If you´ve lived here for a number of years you should know by now that there´s no such thing as a simplified system for anything!  I´m sure most people in your situation would be being paid in cash and indeed have private medical cover


 If you give classes in companies, 99% will want you to invoice them. I only get paid in cash for my telephone classes which are on an individual basis and private medical coverage is too expensive for most teachers!


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## AloraAnn (Jul 7, 2010)

Morning Pesky Wesky. As I'm new to this forum is there any way I can let you have my email address without posting it on the open forum?


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

AloraAnn said:


> Morning Pesky Wesky. As I'm new to this forum is there any way I can let you have my email address without posting it on the open forum?


Hopefully you'll get a private message from me telling you how to do it!


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