FAQ

Frequently asked questions

If you cannot find the answer from our frequently asked questions, please contact us!  Our customer service is here for you and your questions.

Kaikki

Part-time entrepreneurship

Campwire online course platform

EezyPay payments

Light entrepreneurship

Eezy

Getting started

Eezy service fee

Insurances

Unemployment security

Pricing your own work

Marketing your own work

Valtti card

Invoicing

Value Added Tax

EezyExpress salary

Reimbursement of expenses

Payroll

Collection

Household deduction

Tax deductions

Termination

How to find your own side hustle idea?

A side hustle can actually be any job if you’re getting paid for it and can practice it alongside your regular job or studies. As a part-time entrepreneur, you can work as a photographer, journalist, car mechanic, IT support, or babysitter – only your imagination sets the limit. Utilize your special skills and get inspired by the stories of other light entrepreneurs!

How does part-time entrepreneurship affect student allowance or unemployment benefits?

The additional income from part-time entrepreneurship can affect a student’s allowance, so make sure to carefully check the annual income limits, especially towards the end of the year. For a sole trader, all income earned through part-time entrepreneurship is taken into account for financial aid after deducting expenses. With a part-time limited liability company (LLC), you can independently schedule your own salary payments and dividend withdrawals. However, an LLC may be a more cumbersome business structure for students compared to a light entrepreneurship or a sole trader, and many students may not prefer it as an option.

A full-time entrepreneur is not eligible for unemployment benefits, but an unemployed part-time entrepreneur is entitled to adjusted unemployment benefits. Unemployment benefits are determined on a case-by-case basis, and the income generated from business activities may affect the amount of benefits received. As an unemployed part-time entrepreneur, you may be eligible for earnings-related daily allowance, basic daily allowance, or labor market support.

Which company form is best for a part-time business?

Part-time business activities can be pursued in various ways, and the best business structure depends on the nature of the activity. Here are three common company forms for a part-time business:

  • Light entrepreneurship: Suitable when you want to avoid accounting obligations and the establishment of your own business ID by invoicing customers through a billing service.
  • Sole trader: Suitable when you want to operate independently with an easy and affordable business structure.
  • Limited liability company (LLC): Suitable when you want to try a slightly more demanding business structure and retain the possibility of selling or dissolving the company.

Who can become a part-time entrepreneur?

The answer is simple: anyone can start part-time entrepreneurship! It’s an easy way to earn extra income alongside employment or studies. However, as a student, you should be aware of the income limits for student financial aid, and as an unemployed person, you should consider the income limits for unemployment benefits.

Your business venture can start from a hobby or a business idea that you want to try with minimal risk. You don’t have to be an expert in entrepreneurship, as you can outsource tasks like accounting and other difficult bureaucratic tasks to financial management professionals.

Do you have to inform your employer about part-time entrepreneurship?

You should inform your employer about part-time entrepreneurship if it’s mentioned in your employment contract. If you work for the state or a municipality, you must always inform your employer about such activities. Otherwise, you don’t need to mention your side job if it doesn’t compete with your main job or harm your employer. Avoid unclear situations by openly discussing with your employer.

How do I start using Campwire?

This is how you can start using Campwire as a light entrepreneur:

1️. Register as an Eezy light entrepreneur on our online service.
2. Order and order the EezyPay-Campwire package on the online service.
3. Activate EezyPay payment solution.
4. Create an account to Campwire through the email received.
5. You can start using Campwire right after the account has created.

How much does it cost to use Campwire?

Select the package that best suits you from the options:

  1. 1 month 19,90 €
  2. 3 months 17,90 € per month (53,70 € usage fee for the contract period)
  3. 12 months 14,90 € per month (178,80 € usage fee for the contract period)

The fee for your chosen Campwire package will be charged in one payment for the entire contract period.

In addition to the fee for your chosen Campwire package, a payment processing fee of 1.5% / payment and our service fee, which includes all the typical things a light entrepreneur needs, will be charged.

All Campwire packages include, in addition to the online course platform, the entire range of Eezy’s services. This means you can create an unlimited number of invoices and utilize the convenient EezyPay payment solution for charging your customers!

What is Campwire?

Several of our light entrepreneurs wished for the opportunity to sell online courses as a light entrepreneur, and we wanted to make this possible.

Campwire is an easy-to-use Finnish online course platform that allows you to quickly create and sell online courses and other digital content to your customers. It is the choice of the leading trainers, coaches and influencers in their field and tends to create many kinds of online courses.

Campwire enables:

  • easily and quickly creating and selling your own online courses
  • earning side income using your own strengths
  • even creating a primary source of income by selling online courses
  • serving an unlimited number of customers from anywhere.

Who is Campwire suitable for?

With the Campwire online course platform, you can serve an unlimited number of clients regardless of time and place. More than 300 000 Finns have already used Campwire.

Campwire has been a popular platform for e.g. organizing courses like these:

  • various physical and mental training courses
  • training and diet programs
  • courses related to professional development and various hobbies

Campwire is the choice of the leading trainers, coaches and influencers in their field and tends to create many kinds of online courses.

How does Campwire work?

The Finnish Campwire online course platform offers versatile features in an easy-to-use and clear package:

  • Clear structure makes the platform easy and quick to use.
  • Suitable content types include: video, text, image, audio, and attachments.
  • Enables flexible payment methods for customers (e.g., MobilePay, online banking, and card payments) through EezyPay. Therefore, you don’t need to create separate invoices for customers or invoice the online course platform for its use.

How does EezyPay payments work with Campwire?

Campwire online course platform enables handling customer payments through the EezyPay payment solution. In practice, the customer pays via a payment link with flexible payment methods (e.g., MobilePay, online banking, and card payments). You don’t need to create separate invoices for customers or invoice the online course platform for its use!

How does EezyPay work?

  1. Create your own payment page by filling in the job-related information
  2. Share the payment page with your client via a link or QR code (you can send it to your client via text message, WhatsApp, email, adding to your website or social media account. You can send the same payment link to multiple different customers)
  3. Offer your client flexible payment options (such as online banking and MobilePay) and allow them to pay immediately (in advance or after the service has been provided)
  4. Get paid faster into your account (within one business day of the customer’s payment)

EezyPay offers flexible payment options for your customers, including card payments, mobile wallets (such as MobilePay), and online bank payments.

How is EezyPay different from invoicing?

With EezyPay, you don’t even have to create an invoice! Here’s how it can benefit you:

  • You get paid faster because your customer can conveniently pay through the link in advance or immediately after the service. You don’t have to wait two weeks for an invoice to be paid, as consumer invoices must have a 14-day payment term.
  • You get the payment link right away and can share it with your customer whenever you want.
  • You can share the same payment link with multiple different customers, so you don’t have to create multiple invoices for the same job.
  • For a payment link, you don’t have to fill in as much information as you do for an invoice, such as the customer’s home address.
  • You can make it easier for your customer to pay: no more hassle of paying invoices or finding them in spam. Payment can be easily and quickly made through various payment methods, such as MobilePay or online banking.
  • Asking for payment immediately after the service helps avoid situations where you have to ask for payment later or where the payment is not received at all.

How much does it cost to use EezyPay?

Select the package that best suits you from the options:

  1. 1 month 14.90 €
  2. 3 months 12.90 €/month (38.70 € usage fee for the contract period)
  3. 6 months 10.90 €/month (65.40 € usage fee for the contract period)
  4. 12 months 8.90 €/month (106.80 € usage fee for the contract period)

In addition to the fee for your chosen EezyPay package, a payment processing fee of 1.5% / payment and our service fee, which includes all the typical things a light entrepreneur needs, will be charged. The fee for your chosen EezyPay package will be charged in one payment for the entire contract period.

You can now try EezyPay without a package fee for 1 month!

Can I test EezyPay before starting to use it?

Yes, you can! You can now use EezyPay for 1 month without a package fee.

Activate EezyPay by logging in to your account or registering as a user of our service.

How does the QR code work when paying with EezyPay?

QR codes are suitable for situations where you are taking payment from a customer in person:

1. Show the customer the payment page’s QR code on your phone’s screen, or print the QR codes on, for example, a price list or paper advertisement.
2. The customer reads the QR code by opening their phone’s camera and scanning the QR code.
3. The payment page opens, and the customer can choose their preferred payment method, such as MobilePay.

What types of payments is EezyPay suitable for?

  1. EezyPay is primarily suitable for consumer customer payments in advance or immediately after work:
    • when you want to collect payments from customers in advance and possibly insert a payment link on your website. For example, dance teachers, photographers, etc.
    • when you do service work and want payment immediately after the work is done. For example, masseurs, cosmetologists, hairdressers, home and garden maintenance work, installations, etc.
  1. Also, for business customer payments. Tip! Make sure EezyPay is suitable for your business customer: no official invoice is issued for the work, but payment is made via online payment using a payment link. The customer will receive an official receipt for the payment for accounting purposes.

     

What types of payments is EezyPay not suitable for?

Not all work can be charged through EezyPay or invoiced at all as a light entrepreneur, or they can only be done on a limited basis. Before you start, please familiarize yourself with the industries with limitations for light entrepreneurs, as well as the restrictions of payment  intermediary Visma Pay (in Finnish).

The amount that can be charged through EezyPay can be a maximum of 6 000 €. We recommend creating an invoice if the amount exceeds 6 000 €.

Can I take foreign payments through EezyPay?

Yes, you can if you work in Finland. Your customer can be located anywhere in the world and pay through EezyPay using, for example, a credit card. All sales through EezyPay are considered domestic sales and are subject to VAT 25,5 %. Reverse charge VAT (VAT 0%) can only be applied by sending an invoice.

However, the nature of your work may affect VAT, for example, an artist’s work is VAT 0% also through EezyPay. Learn more about VAT-rates.

Which is better for me, EezyPay or Zettle?

EezyPay:

  • You want to take payment from your customer in advance or offer various payment methods: card, mobile wallet (e.g. MobilePay) or online banking
  • Easier: works without an additional device, cables or wires directly in our service.
  • You can send an EezyPay payment link to your customer via text message, WhatsApp, email, adding to your website or social media account.
  • You can send the same payment link to multiple different customers when selling the same service to everyone.

Zettle:

  • You want a card payment terminal. Please note that using Zettle requires the purchase of an additional device and activation of an account with Zettle through us.

If you are interested in using Zettle, please contact us and we will help you get started. Please note that the activation of Zettle requires a valid EezyPay subscription.

What if a payment made through EezyPay needs to be refunded?

You can refund the payment to the customer until you have received your salary for it. In this case, please contact our payroll department and we will handle the refund for you.

If you have already received your salary, please contact our customer service and we will work together to find a solution.

What if the customer has issues paying through EezyPay?

Sometimes your customer may have difficulties paying through their online bank, for example due to a pop-up blocker being enabled. Encourage the customer to turn off the blocker or try a different payment method. You can also always send an invoice if it’s easier for the customer to pay that way.

What if the customer doesn’t pay through EezyPay?

We recommend using EezyPay primarily in situations where you want to take payment from the customer in advance or at the time of the service. This way, you avoid situations where you need to ask after the payment later or the payment is not received at all.

If the payment is not received after you have reminded the customer, you can also send an invoice through our service. However, please note that you need the customer’s billing information (for example full name and postal address) to send an invoice, so it may be difficult to send an invoice if some of the billing information is missing.

What is a light entrepreneur?

As a light entrepreneur, you employ yourself and sell your own expertise. You operate independently and entrepreneurially, without your own Business ID.  However, it is good to know that a light entrepreneur is a marketing term and it is a fairly new form of doing work.

As a light entrepreneur, you are an employee for tax and accounting purposes. This means that as a light entrepreneur, you do not have to file an entrepreneur’s tax return, accounting, or VAT returns to the Tax Administration, as an entrepreneur with a business ID must. The term light entrepreneur also derives from this ease in bureaucracy.

As a light entrepreneur, you are an entrepreneur from an unemployment security point of view. A light entrepreneur is not employed by his client within the context of the Employment Contracts Act, nor is a light entrepreneur employed by a light entrepreneur service. A light entrepreneur still could get a so-called adjusted unemployment allowance if the entrepreneurial activity is considered as auxiliary activity.

Also, regarding pension insurance, a light entrepreneur is equated with an entrepreneur. As a light entrepreneur, you are covered by the YEL insurance and you are responsible for acquiring the YEL insurance yourself.

Being a light entrepreneur differs from working directly with a tax card in that working with a tax card is an employment relationship. This means that your employer will then perform all employer’s statutory obligations. Especially in project-type as well as short-term jobs, this is often perceived as burdensome, or sometimes even impossible. You can buy work from a light entrepreneur with an invoice as you would from a company, and we take care of all the statutory fees applicable to invoicing services. In addition, all our light entrepreneurs are insured with working time accident insurance and operational liability insurance.

Read more about Eezy’s light entrepreneurship.

Who is light entrepreneurship for?

Light entrepreneurship is suitable for most fields. For example, you can do construction work, digital marketing, photography, consulting, or e-sports player work. Light entrepreneurship is a viable solution for many situations:

  • Entrepreneurship is interesting, but becoming an entrepreneur feels too difficult. Starting a business, accounting, taxation, and other responsibilities of an entrepreneur can seem tricky and complex. When you work through us, you do not have to start your own business, and your time is not spent on entrepreneurial responsibilities or paperwork. You can focus on your own work and its marketing – we take care of everything else!
  • You want to turn your skills into making a living. Numerous full-time light entrepreneurs invoice through us. It is enough that you have some skill that others are willing to pay for. You can also easily work in different industries doing different jobs: your income can consist of things like personal trainer work, yard design, and content writing.
  • You want to test your plans risk-free before starting your own business. With Eezy, you can easily test your business idea, acquire clients before starting your own business, and otherwise become familiar with the invoicing of your own work. You can stop using our service at any time and start operating through your own company. If you are planning to apply for a start-up grant, you will benefit from the experience gained through Eezy.
  • You want to be entrepreneurial alongside your main job. Gig, seasonal and project-type work, in addition to studies or your own paid work, is handy for invoicing through Eezy. That way, you can focus solely on doing gigs, and you do not have to spend your time on the duties or paperwork of a part-time entrepreneur.
  • You have a skill or hobby that generates occasional income. As an individual, you cannot invoice your client directly, but you either need your own company or you can handle the invoices conveniently with the help of a light entrepreneur service. If you are interested in occasional income but not entrepreneurial work, it is easy to manage finances as a light entrepreneur.
  • You are unemployed and want to employ yourself. Even if you have not found a job for yourself, there may still be a need for your skills and input, as well as buyers. Most companies have work to be done, but it is not done in an employment relationship, for example due to the project or seasonal nature of the work. In this case, the possibility of invoicing the work may be the solution.
  • You would like to start a business, but you are not be able to access the prepayment register. If you have tax debt, the company you set up is unlikely to be on the Tax Administration’s prepayment register. Being on the register is practically essential for you to invoice your work. As an Eezy light entrepreneur, you do not have to be on the prepayment register because we invoice your work for you.

The user of our service must be a private individual and a taxpayer in Finland. In the following cases, you may want to contact our customer service for advice on how to get started:

  • You are a minor – you are welcome to be a light entrepreneur in Eezy, but you need permission from your guardian to start using the service.
  • You want to set up an Zettle payment terminal. – EezyPay payment solution might also work for you.
  • You sell your services on an online platformEezyPay, our additional service could be the solution for handling payment traffic.
  • You already have your own business – you can continue your business through Eezy, but you cannot have your own active business at the same time as you are a light entrepreneur through us. You can end your own business or suspend it by deleting it from the prepayment and VAT registers.
  • You are a citizen of another country besides the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, or Switzerland. This does not prevent you from using our service, but non-EU or non-EEA citizens must have a work and residence permit.

What situations is light entrepreneurship not suitable for?

Not all work can be invoiced through Eezy as a light entrepreneur, or they can only be done on a limited basis. Before you start, please familiarize yourself with the industries with limitations for light entrepreneurs.

Own business or light entrepreneurship?

Eezy light entrepreneurship is suitable for many situations, but in some cases your own business could be a better option.

Light entrepreneurship is a great option when…

  • Accounting, entrepreneur’s tax return, and other entrepreneurial paperwork are not part of your passion or your strongest areas of expertise. In addition to saving yourself as a light entrepreneur from the above, you also get support and help from us at all stages of your business, in addition to getting started.
  • You want to be entrepreneurial, but you are not enthusiastic about starting and running your own business.
  • You want to go quickly and directly where the action is – all you have to do is register for the service and you can do your first job as a light entrepreneur right away!
  • You do not want to learn everything alone – we advise on all important things: e.g. the pricing, invoicing, VAT, expense reimbursements and tax deductions of one’s own work.

We recommend starting your own business if…

  • You work as a retailer of products. You cannot resell only goods, materials, or other products through us. However, you can sell supplies and materials through Eezy if they are related to the work you do. You can also sell products you have made and designed yourself through us. If you act as a sales representative selling products or services on behalf of your client, you can invoice for compensation through Eezy.
  • Your business requires large investments in equipment. As a light entrepreneur, you cannot use computers, phones, cameras, or other similar purchases as deductions that can be used elsewhere than in the work you invoice. However, you can have these acquisitions deducted as cost of income in your own tax return.
  • You want to operate VAT-free because your turnover is small. You can operate in your own company without VAT if your turnover is less than 15,000 € / 12 months. There is no such possibility when you invoice through Eezy. VAT-free is an advantage if your clients are private persons or VAT-exempt entities. If your clients are businesses subject to VAT, there is no benefit for being exempt from VAT because the VAT included in the invoice is a deductible transit item and therefore not an expense that increases the price of your work.

There are also certain jobs that cannot be invoiced or can be done on a limited basis through Eezy as a light entrepreneur. Check out limited jobs.

Why choose Eezy?

You want to get there easily

It is not difficult to establish a trade name or a limited company, as it is easily done, for example, with the help of the Perustayritys.fi – service. It is crucial that when you establish a trade name or a limited liability company, for example, you also commit to the obligations of an entrepreneur. You must, among other things, ensure advance and VAT payments, and do accounting. You can hire an accounting firm to do the practical work, but you are still responsible for ensuring that all notifications and payments are handled on time. You will probably take care of the YEL insurance, taking out the working time accident and liability insurance, as well as making and sending invoices and payment reminders, and the sales receivables yourself.

The Eezy light entrepreneurship service has therefore not been founded because it would be difficult or complicated to set up a business. Eezy was founded as an easy option to invoice your own work, without having to start your own business.

With the EezyPay payment solution, we now offer even easier light entrepreneurship. EezyPay saves you time and effort, enables flexible payment methods for your customer (e.g. MobilePay) and a faster way for you to get paid for your work. Read more about EezyPay here.

You want the most responsible partner

When you work through Eezy, you have no other responsibilities as an entrepreneur than possibly taking care of the YEL insurance – and even then we will help you. You market your services, agree on your work and schedules, as Eezy manages administrative and statutory obligations. All our light entrepreneurs are insured accordingly for both accidents at work and damage to property and personal injury to clients or third parties. Insurance also provides security for light entrepreneur’s clients and is often required as well. It is an honor for us to take care of everything as well as possible.

You need advice and your best interest to be our top priority

When you work through Eezy, you are not left alone, but you can always count on our expertise and transparent operations. We want you to succeed and we will advise you both at the beginning and along the way on matters related to light entrepreneurship: whether it is for pricing your work, contract matters, the right VAT rates or invoicing expenses. We have plenty of long-term, satisfied light entrepreneurs and we are known for our excellent customer service and superior expertise. We keep a close eye on light entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial issues and keep you up to date with newsletters, webinars, podcasts and our social media channels. As an Eezy light entrepreneur, you can also connect with Eezy Group’s gig work opportunities if you wish.

Also check out the experiences of our light entrepreneurs with Eezy.

How does the service work in practice?

When you work through us, you do not have to start your own business, and your time is not spent fulfilling the responsibilities of an entrepreneur.

Basically, this is how it works:

  • You register to our service, after which you can start working.
  • When it is time to invoice the work done, you make an invoice in our online service. We will check it and send it to your client. You can also start using the convenient EezyPay payment solution, in which case you create a payment page instead of an invoice and send it to your customer, for example with Whatsapp.
  • Once your client has paid the invoice or with EezyPay payment link to us, we will pay the salary to your account. We make a withholding tax based on your tax card, deduct our service fees and statutory fees applicable to invoicing services, and send monthly and annual returns of your earnings to the Tax Administration.
  • In addition to invoicing and payment pages, you have access to several services that accelerate and facilitate your light entrepreneurship. We will keep you updated and remind you of the need for the YEL insurance, for example.

How do I register?

Your light entrepreneurship begins by registering as a user to our service. Registration costs nothing and does not bind you to anything. Register before you start work, because then the insurances included in our service – working time accident insurance and operational liability insurance – take effect and are in order when you work.

• Click yourself on the registration page.

• Register only with your e-mail address if you just want to get to know our service.

• If, on the other hand, you plan to start work immediately, you should also identify yourself right away with an online banking ID, as handling confidential matters related to invoicing and salary payment requires confirmation of your identity. If you do not have an online banking ID, you can identify yourself via video call or on-site at our office. In this case, contact our customer service.

• After registration, you will receive a password in your email.

• Log in to our online service with the password you received, and you can make your first invoice or an EezyPay payment page as a light entrepreneur!

Register here

How much is Eezy’s service fee, and what does it include?

Our service fee is 5-7%. Our pricing is the most transparent and responsible in the industry, and we have no hidden costs and unexpected additional charges. As a light entrepreneur at Eezy, you know what you are paying for, and you are getting more with the same money. The service fee always includes working time accident insurance, liability insurance and consultants’ insurance. The service fee will decrease as the invoicing accrues. Our staggered service fee rewards our long-term, active users. The invoicing you accrue will never be reset. For the majority of our light entrepreneurs, the service fee has decreased as invoicing has increased. You can always see your current service fee percentage by logging in to our online service.

Check out our price list and what is included in the service fee.

The service fee will only be charged during salary payment and will be calculated from your VAT-free invoicing amount. In practice, therefore, you only pay for our service when your client has paid the invoice or with EezyPay payment link and we pay you a salary for it. You can use our Salary calculator to see how much the service fee is in euros from the invoicing amount you want.

The price comparison with other light entrepreneur services can be complicated when the service fee includes different things with different services. Our comparison will help you find out how much you can save with our service compared to the market leader.

 

How do I deliver my tax card and bank account number?

For us to pay you your salary, we need your valid tax card and bank account number. You should take care of delivering these during the first steps of your entrepreneurial activity, before sending the first invoice.

Account number

You can add an account number in our online service. If you have a foreign account number, please send it to us and we will add it for you. You should keep your account number up to date, as your salary will be paid to the account you have provided in our online service.

Tax card

We will get your tax card automatically from the Tax Administration. You do not need to send us your tax card.

Please note the automatic deductions on your tax card

You should check to see if your tax card automatically includes the earnings-related pension contribution (TyEL) and the unemployment insurance contribution as a deduction. If they have been taken into account, it is a good idea to remove these deductions from your tax card for income you receive through Eezy so that your tax rate is not too low. These contributions are not taken from the salaries paid to you by Eezy, as you are an entrepreneur for pension insurance purposes. You can either apply for a change tax card or make changes in MyTax.

Apply for change tax card in MyTax

1. Eliminate deductions for earnings-related pension contributions and unemployment insurance contributions for the income you estimate to receive through Eezy.

2. If you have YEL insurance, remove the double employer health insurance payment from the tax card withholding tax calculation. When applying for a tax card (Corporate income and entrepreneur’s income> YEL or MYEL income in 2021), state the amount of the YEL income and the amount of the YEL insurance payments paid for deductions from earned income.

Make changes in Mytax:

a) If you do not have an YEL insurance: In MyTax, state the salary received through Eezy under “Income not subject to pension and unemployment insurance contributions”. Also, under “Salaries and perquisites”, indicate the salary received through Eezy for the full year.

b) If you have the YEL insurance: Indicate the amount of salary paid by Eezy under “Salaries and perquisites” and in addition “Salaries of a YEL or MYEL insured entrepreneur”.

Can I use a marketing name I came up with myself?

You can use either your own name or your own, unofficial “business name” or marketing name to market your service. Before choosing a marketing name, you should check the YTJ information service, that someone has not already registered the name in the trade register. In addition, you should check that the name you intend is not already reserved for the domain, or home page address. You can check this, for example, with the help of domainpalvelut.fi

When you have a marketing name that is not used by others, you can choose to reserve your own domain for the marketing name you choose. After that, it is unlikely that someone else would register the same name as their official business name. Even if you book a domain, you are not required to publish your homepage. By registering your domain, you will also receive an email with the same remainder as your marketing name.

In marketing and offers, you may use the words “work is invoiced through Eezy Kevytyrittäjät Oy” or “work is invoiced by Eezy Kevytyrittäjät Oy”.

Can I authorize someone else to manage my business in your service?

You may, if you wish, give another person the right to handle matters related to our service on your behalf. Please provide a power of attorney for us.

What is good to know when I start?

There are often many things to learn, launch and remember in the early stages of entrepreneurial activity. In just over ten years, our customer service has answered hundreds of questions on how to price your own work profitably, how to invoice a company abroad and how to market your skills. Often there is also a concern behind the questions: can I get this job done all by myself, what if there is an injury at work, are my own skills enough to employ me. Even more, however, we have been able to walk alongside as entrepreneurs have taken off and watched from the sidelines as one invoice after another arrives to a satisfied client.

One thing has become crystal clear over the years: the more you know at the beginning of the rules and opportunities of light entrepreneurship, the faster and easier you can focus on what is most important regarding earning, that is, doing the work. Not all things have to be learned the hard way or alone, and this is made possible through light entrepreneurship.

In these Frequently Asked Questions, we have gathered the most important things for starting and operating as a light entrepreneur. If anything is worrying you in addition to these, feel free to contact us – our customer service is here for you and your questions!

Also check out the EezyPay payment solution that facilitates the operations of light entrepreneurs or experiences of our light entrepreneurs with Eezy.

Can my client receive a household deduction?

Your private clients are entitled to a household deduction for the portion of the work they pay for in accordance with the Tax Administration’s instructions. If your client is entitled to a household deduction, he or she can deduct 40% (in 2021) of the VAT-deductible portion of the work in their taxation.

If you are invoicing work that qualifies for a household deduction from a private client, you should always specify on the invoice the work as its own row and any work-related supplies and materials on a separate row. By doing so, Eezy’s invoice, as it is, is suitable for your client to apply for a household deduction, and your client does not need a separate certificate of share of the work for the Tax Administration.

It is also possible to get a household deduction for a payment made through EezyPay, as long as you specify the work and work-related supplies in the additional information field on the payment page. The customer receives a receipt for the Tax Administration for the payment made through EezyPay.

However, if you end up selling your work for the full price, which includes supplies and materials in addition to the work, you can order a breakdown for your client from our customer service. Just tell us in connection with your order what the invoice is and what the share of the work has been.

More information on the household deduction can be found on the Tax Administration’s website.

Can I order a Valtti card through you?

Valtti card is one of the most common personal identifiers used on a construction site. In practice, a valtti card is a chip ID card that serves as the employee’s key to the construction site. The card shows the employee’s name, tax number and picture, as well as the client’s information. You can order the valtti card through Eezy after you have registered and confirmed your identity, for example with your online banking ID.

Read more about the valtti card.

What is the unemployment security of a light entrepreneur like?

When you work as a light entrepreneur through an invoicing service, you are an entrepreneur from an unemployment security perspective. Your unemployment security and entitlement to unemployment benefits are affected by whether you are a full-time or part-time entrepreneur. The decisive factor in assessing full-time employment is only the amount of work required by the activity, not the income from business activities or own work.

Full-time entrepreneurship

A full-time entrepreneur is not entitled to unemployment benefit; thus you cannot be paid unemployment benefit. If your self-employed activity meets the conditions for the YEL insurance and you have the YEL insurance, you have the option of entrepreneur’s unemployment insurance.

You can also find more information about the unemployment insurance of a light entrepreneur on the SYT fund’s website.

Short-term entrepreneurship

Self-employed persons retain their right to unemployment benefit if the employment lasts for a maximum of two consecutive weeks (14 calendar days).

Income from short-term entrepreneurial work, like any other work done, is reported only to the payer of the benefit and they are considered in the amount of payable unemployment benefit. TE Services do not investigate or provide an opinion on such short-term business activities.

Our recommendation is that if you want to secure your entitlement to unemployment benefits with certainty, contact your TE office after the first period of employment (up to two weeks) and ask them to assess your situation.

Unemployment security guide for light entrepreneurs:  

General Unemployment Insurance Fund YTK maintains Light entrepreneur unemployment security guide

Part-time entrepreneurship

Working as a part-time entrepreneur does not prevent you from receiving unemployment benefits. TE services assess ancillary activities. Unemployment benefit can then be paid as agreed, i.e. the amount of unemployment benefit considers income received from entrepreneurial activities.

I work as a light entrepreneur and the work ends. Where do I apply for unemployment benefits?

There are three types of unemployment benefits:

1. Earnings-related daily allowance. As a self-employed person, you can apply for earnings-related daily allowance if you are a member of the Unemployment Insurance Fund for employees and have fulfilled the employment condition based on your previous employment or service relationship. As a member of the Entrepreneur’s Unemployment Insurance Fund, you are entitled to earnings-related daily allowance after you have stopped being an entrepreneur, if the other conditions of earnings-related daily allowance are met.

2. Basic daily allowance. You can apply for a basic daily allowance from Kela if you are not a member of the unemployment fund, but you have fulfilled the employment condition.

3. Labor market support. You can apply for labor market support from Kela if you have not met the employment condition.

I am unemployed and I have occasional work as a light entrepreneur

If you start a business activity lasting more than 2 weeks during your period of unemployment, the main and secondary activities of the business will not be assessed during the first four months of starting a business. This means that you are entitled to unemployment benefits for the above period. However, if you receive income from the business during the four months in question, you will be paid an adjusted unemployment benefit.

The €300 monthly income exemption for unemployment benefits was removed as of April 1, 2024. If you work as a part-time light entrepreneur, your unemployment benefits will be adjusted through earnings-based unemployment benefits, meaning your income will reduce the amount of unemployment benefits you receive. The basic rule is that for every euro of income exceeding the income exemption, the unemployment benefit is reduced by 50 cents.

So, if you currently earn, for example, €400 per month from invoiced work through Eezy, your unemployment benefit will decrease by €50 due to the income exemption. After the removal of the income exemption for unemployment benefits, €400 in earned income will reduce the unemployment benefit by €200.

I am unemployed and employ myself full-time as a light entrepreneur

If you are unemployed and receive earnings-related or basic daily allowance, you may lose your entitlement to unemployment benefits if you work full-time as a self-employed person through Eezy. The decision on full-time employment is made by TE Services.

What insurance does a light entrepreneur need?

All our light entrepreneurs are as well insured as possible. Insurance also provides security for light entrepreneur’s clients, and they are also often required by the client.

Our service fee includes:

  • Working time accident insurance
  • Operational liability insurance
  • Consulting insurance for consultants

In addition, you may need the YEL insurance, as users of invoicing services, i.e. light entrepreneurs, are classified as entrepreneurs for pension insurance purposes. This means that you are responsible for arranging your own pension insurance with the YEL insurance if your entrepreneurial activity meets the conditions for YEL insurance. When working through Eezy, you usually do not need any other insurance of your own in addition to the statutory YEL insurance.

Read more about light entrepreneur insurances.

How do I agree on my work?

As a light entrepreneur, you agree on your work and its terms directly with your client. In our online service, you can find ready-made sector-specific contract templates for assignments for both corporate and private clients.

We always recommend concluding a written assignment agreement. In the contracts, you use your own name as the Supplier / contractor and the words “the work is invoiced by Eezy Kevytyrittäjät Oy (business ID 2197002-2)” or “the work is invoiced through Eezy Kevytyrittäjät Oy (business ID 2197002-2)”, which explains your tax status to the client.

Conveying work

Each Eezy light entrepreneur markets their own services and their own work. We do not convey or market the work of those registered as Eezy’s light entrepreneurs. However, the Eezy Group  offers a wide range of services for different work life situations, and in many cases, for example, temporary work can be done in parallel or alternating with working as an Eezy light entrepreneur.

How do I invoice my work?

Once you have done the agreed work and it is time to send the invoice or create an EezyPay payment page, you do it conveniently in our online service with computer or phone. Making an invoice is also possible with our mobile app, which you can download for free from the App Store or Play Store.

Do you want to send an invoice?

We always check invoices made by 4pm on the same business day. If your invoice information is correct, we will send the invoice to your client. In case of any ambiguity, the invoice will be returned to you for correction with instructions.

You can invoice through us

  • Individuals, households, businesses, and other entities
  • Companies and individuals located in Finland and abroad
  • In addition to the work done, also supplies and travel expenses according to what you agree with your client.
  • Amounts any size, there is no upper or lower limit. The service fee is always a percentage of the VAT-free invoicing amount.

The invoice will show your name and phone number as your contact information. You can also add your marketing name and logo to your invoice.

You can conveniently monitor the status of the invoice from our online service and see as soon as the invoice has been checked and sent to your client. You will also see when your client’s payment has arrived or if the invoice has not been paid by the due date.

The invoices you send, and the client information are stored in our online service, so you can conveniently use the invoices you have sent and your client register as a basis for new invoices. You can also partially complete invoices and continue with an unfinished invoice later.

Or do you want to do the job more easily and use EezyPay?

With the EezyPay payment solution, you save time and effort, enable flexible payment methods for your clients (e.g. MobilePay) and also get your salary into your account faster. Instead of an invoice, you create a payment page in the online service, which you can send as a link to your client or use a QR code. The client pays conveniently with e.g. MobilePay or online and card payment. So you can request payment for your work right away on the spot!

EezyPay is eligible

  • Primarily for payments by consumer clients in advance or immediately after the work is done.
  • For payments by business clients. Tip! You should make sure that EezyPay is suitable for your business client: there is no official invoice for the work, but the payment is made online via a payment link. The client receives an official receipt for accounting purposes.
  • For payments of up to €6,000.

When your EezyPay order is valid, you can return to previous payment pages, and resend the payment link you have already made to another client. Learn more about EezyPay.

 

Invoicing for work alone or in a group

You can do the work either alone or in a work group with other Eezy light entrepreneurs. In the workgroup, invoicing has the advantage that even if you do a work gig together with many light entrepreneurs, you can only send your client one, joint invoice for the gig. The invoicing amount is divided as a percentage among the workforce according to the division you have agreed on and is taken into account in the salary payment. If the work involves reimbursable expenses, each member of the work group applies for reimbursements himself and makes his own breakdown of expenses. All members of the work group must be registered in our service at the latest when starting work. You can create a work group in our online service.

Is VAT added to the price of my work?

When you invoice through Eezy, VAT will be added to the price of your work. The VAT rate can be 0%, 10% or 25,5 %. Reverse VAT invoicing in the construction sector is also possible. The VAT rate is determined by the work done and 25,5 % is the VAT on most services. But for example, performing artists and some of the journalists ’work have a VAT rate of 0%, while sports management VAT is 10%. If you are unsure about the VAT on your work, we will be happy to advise you. If you are operating in an area where your VAT policy is different from normal, please contact us before you begin, and we will ensure that invoicing through Eezy is possible.

Tax Administration Guide: VAT percentages

Tax Administration Guide: Reverse VAT for the construction industry (in Finnish)

For more information on VAT rates for invoices sent abroad, see Can I invoice foreign clients?

How do I set a price for my work?

It is worth pricing your own work from the beginning to be profitable. It is also a good idea to always agree on prices in writing, at least by e-mail or message, so that you can return to them at the time of any possible misunderstanding.

When considering the price of your own input, consider at least the following:

• Your salary should be reasonable in relation to the work done.

• You should compare your own price with others in the industry.

• When pricing work, keep in mind that your invoicing price should also cover your operating costs and the time spent selling and marketing. Thus, the invoicing price cannot be the same as if you were paid in an employment contract, but more.

• The invoicing price is not the same as the salary you are left with, as the invoicing price is reduced by e.g. withholding tax, Eezy’s service fee and possible work-related costs. You can calculate the remaining portion with a Salary calculator and see all the deductible payments in the calculator summary.

• If you are subject to the YEL insurance, your pricing should also cover the YEL insurance payments.

• Underpricing does not serve you or others in the industry in the long run.

When you sell your work, VAT must always be included or added to the price. If you invoice a company, you can inform your client of your invoicing price in the offer / contract phase in a VAT-free form, i.e. in the form 100 €+ VAT. Private consumers must always be informed of the VAT invoicing price, i.e. in the form of 125,5 € (incl. VAT). Learn more about value added percentages.

Salary calculator

With our salary calculator, you can easily find out how much you would be paid for a certain invoice amount. You can also use the calculator to help price your work and calculate how much you will need to invoice for your work to get the salary you want.

Try the Salary calculator

If you are considering pricing your own work, you might want to listen to our podcast “Dirt cheap or through the roof”. Of course, you can always contact our customer service. We have developed quite the nose for pricing for most industries and jobs over the years, so do not hesitate to ask!

Can I invoice foreign clients?

Through Eezy, you can invoice your clients abroad, wherever they are in the world. You can also work or live abroad and invoice your clients located abroad or in Finland. In these cases, however, you must be a taxpayer in Finland for the invoicing to be successful. If you have lived abroad for some time, you should check the status of your tax liability with the Tax Administration. Please note, however, that work done in Norway cannot be invoiced through Eezy. Read more about the restrictions on working as a light entrepreneur in Norway.

When invoicing abroad, you should pay attention to VAT:

• Invoices to individuals abroad are subject to VAT.

• Invoices for companies outside the EU are generally exempt from VAT.

• Invoices for businesses within the EU are usually invoiced with reverse charge VAT.

You can also charge clients with EezyPay if you work in Finland. Your client can be located in any country and pay via EezyPay, for example with a credit card. All sales through EezyPay are domestic sales, i.e. VAT 25,5 %. The reverse value added tax rate (VAT 0%) can be used only by making an invoice. However, the work you do affects the VAT, for example the work of an artist is VAT 0% also through EezyPay.

We advise and help you whenever necessary on a case-by-case basis.

Can I invoice my client for supplies or travel expenses?

In addition to invoicing your client for work, you can invoice your client for work-related expenses: travel expenses or supplies and materials used at work. You agree the invoiceable expenses with your client. If you wish, you can charge your client a larger amount than you have paid for the supplies, materials or travelling yourself. This is typical and especially recommended when it has taken time to procure supplies takes time out of invoiceable work.

With the help of our additional service, you can deduct your material, supplies and tax-free travel costs related to the invoiced work already during the salary payment. Your expenses will be reimbursed to you based on a purchase receipt or travel invoice and you will receive a financial benefit when you pay less taxes and side costs on your salary.

Check out our additional service: Expense reimbursements and receipts

Can my expenses be reimbursed to me as an entrepreneur?

Expenses and receipts are a headache for most of us, as the Tax Administration has precise regulations on how to deal with them, and what can be deducted and when. The reimbursement practices of a light entrepreneur and an entrepreneur with a business ID differ somewhat. Your expenses incurred in doing the work are generally deductible through us. Your expenses can be, for example, material, supplies and travel expenses, and they must be related to the invoiced work.

For us, reimbursement practices and handling of expenses and receipts are a familiar mess, and we will direct you to the right tracks if the receipt hassle blindsides you with its complexity. Contact us – we are here for you.

Read more on how Eezy handles reimbursements and receipts.

What if my invoice is not paid on time?

Our service fee includes sending payment reminders and, if necessary, other collection measures. When making an invoice, you can choose whether you want to enable the automatic collection for the invoice. In this case, two payment reminders will be sent to your client, after which the invoice will be handled by our partner OK Perintä Oy.

The condition for transferring an invoice for collection is that the invoice is undisputed. If your client disputes their obligation to pay with grounds, the invoice will become disputed. According to the Collection Act only undisputed invoices may be collected. Sometimes a larger invoice should be invoiced from the client in installments right from the start, as there is a psychologically lower threshold for paying smaller invoices. It may sound crazy, but with the experience of hundreds of thousands of invoices, we can say it works!

If you do not choose automatic payment reminders and collection when making an invoice, but you end up needing them later, you can also request them afterwards via our online service.

It is in the interest of both you and your client not to have to resort to collection. Most invoices are paid as agreed or after payment reminders. A written agreement helps to avoid disputes and facilitates the timely payment of invoices. It is always advisable to agree in writing at least on the price of the assignment and the price of any additional and modifying work, the work schedule, the invoicing criteria, and the invoicing schedule.

Listen to the episode of the Eezympää yrittäjyyttä podcast: Cash flow on the go – What if a client does not pay the invoice?

Psst! With the EezyPay payment solution, you can ask the client to pay for your work in advance or on the spot. In this way, you will receive your salary in good time and you will avoid the client not paying at all.

Are card payments successful through you?

Yes, they are! When invoicing through Eezy, the payment terminal must be Zettle. Zettle works with Android and iOS phones and tablets.

If you are interested in using Zettle, please contact us and we will help you get started. Please note that the activation of Zettle requires a valid EezyPay subscription.

How much of the invoicing amount am I left with?

The salary paid to you is calculated from the VAT-free amount paid by your client. A tax card withholding tax and Eezy’s service fee will always be deducted from your salary. They are always charged only when the salary is paid.

You can use the Light entrepreneur’s salary calculator nto calculate in advance how much of the invoice amount will be left in your hands after the service fee, taxes and other statutory payments.

You can also use the salary calculator to calculate how much you need to invoice to get the salary you want.

If you purchase an additional service, your additional service fee will also be deducted from your salary. If you haven’t informed us that you aren’t subject to the YEL insurance, your employer’s health insurance contribution will also be deducted from your salary, you can see its amount on the salary calculator.

Withholding tax, VAT and health insurance contributions are passed on to the Tax Administration.

Deductions from salary always:

  • Withholding tax, i.e. taxes according to your own tax rate
  • Eezy service fee

In addition, possibly:

  • Health insurance payment if you haven’t informed us that you aren’t subject to the YEL insurance
  • YEL insurance payment if you want Eezy to handle the YEL payments for you
  • Payment for the additional service you purchased (for example, EezyExpress salary or expenses and receipts)

Why can my salary be delayed?

Sometimes you may wonder why your salary has not already been paid. Here are the most common reasons:

  • Your client has not paid the invoice by the due date and we are still waiting for the invoice to be completed.
  • You have selected a later payday. It is a good idea to check at the same time as you make the invoice that you have set a suitable payday for yourself.
  • You have reimbursable expenses for the salary and the breakdown of expenses related to the payment of the salary has remained unfinished for you. It may also be that you need to add additional information or correction for the expense breakdown, or that documents and receipts related to expenses are missing.

If you cannot figure out a reason for the delay, you can always contact us and we will find out what is going on. Usually the matter is resolved with one phone call!

When will I be paid?

Once your client has paid your invoice or payment link to us, we will pay you a salary. We will pay your salary immediately after your client’s payment is received, or you can also choose a suitable payday in our online service.

Our payroll bank is Nordea, and the payment will be made to the same bank’s account during the same day. If you have an account with a different bank, with luck, the salary can be credited to your account already on the same day, but no later than the next day. We automatically submit salary information to the income register, so you do not have to submit payroll information to the Tax Administration yourself.

With the EezyPay payment solution, you can request payment from the client in advance or on site when the work is performed. You will receive the salary in your account from the client’s payment no later than the next banking day according to the salary day you have chosen. So you don’t have to wait for the client to pay the invoice (e.g. private clients have a payment period of at least 14 days), but you can enjoy the results of your work faster! Read more about EezyPay.

If you need your salary especially quickly – even before the client has paid you invoice – you should check out our EezyExpress service.

What if I have foreclosure?

If the Enforcement agency sends us a prohibition on payment of salary against you, we will withhold a portion of your net salary as determined by the Enforcement agency and transfer it to the Enforcement agency’s account. Foreclosure does not normally apply to tax-free allowances or expenses reimbursed to you. For us to recognize the protection share, your payday must be on a regular basis, such as once or twice a month. If your salary is always paid as soon as the client’s payment arrives, the protection share cannot be taken into account.

Can I get a salary advance, or the so-called money up front?

With our EezyExpress additional service, you can receive a salary payment immediately after making an invoice, so you do not have to wait for your client to pay the invoice. At its fastest, your payday is the same day as your invoicing date.

Check out the EezyExpress salary

How do I get a salary slip or a certificate of work done?

The salary slip is valid for the authorities as proof of work done. Salary slips and salary certificates can be uploaded from our online service. If for some reason you cannot download the certificate yourself, you can request a certificate from us via the online service.

Do I receive a benefit if I recommend the service to others?

If you are happy with our service as an Eezy light entrepreneur, you should tell others about it! Or, in fact, you should do a little more than just tell. You will receive 150 € EezyBonus for each new Eezy user who comes through your referral link when their VAT-free invoicing amount exceeds 1,000 €. Take a closer look at the steps and how recommending Eezy works – then recommend away!

As a light entrepreneur, can I receive start-up money?

You cannot get start-up money to start as a light entrepreneur, as start-up money is only granted when starting your own business. If you are planning to move from a light entrepreneur to a full-time entrepreneur with your own business ID, you can apply for start-up money for your business if you have not previously had a business or have worked as a part-time entrepreneur. When applying for a start-up grant, your ability to work as an entrepreneur and your entrepreneurial experience are taken into account. Successful operations through us are considered to your advantage when making the start-up money decision.

How do I stop using the service?

You may stop using the service at any time without further action. The user account is free, so you can leave it to hibernate for possible future jobs if you wish. If you want to close your user account completely or decide to start your own company instead of operating through Eezy, please delete your account in online service: My profile – Settings – Delete your user account.

We hope that everyone using our service can continue their journey satisfied and richer in experience. We encourage you to take the next steps in your future!