Why do we pay tax when out of area????
 

Re: Why do we pay tax when out of area????
 

You could try asking Dubya to suggest it to Teflon Tone.

The U.S. military don't pay income tax for the whole calender month if they only go somewhere dodgy once. The U.S. aircrew on Nato E-3A's benefited from this during the unpleasentness in (former) Yugoslavia through the 1990's. One survellance mission over the Adriatic per month and they saved megabucks.

Re: Why do we pay tax when out of area????
 

Why don't you champion that cause in the Aberdeen Independent or whatever paper you write for?

Re: Why do we pay tax when out of area????
 

CBA - I'll take that one as a compliment but unfortuantely I don't write for a newspaper. For my sins, I'm unfortunately serving and just wanted some other points of view on this topic.

Re: Why do we pay tax when out of area????
 

Why do we pay tax when out of area????

'cos you're still earning?

CG

Re: Why do we pay tax when out of area????
 

So that Gordon Brown can let BP off a £1.3Bn tax bill for Meths. He needs to keep BP sweet for HMGs revenue etc. Lets sting the poor defenceless MoD workers instead. Much easier pickings!!

Re: Why do we pay tax when out of area????
 

You pay taxes when out of area so Tony can afford to send his expeditionary forces on free holidays in the sun.

Re: Why do we pay tax when out of area????
 

You will pay tax unless you are deemed not resident and not ordinarily resident in UK..... there's no escape.

Re: Why do we pay tax when out of area????
 

You earn the Queens Shilling and should pay taxes on that pay. You should not expect to earn tax free income when operating overseas.

Re: Why do we pay tax when out of area????
 

And the rules (as Shytorque outlined) apply to everyone without exception.

Re: Why do we pay tax when out of area????
 

I seem to remember a certain expat who flew for EZY fighting the gov for tax relief on sector pay, given that the larger amount of time was ex uk. Won, and got rebate for the chaps. There is bound to be more to it than I can remember, but it was a win.

Re: Why do we pay tax when out of area????
 

I don't think military personnel should pay tax at all, unless one has no sense of humour or is incapable of not toeing the company line.

Re: Why do we pay tax when out of area????
 

HMG have the Forces stitched on this one.
The definition of a non resident is someone who spends in excess of 6 months out of the country, all in one continous stint, in the tax year.
Thus a civvy working on an overseas op alongside you, provided the 6 month thing is adhered to, is not liable for tax.
Simple case of double standards.
Interestingly and unsurprisingly, if you are UK armed forces overseas, you still have to pay council tax (albeit at a very low rate). Even though there's no F**kin council. The money goes to Westminster council, go figure.:*

Re: Why do we pay tax when out of area????
 

The official answer is that this is taken into consideration when the X-factor is added to our pay.

Re: Why do we pay tax when out of area????
 

Unfortunately, wherever you go, even as a civvy, you are liable to pay tax somewhere. If you are not resident in one country, you are in another.

Note that some US folks working abroad may be liable for double taxation; i.e. taxed both home and abroad. I used to work with one such person. His way out of it was to skip off home at the end of his contract without paying his overseas tax bill :E

Last thing I heard, they were still after him and his departure made things more difficult with the revenue department for the rest of us on similar contracts for the same employer.

Don't forget the "not ordinarily resident" part.

Re: Why do we pay tax when out of area????
 

Not strictly true Shy Torque..


The Strawberries on the RFAs are paid tax free if out of UK waters for long enough - which makes a mockery when working alongside our lot. They have even been known to sai for 2 or 3 days in the past to get the correct number of days in.

Re: Why do we pay tax when out of area????
 

Same goes for the Civvy Heli mates (Brit. Int.) in the FI's. They aren't paying anything back to her Majesty.

Most other forces I've come in contact with whilst abroad are not taxed. And their jaws hit the floor when told that their Colonial Masters are.

Exactly what benefit do we see from the taxes we pay when on Ops? And American BX's don't count!

Re: Why do we pay tax when out of area????
 

You get paid every month! Thats a pretty good benefit.

But apart from that what have Taxes every done for us?

Well, most of it goes on Education. That means that we can send a kid to school who will grow up and want to join the military and fly with you.

Taxes are spent on transport so that the kids can get to school. If the little lad falls ill he will be able to get free health care. He lives in a society which is (relatively) safe and benefits from law and order. His taxes help pay for the environment as well as providing a little cultur to his life. But most importantly of all, Little Johnny can sleep safe and well in his bed at night knowing full well that he is being protected from aggression by a band of professional and competant brothers who will lay their lives on the line to ensure he remains free and safe. Thats what taxes do.

Re: Why do we pay tax when out of area????
 

Not to sound like a right wing capitalist (I am), but little johnny can go swivel. I'll gladly pay for his education (though, doubtless the little sh*t is truent, dim and on emphetamines) when I'm domicile in the kingdom. When I'm abroad though (for a considerable length of time, I'll submit) I don't think I should be paying into a system whereby I'm recieving nil return, ie., health, transport etc.

To put a different (less grown up spin on it) if everyone else (Canucks, Aussies, Spams, et al) aren't paying, why are we? What's their take on it? It's not fair! *I'll fetch my hanky*

Oh and if you think that the benefit is that we get paid then I put it to you that we are self employed. As such, I reckon next time we invade a country we do it on our terms. I, for one, will be invading Bermuda. You're all welcome to help.

Re: Why do we pay tax when out of area????
 

So if taxes pay for the military does that make me self-employed?