Estonia e residency

anyone got any experience? summary of advantages?

Basically pointless these days.

The main (only?) advantage of it used to be the ability to register an Estonian company online, but as the banking options for EE entities that have no economic substance in Estonia have disappeared, you're basically in the same boat as you'd be with a BVI or Seychelles company. Yes - the entity is active and yours, but no bank in the world will talk to you.

I would stay away from them, their process is way to heavy for a "non-bureaucracy" country, instead, I would focus on Singapore, Hong Kong, Malta, Cyprus, and so on. It really depends on what are you into it.

thanks for the info. looking to start an online learning platform mainly for UK students but open to international.

used to be a school teacher in my earlier life

adamshaw said:

thanks for the info. looking to start an online learning platform mainly for UK students but open to international.

used to be a school teacher in my earlier life

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If you are from UK, then be a sole trader there if you plan to reinvest go for limited if your profit will be above 50k a year.

Meddie said:

If you are from UK, then be a sole trader there if you plan to reinvest go for limited if your profit will be above 50k a year.

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Thank you. hopefully it will grow to over 50k. I will look into starting as a sole trader in the first instance then. thank you very much

adamshaw said:

Thank you. hopefully it will grow to over 50k. I will look into starting as a sole trader in the first instance then. thank you very much

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I recommend first to go with sole trader, I am one as well, but again, it really depends on your business point of view.

I run between 150-200k USD a year, but I also reinvest most of the money, so if your final profit is not above 12k a year, you will pay exactly 0 taxes, just 5% for NHS from that amount of profit. You just can`t dream at more, seriously.

If you are in the UK, setup your own LTD (at least for the beginning). Cheaper, faster, easier (especially with banks as bryanon said)

Estonia did a good job to make this hype around the eresidency but it does not suit everyone (especially if you are european)

hmmm so am I best to go Ltd from the start or sole trader ?

Agreed with the previous comments. Estonia hype is overblown. Sounds like what you're doing is better kept local with some creative accounting and tax strategies. Sole trader or Limited at your discretion, depending on your strategy and in consideration of your personal financial situation (exposure to liability might be considered). Laws and regs are easy to access so read up on it or pay for a good accounting firm. I did a few years of taxes there all by myself, practically running losses all the time, it's not too complicated. If you start making Richard Branson money, then you might consider moving offshore at that point. Starting offshore for most people is way overkill, especially if you're only talking six-figures, unless you have some compelling reason (the ghost of Stalin is chasing you?).

does anyone know a VAT issued company which is easily maintained and filled in Europe? Cost-effective also, please for e-commerce and digital agency purposes