The unfairness of the tax system between PAYE workers and the self-employed was clearly highlighted in the IFA 2016 budget submission on Wednesday.

The IFA took an example of both parties earning €17,500. This is equivalent to working at the current national minimum wage rate of €8.65/hour, which might seem good for a farmer but many PAYE workers would not be happy.

The big difference is the PAYE tax credit of €1,650 that everyone on PAYE automatically gets. This results in employees entering the income tax net at twice the income level of self-employed, including farmers.

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Basically farmers start to pay income tax when they earn €8,250, but PAYE workers don’t start to get hit with income tax until they reach €16,500.

Click here if you cannot see the infographic

As the graph shows, at around €17,500 per year, a self-employed worker pays five times the level of taxes and charges of an employee.

  • The employee earning €17,500 pays taxes and charges of €572, or 3% of gross income, comprising €200 in income tax, €0 in PRSI and €372 in USC.
  • By contrast, a self-employed individual earning €17,500 pays taxes and charges of €2,922, or almost 17% of gross wages, comprising €1,850 in income tax, €700 in PRSI and €372 in USC.

    • The IFA is calling for the introduction of an Earned Income Tax Credit, similar to the PAYE tax credit, for self-employed taxpayers that would level the playing field.

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