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Freelance translation in France

7 replies

AuldAlliance · 23/06/2008 14:16

Does anyone have any idea of the total charges paid by freelance translators in France?
Thanks in advance...

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castille · 23/06/2008 17:37

It depends on your turnover. You pay charges based on the previous year's takings so it will vary year to year.

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AuldAlliance · 23/06/2008 18:02

Thanks, Castille; I thought part of it was fixed, rather than a percentage of previous income.
Makes it hard to do a feasability calculation...

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scouserabroad · 23/06/2008 22:36

As I understand it, translators are classed as profession libérale non reglementée, so you have to pay towards:

URSSAF Quite useful link to the "Cotisations en début d'activité"

Professions libérales pension scheme The link to "Régime de base" explains how much you have to pay.

RSI (Régime social des indépendants) Social security

For the first two years you pay a fixed charge, (around 3000? for the first year, iirc) based on a forfait,then the third year you pay a percentage based on previous income. During the third year they adjust what you've already paid, if it was too much / not enough. During the first two years, you have to pay the fixed amount even if you don't earn that much, and even after the first two years of activity there is a fixed minimum sum to pay (at least 1000?? I don't remember, even if you earn very little. TBH that is what is putting me off getting started as a freelancer!

However if you are in employment you can be exonerated from paying charges on your freelance income, depending on hours worked where. The info about that is on the RSI site.

I have tried to work out the taux de charges but I'm never 100% sure if I'm right because it's quite complicated. I think it's between 30 - 40%, it's the taux de retraite complémentaire which I'm not sure about.

Good luck with those sites, reading them made me lose the will to live lol

Here are a few other websites which might help:

APCE General info about setting up a business, including on getting started as a freelancer

The France forum on ProZ also has some useful info.

Good luck

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AuldAlliance · 24/06/2008 08:53

Wow, thanks scouserabroad, that's exactly what I was looking for.
I am in other employment, so am hoping I'd not have to pay the full whack, esp for pensions contributions. And I have been offered 1,000 euros/month guaranteed work, so should be OK the first years, as long as I can juggle my FT job, DS, the housework, shopping, laundry, etc. and the freelance work

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jenpet · 24/06/2008 09:13

According to our accountant here, there are so many different categories and sub-categories of profession, even within the professions themselves, and each one has a slightly different scale of charges - for example DH is registered as "a technical advisor of flooring and interior finishings" (?!) - whereas in reality that is only a small part of what he does - most of it is selling, but if he was just a salesman the cotisations would be MUCH higher.

So it would also probably be worth speaking to an accountant (can't believe I jsut said that!) to find out if you are a "particular" type of translator the charges would be less, or if there are any other ways to reduce the charges...

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AuldAlliance · 24/06/2008 10:10

Thanks, good idea. Will see if I can find one nearby (and if I can follow what (s)he says).

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castille · 24/06/2008 21:38

Ah I see you found people who know a lot more than me

I looked into it briefly but decided I was better off staying employed, on many levels.

Good luck with it, sounds like you'll need a few extra hours every day to fit it all in!

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