What Is an Example of an Independent Contractor

Becoming an independent entrepreneur is a great way to grow your business without the constraints of traditional employment. Here are some of the benefits that a career as an independent contractor can offer. As an entrepreneur, you may need to hire a worker at some point. And depending on your type of business, you may need to hire employees, independent contractors, or both to get the job done. It`s hard to do your taxes as an independent contractor, so before you decide to do all the work yourself, consult a tax professional. These people are trained to deal with the tax issues and deductions faced by independent contractors. Unlike employees, independent contractors do not deduct taxes from their wages. You don`t have to withhold Medicare or Social Security taxes from the salaries of independent contractors. Instead, entrepreneurs have to pay self-employment tax on their income. For more information on whether you are an independent contractor or an employee, see the section on independent contractors or employees. However, as sole proprietors, independent contractors do not necessarily pay taxes on their gross earnings.

Applicable business expenses may reduce their overall tax liability. The difference between gross income and operating expenses is net profit, the amount on which taxes are due. In 2019, independent contractors pay 12.4% in Social Security contributions and 2.9% in Medicare payments on the first $132,900 of their net income plus 2.9% on their net income of more than $132,900. Some independent contractors may also have to pay government sales taxes, depending on the product they produce. Some independent contractors focus on consulting projects. For example, a person can become a consultant or business coach and help business owners start, grow or improve their business. Others can become financial advisors or advisors and help businesses or individuals decide how to invest or save money. There are also independent consultants who focus on categories such as healthcare, education or taxes. In general, a consultant can help people or clients with almost any type of need, provided the advisor has relevant experience and expertise.

As an entrepreneur, you are usually your own boss. They do business with other people and organizations in exchange for talent and services. You`re not really an employee of anyone other than yourself. You simply work with others because you both have something valuable to offer. An employee must generally follow their employer`s work instructions in performing tasks, duties, and responsibilities. The employer-employee relationship is primarily based on a job description that contains the essential functions of the job and how they should be performed on a regular basis. An independent contractor may receive a list of responsibilities or project outcomes; However, the manner in which he carries out these tasks is at his discretion. An entrepreneur decides independently how to perform the tasks and is usually only responsible for the results or results to the company. In summary, it can be very rewarding to follow the path of an independent contractor. You`ll probably have a lot more personal freedom in your life and have more control over the work you do. The other side of the coin is that you have a lot more responsibility on your shoulders.

You don`t get the same benefits as if you were working for someone else. To that end, you need to weigh the cost of freedom and variability against the extra costs of covering things like your own health care and retirement savings. The benefits an employer receives from hiring an independent contractor go hand in hand with the disadvantages that the independent contractor experiences. You don`t get all the benefits you would get as a traditional employee of a company. There is no 401(k). There is no health insurance. You lose a lot of security when you go on the path of an independent contractor. As in life, this is usually the price paid for personal autonomy. Among the different types of entrepreneurs that a person can look for, there are those that involve creative work. Many independent entrepreneurs find work as freelance writers or publishers.

Many also find work in artistic positions. For example, an independent contractor may search for projects as a painter or graphic designer. Some channel their creative energies by working as photographers or even creating ads or creating websites. For the financial category, ask yourself: Can I control other business aspects of the employee`s work? This could include things like how you pay the worker or how you handle expense reimbursements. For example, if you`re providing supplies to a worker, they`re probably going through the staff area. .