Toiminimi & unemployment benefits

[Upphew]

Penelope, you mentioned a course by TE Keskus. Is this an obligatory course when you want to become an entrepreneur?

Its not obligatory, you are free to dig hole so deep that you don't have any hope to get out of it. We don't have personal bankruptcy in Finland and taxman has a good memory.

[Patrick1970]

Penelope, you mentioned a course by TE Keskus. Is this an obligatory course when you want to become an entrepreneur?

Its not obligatory, you are free to dig hole so deep that you don't have any hope to get out of it. We don't have personal bankruptcy in Finland and taxman has a good memory.

Well, at least that wasn't sarcastic at all

[skullmonkey]

If you want starttiraha you need to take part in one of the Uusyrityskeskus kurssit, sometimes they're also in English. They cost between 0,-€ and 300,-€ depending on where you go. Without that course you won't get starttiraha (expect you have a tradenomi degree or similar, but chances of them accepting that are very, very slim). So its not obligatory to do the course to become an entrepreneur, but the knowledge and networking you will do are beneficial and the course is obligatory if you want starttiraha. See it as a first investment into your company.

Good success!

[odon]

[quote="penelope"] Presumably you could be a shareholder in an Oy (not an employee) and still be unsalaried and therefore unemployed ( ). So why would a TMI be any different.

I think you need to ask KELA.[/quote]


If u r a shareholder in a oy, then there is no unemployed money even if have no salary, so do not be a shareholder, if it is not giving you any income!!

if u start a TMI, the moment u register it, kela will cut your unemployment money, so do have your finances ready before u go and put an application or register it!!

It is easier to sit on your ass and get benifits than to be a yritäjä here in finland.......things are stalked against you....but good luck anyway

[raamv]

unless of course you know the ins and outs of Union rules and the Oy Rules and Tmi rules..
I know one person who has been unemployed..
Started his own company with Starttiraha...Closed it down..
<---- DID some things that make it easier to be un-employed again--->
and is going back to unemployment...
These are "Things that Everyone knows but no one tells you..."...
Its not impossible as you know how to navigate the system...

[Patrick1970]

Thanks for the further information.

About that course, does anyone happen to know how long it takes? Daytime/evening course?

As I said, I am already following a daytime course until January, so if I wish to go for the starttiraha then I guess I'll just have to wait until January.

[Rosamunda]

The course I did was on a weekend. But there are different kinds of courses available in different municipalities.
I linked to one in Espoo a few weeks ago.
Go Business! in English on Mondays from 18:00 to 21:00 in Tapiola starts 5th October until 23rd November and costs 36€
To enroll phone 8165 4455

[JimmyBang]

I went here... http://www.hel.fi/wps/portal/Talousjasu ... reneurship

...and it was one day, and free. They also let you come back as many times as you need with as many questions as you want. But, you must have a good business plan with you when you want to come back.
My "counsler" is even helping me fill out the startiiraha papers to ensure I get it.

[yulia]

do we have anybody(in this topic), who has been already registered Toiminimi?
do you have any news about registration of your own company and unemployment benefits?
or only advices and suggestions?

[AldenG]

We don't have personal bankruptcy in Finland and taxman has a good memory.

Weren't there changes made in the 80's or 90's so that now there actually IS some kind of velkasaneeraus (debt "clean-up") available to private individuals, including overwhelming tax obligations, even if it doesn't look quite like traditional bankruptcy where your debts are discharged at the stroke of a judge's pen?

[Osbi]

Hello. I just registered a toiminimi, and I am now concerned, because I've applied to the University of Helsinki for this year, and if I get in, will I not be able to receive student support, just because I am registered as an "entrepreneur"? My "business", from which I don't earn money (yet, maybe never), is seasonal right now, and only active maybe one month of the year... if this impacts my ability to survive as a student, I will consider dissolving the business.

Also, am I able to apply for the starttiraha if I have a "real" job as well, or do they expect me, as the recipient of this grant, to be otherwise unemployed?

I wonder if anyone knows any other negative impacts of having a toiminimi... since, as I mentioned, it's not earning me any money. Someone mentioned that I am required to have my own health insurance also, is this true?

I think I may have walked into something I wasn't ready for... I'll be signing up for one of those classes soon if I decide to keep the business running.

[filecore]

Hello. I just registered a toiminimi, and I am now concerned, because I've applied to the University of Helsinki for this year, and if I get in, will I not be able to receive student support, just because I am registered as an "entrepreneur"? My "business", from which I don't earn money (yet, maybe never), is seasonal right now, and only active maybe one month of the year... if this impacts my ability to survive as a student, I will consider dissolving the business.

Student money really depends on your stated taxable income. If you don't have any (regardless of the existence of the toiminimi), you shouldn't have a problem. Remember that they do review it over time, so if you do start earning lots, do remember to declare it - or it'll come back to haunt you. As far as I can recall from when I studied in Tampere, you can ean money as a student and also claim student support. It's all about how much.

I wonder if anyone knows any other negative impacts of having a toiminimi... since, as I mentioned, it's not earning me any money. Someone mentioned that I am required to have my own health insurance also, is this true?

If you earn more than about 6500 euros anually with your toiminimi, you need to pay statuatory pension and social costs. Under this, it's only standard income tax (ennakovero) that applies.

[Rosamunda]

Someone mentioned that I am required to have my own health insurance also, is this true?

As filecore says, health insurance is deducted as part of your tax (ie the % on your tax card), it's included in your global tax rate.

But you ARE required to have your own pension insurance which is called YEL, and you must sign up for this with a pension insurance company within six months from the start of the enterprise if
- you are over 18 and under 68 yrs
- live in Finland
- have a minimum annual income of > 6500e

The YEL contribution is 20,8% (2007 rate) of work income but when you start up you get a 25% discount for the first 48 months.

I think I may have walked into something I wasn't ready for... I'll be signing up for one of those classes soon if I decide to keep the business running.

My advice : get THE book which I have linked to a gazillion times (from the library or from Akateeminen bookstore)

Establishing and Doing Business in Finland. by Tuulikki Holopainen (in English and Finnish) - make sure you get the most recent edition. ISBN 978-951-37-49910

http://www.edita.fi

[luckykitty]

unless of course you know the ins and outs of Union rules and the Oy Rules and Tmi rules..
I know one person who has been unemployed..
Started his own company with Starttiraha...Closed it down..
<---- DID some things that make it easier to be un-employed again--->
and is going back to unemployment...
These are "Things that Everyone knows but no one tells you..."...
Its not impossible as you know how to navigate the system...

What were the things he did that make it easy to be unemployed? as in sit on his butt ?? o_O
I think if someone's business' fails, and it goes to bankrupcy, then that person can again join the unemployment fund after registering again as a job seeker.
to patrick: if you go to TE Toimisto they will tell u all about the startti raha and how it works and you can ask questions there for the official response.

[Patrick1970]

to patrick: if you go to TE Toimisto they will tell u all about the startti raha and how it works and you can ask questions there for the official response.

I know, we have an appointment in about aweek from now, so then we shall see