16 Oct Factors for a medical translation budget

Which is the reasonable rate that a medical translator should apply? Well, it depends on many factors and the slyness of the translator. We are not here to talk about the right fee – if any – as each professional should look for the one he or she considers more convenient and acceptable. Here are some ideas that must always be taken into account for justifying the price. So, either if you are the translator or the client, do not miss the following aspects: it will make you get a reasonable rate and you understand the final pricing.

• Specialisation. Any specialised text should be surcharged with an extra fee. Not all projects are supposed to have the same level of difficulty. Additionally, that is not something that anyone could do, and the medical translator should be compensated for his/her previous specialisation training.
• Urgency. When should the translation project be delivered? Is there a reasonable deadline? If not, an urgency rate should be applied, as the medical translator would have to make extra hours and/or work during bank holidays. Any other professional would do that – as a locksmith or a plumber. So, why not a medical translator too?
• Similarity. If the client works with similar texts, he/she should get a discount. That is fair too. Working with Translation Memories eases the job of the translator and reduces costs for the client. Besides, templates can be useful and very practical.
• Delivery method. Not all the projects can be electronically sent. Some medical translations, as sworn translations, can only be used in the original printed paper. So, how will the client receive the document? Either on-site or via a messenger service. In the last case, this extra service should be included in the budget too.
• Taxes. When making a budget, the translator should take into account the taxes that will be paid after issuing the invoice. It depends on the country, but VAT (Value Added Tax), PIT (Personal Income Tax) or a regular monthly fee for freelancers are some of the most common worldwide taxes. Check the corresponding national taxation.

Fair, right?