News OFFICIAL Centinni Statement

Discussion in 'Novel General' started by Tinni_15, Aug 1, 2020.

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  1. Tinni_15

    Tinni_15 Well-Known Member

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    Centinni:

    First of all, we would like to apologize to lanji/Kitkat. We did not intend to blame you or anyone else, but the situation spiraled out of control and turned into a blame game: which wasn’t what we intended. This incident in general has been handled very poorly, so we are changing how things work in Centinni. Many things have gotten completely out of hand and if there had been better communication, things might not have blown up to this degree. We are working hard to resolve these issues and adding new policies to prevent something like this from happening again. We ask you all for your understanding at this time as we work hard on re-evaluating everything having gone through this, and we thank you all for the comments (both good and bad), as they have helped to show where we need improvement.

    During this time, we ask you all for patience as we take a step back to work on the things we are lacking. Please do not send any hate comments to staff in Centinni. This incident has affected more people than those who were actually involved and they don’t deserve any frustration being taken out on them.

    We will be working on improving our communication. We have had a discussion in our staff server and have implemented an open channel for any complaints or issues so that there will be transparency. This is also so that any issues that may arise will be dealt with fairly and impartially, with all staff being able to comment and add their thoughts for any changes that will take place. We do not want a repeat event where another staff member will feel any sort of dissatisfaction, and most certainly not in private conversations.

    We will also be looking over our staff payment system and ensuring that pay is correct and paid on time. We have already paid Kitkat the amount that was owed for the last pay cycle. Her pay for this pay cycle, along with the rest of the staff, will be distributed at the current agreed on rates for this month on pay day. We will also be looking into the tax issue, as some comments have mentioned that the mentioned tax rate was too high. We are all still new at this and have not had any experience dealing with this. Moving forward we will be re-evaluating how any profits will be split for all paid staff members, and the work they provide.

    In regards for the Tax issue: We would like to tell you all that the tax which is required to be paid, is different for different slabs of income, for us, its 20% and with reductions it goes down to 18%, this is from India and you can check the tax laws there here, (https://www.incometaxindia.gov.in/Pages/acts/income-tax-act.aspx). You can read everything about the laws there, as for some people saying it is being deducted from the translator’s pocket, it isn’t true. And also, for the Paypal fees, the fees are being paid by us as well, to everyone, we would like to let staff be paid as much as we can. After all fees and taxes are paid there is a take of less than 12% from that 30% (not paid to translation teams), and part of that goes to any unexpected costs as we try to maintain and support the website.

    Going forward from here, we hope that you will all continue to support the hard working and dedicated staff on our team who work tirelessly on providing you with quality novel and manga translations.

    We look forward to any comments and advice that will help us to improve our community as a whole.

    Sincerely,

    Centinni staff.
     
  2. nonononononono

    nonononononono NONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONO

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    Just remember one thing, next time,
    if any translator becomes attached to the projects they work on, and if they want to leave the team and translate the project themselves, please wish them luck.
    Don't act like a kid, and don't think like you own the right to translate it.
    You can still translate the same project.
     
  3. otaku31

    otaku31 Well-Known Member

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    Well, that's a welcome change from all the mud-slinging that was going on awhile ago. :blobangel:
     
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  4. yunre

    yunre Active Member

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    Myriadfold, Chronos5884, Xaos and 3 others like this.
  5. Das

    Das Lazing around Devil's Luck

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    So what happened? I can make an educated guess from this, but rather not jump to conclusions
     
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  6. Mahapatih

    Mahapatih Well-Known Member

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    What have I missed!?
     
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  7. Cosmic_

    Cosmic_ [Novel Addict] [Lazy Writer] [Meh Editor]

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  8. TamaSaga

    TamaSaga Well-Known Member

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    In that same link:
    You not only have to keep records of all transactions and payments but take care that all the conditions laid by the I-T department are met to claim deductions

    It's not as simple as just removing the amount. The section on ANIMIS PROFESSIONAL FEES details some of the requirements before you can deduct:
    - You need documentation
    - You must ensure that the amount is within market rate
    - You need to send in the tax on the consultant's earnings in advance before you file the taxes

    Then we have the weirder rules like turnover and all that that prevent eligibility. It gets pretty complicated and you may end up having to hire another company just to set things in order. Or you can choose not to deduct, pay on the full lump sum and save yourself lots of hassle.

    [edit] That being said, not deducting translator fees can end up penalizing the translators as the tax rates against the aggregate is much more than the taxes against the individual. For example, if 4 translators earned 20k each. The total would be at least 80k, which would have a weighted tax rate of like 17%ish. But if you had deducted and let the translators handle their own taxes, then the weighted tax rate on their 20k would have been like 5%. Quite frankly, the translators are losing like 12% in earnings because of this decision with even more on the hook as the earnings increase.

    Me personally, in the interest of fairness, I would try not to bill the translators for income tax as they do the bulk of the work. I.e. I'd eat it as a cost provided there's still some profit.
     
    Last edited: Aug 6, 2020
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  9. asriu

    asriu fu~ fu~ fu~

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    it lag time~
    ho ho sound interesting~
    yup better pay consultant to handle it~

    well this cat see pretty interesting thing the tangible such as copyright and patent
     
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  10. Arzvak

    Arzvak Member

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    Thank you very much, and we aren't earning enough to pay those companies, which might surely ask a lot. But I will try learning all of this and getting this removed all together tbh.
     
  11. Autumn Crane

    Autumn Crane Well-Known Member

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  12. rwxwuxiaworld

    rwxwuxiaworld Well-Known Member

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    Man, I don't have a dog in this fight, and I only skimmed the three threads spawned, but this explanation sounds pretty ridiculous. Any and every tax system in the entire world taxes profits, not income. If you buy an iPhone for $900 dollars and sell it for $1000 dollars, you get taxed on $100, not on $1000. This is just common sense. By the same token, if you spend $90 on translation fees for income of $100, then you get taxed on $10. To suggest that you need to withhold 20% 'for taxes' on the full $100 is just crazy. I don't understand how you can operate a website but lack such basic information. It just doesn't pass the smell test.
     
  13. Tinni_15

    Tinni_15 Well-Known Member

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    I understand the concerns on the tax issues, please understand that Centinni is not a company or business and as such to the government here all all income is counted as profit as its not expected to have workers. When adding in workers then each person will need to be taxed on their individual income.
     
  14. rwxwuxiaworld

    rwxwuxiaworld Well-Known Member

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    I'm sorry dude, but no. Even if you choose not to incorporate (which you SHOULD and I don't know why you haven't), then you are classified as self-employed. Even then, you are taxed on your profits/income, not your revenue - your profits, aka your income, is revenue minus expenses. Income is not the same thing as revenue.

    Again - if you are self-employed and sell an iPhone for $1000 that cost you $900, there is no way in hell that you would be paying income taxes of $200 (20% of the $1000 revenue), you'd be paying income taxes of $20 (20% of the $100 profit). To suggest otherwise is just ridiculous.

    To reiterate, I have no dog in this fight, and it doesn't matter if it's 90%, 70%, 50%, or even 10%; as long as both parties agree and are happy with it, everything's ok. I'm just saying that the idea that you have to change a contractual promise of 90% to 70% 'because taxes' is just crazy.
     
    Last edited: Aug 1, 2020
  15. Jeebus

    Jeebus Well-Known Member

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    It doesn't seem like Centinni is large enough to benefit from incorporation. If India has something similar to an LLC, that might be a better avenue for them until they get bigger. The best option is for Tinni to talk to a CPA in their country so they can get the best advice possible from someone trained in giving that type of advice.

    Also, you're absolutely right. There is no country on earth that taxes revenue. Few businesses have operating costs under 30% (It's not uncommon to see operating costs in excess of 50%). If you add on another 20% tax to revenue, there's no profit margin.
     
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  16. Tinni_15

    Tinni_15 Well-Known Member

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    we haven't incorporated it, because we are not licensed yet. But yes, we will do more research and get back to you!
    Thank u for your suggestions~
     
  17. rwxwuxiaworld

    rwxwuxiaworld Well-Known Member

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    Yeah I just saw from their other thread that their revenue is super super tiny. In that case, the Indian equivalent of an S-corp would probably be better (assuming it exists), but in any event... like both you and I have been emphasizing, there's noooooo way India or any other country taxes revenue. Businesses cannot exist if you tax revenue! All taxes are on profit.

    Sure dude. Regardless of whether or not you incorporate though - I guarantee you that you do not pay taxes on revenue, you pay taxes on profit.
     
  18. rwxwuxiaworld

    rwxwuxiaworld Well-Known Member

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    Bro. I'm 'biting' at it because your 'official' statement, at the very front of the thread, categorically isn't and cannot be true, nor were the followup posts responding to mine. Maybe it's due to misunderstanding of how tax works (although it's still boggling to me), but if that's the case, then y'all need to edit that out and just say this: "There are some areas of tax law that we might not have understood properly, but I promise we'll do our best to learn as soon as possible, and once we do, if we underpaid anybody then we promise we'll make it all up to the translators."

    For that matter, I suggest you can just delete the entire paragraph that starts with "In regards to the tax issue". If you hadn't said that, I wouldn't have even commented on this thread, but once you put out an 'official statement' that has stuff which is categorically false, then I feel an obligation to jump in and call it what it is, so that other people aren't misled. I'm not saying you guys are bad people - I don't know any of the people involved, and I won't judge you. It's just that you guys are saying things that aren't true.
     
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  19. Jeebus

    Jeebus Well-Known Member

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    Everyone keeps harping on your translation group because you underpaid your translator. Then, rather than make things right, you held a public execution instead of giving a public apology. Now, multiple members in your group are commenting publicly on a matter that should be handled by a single PR person from your group.

    Instead of spending time here defending an indefensible position, spend that time learning how to improve your operations. Once you've made those improvements, let everyone know. Then, get on with translating.
     
  20. rwxwuxiaworld

    rwxwuxiaworld Well-Known Member

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    Preach!
     
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