In Belize, a person who is gainfully employed in self-employment but not an employee is referred to as a self-employed person. The following list is not exhaustive of the categories of people:
Professionals, business owners,
Fishermen, farmers, and
Drivers of cabs, traders and street vendors,
Tour guides, technicians,
housewives, homemakers, or
Other people who provide their talents and services in exchange for money but are not under the general control and direction of the service user. newsmartz.com will provide for you some information about Eligibility requirements for self-employed workers.
Eligibility requirements for self-employed workers
a genuine Social Security number must be provided.
a valid social security card with the phrase “Valid for Employment” on it is required.
Provide documentation proving your Belizean address.
In order to qualify, you must:
ranging from eighteen to sixty years old;
normally living in Belize;
has chosen to enroll in the Social Security program and is gainfully working in self-employment in Belize rather than as an employee.
You are given a special registration number during registration that must be used for all subsequent interactions and correspondence with the Social Security Board. A person’s application status and the required contribution amount will be communicated to them via email.
Contributions
Choose Your Weekly Income:
Self-employed people will be Eligibility requirements for self-employed workers to choose and declare a weekly income that will be used to calculate their contributions.
The claimed weekly income must be less than one dollar.
Seven percent (7%) of the indicated weekly income is the required contribution amount.
When registering as a self-employed person:
Those who are between the ages of eighteen (18) and fifty (50) years old may choose a weekly payment between $55.00 and $320.00;
The range of $55.00 and $200.00 a week is available to those between the ages of fifty-one (51) and sixty (60).
A Weekly Income Update
After the age of 54, Eligibility requirements for self-employed workers individuals will not be allowed to modify their last declared insurable income.
Individuals who work for themselves may choose a new weekly insurable income each year, but only if it is an increase or decrease of $50 for the following year. This modification is only permitted in January of each year and is applicable for the whole contribution year.
Not Choosing a Weekly Income:
If a self-employed person misses the deadline to choose a weekly income for any contribution year but had already chosen one in the contribution year prior to the one in which the failure occurred, the weekly income they had previously chosen will still be used.
Self-Employed Payments
Each month’s contributions are due within 14 days of the end of the month. for the quantity of weeks in the preceding month. All independent contractors must make sure that their contributions are paid no later than 14 days after the end of each calendar month.
Begin Date:
Payment of contributions begins on the first Monday after the date of your registration for the self-employed program.
Any advance contribution contributions or retroactive payments made before your start date are not permitted.
Exceptions:
After age 60, no self-employed payments should be made.
Payments for contributions shall not be made if the Eligibility requirements for self-employed workers individual is either (a) eligible to receive any SSB benefit (other than survivors’ benefits) or (b) required to make contributions as an employee.
Benefits
If the prerequisites for the applicable benefit type are satisfied, a self-employed person must pay 26 contributions under the Eligibility requirements for self-employed workers Program immediately prior to becoming eligible for both short- and long-term SSB benefits.
A declared trade, business, or profession must be used in order to be covered for an employment injury benefit.
Contributions made through the self-employed program also aid in avoiding any gaps in your history of contributions.
It will be necessary for the self-employed person to reapply for benefits if contribution payments are stopped.
Termination of Self-Employment
What Takes Place if You Go Back to Work:
Within twenty-four (24) hours of being an employed person, you must notify the Social Security Board if you decide to return to work.
Your registration record as a self-employed individual has to be temporarily closed updated.
You will be advised by the Social Security Board to stop making self-employed payments because your new Employer will thereafter be in charge of making contributions on your behalf as an employee.
By informing SSB, you can prevent being charged for times when you are either not working or are functioning as an employee.
You must notify the Social Security Board of your decision to permanently end your Eligibility requirements for self-employed workers within twenty-four (24) hours of doing so. As a self-employed individual, you must update your registration record to reflect its permanent closure.
Other Obligations
Every year, review your history of contributions.
Anytime there is a change, update your personal registration information.
Report any changes and provide all original, legitimate, and legal documentation.
Keep an accident journal to document any injuries sustained while engaging in the practice of your claimed trade, business, or profession.
Workplace mishaps should be reported to any Social Security office within twenty-four (24) hours of the mishap.
When necessary, request a reimbursement for donations that were overpaid.
Submit a benefit claim within the allotted time frames.
Presenting the necessary supporting documentation for your claim will hasten the procedure.
If you disagree with the choice made on how your benefit claim was resolved, you may appeal.