The Freelancers Union Guide To Taxes

THE FREELANCERS UNION GUIDE TO TAXES is an overview of everything a freelancer needs to know for April 15 – and every other month of the year – regarding filing taxes, keeping records, what to do if you’re audited (and how to keep it from happening), and much more, including an all-new introduction from Sara Horowitz, founder of the Freelancers Union.

Amazingly, one-third of the American workforce is freelance—that’s 42 million people who have to wrestle with not just doing the work, but finding the work, then getting paid for the work, plus health care, taxes, setting up an office, marketing, and so on. Now help is here, and consultants, independent contractors, the self-employed, “solopreneurs,” and everyone else living a freelancer’s life will never be alone again but instead can be part of a strong and vibrant community. Written by the authority on freelance working, Sara Horowitz, MacArthur “Genius” Fellow and founder of the national Freelancers Union and, most recently, the Freelancers Insurance Company, The Freelancer’s Bible will help those new to freelancing learn the ropes, and will help those who’ve been freelancing for a while grow and expand. It’s the one-stop, all-encompassing guide to every practical detail and challenge of being a nimble, flexible, and successful freelancer: the three essentials of getting clients and the three most important ways to keep them happy. Five fee-setting strategies. Thirteen tactics for making it through a prolonged dry spell. Setting up a home office vs. renting space. The one-hour contract. A dozen negotiating dos and don’ts. Building and maintaining your reputation. Dealing with deadbeats. Health Insurance 101. Record-keeping and taxes. Productivity, including a quiz: “What Is Your Ideal Day?” Building a community. Subcontracting and other strategies for taking your freelancing career to the next level. Retirement plans, plans for saving for education, and how to achieve financial freedom.

Freelancers make up one of the fastest-growing groups of workers in North America. But, in today’s fractured and quick-paced media industry, where do you start? This book is a guide for journalism students, recent graduates, and early-career journalists looking to better understand both the creative and business sides of freelance work in Canada and the US. Learn how to develop your personal brand, how to pitch to different types of publications and media outlets, and how to plan for your financial future as a freelancer (yes, it’s possible!). Practical and easy to read, The New Journalist’s Guide combines more than a decade of the author’s personal experience as a freelance journalist with the perspectives of freelancers and experts across Canada and the US in a range of fields.

The all-in-one legal and tax resource every independent contractor and gig worker needs Whether you’re starting a full-scale consulting business or booking gigs on the side, Working for Yourself provides all the legal and tax information you need in one place. This twelfth edition has been thoroughly updated to reflect changes and updates to relevant laws, including laws revised as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. This excellent, well-organized reference will show you how to: decide the best form for your business (sole proprietor, LLC, or other) make sure you’re paid in full and on time pay estimated taxes and avoid trouble with the IRS take advantage of all available tax deductions and credits, including the 20% pass-through tax deduction choose health, property, and other kinds of insurance keep accurate records in case you get audited, and write legally binding contracts and letter agreements. If you’re tired of doing endless web searches for the information you need to start and run your business, this easy-to-use and authoritative resource is for you. With Downloadable Forms You can download all the forms you need, including sample independent contractor agreements, details inside.

Not every PhD becomes a professor. Some never want to, but others discover—too late and ill-prepared to look elsewhere—that there’s precious little room in today’s ivory tower, and what’s there might not be a good fit. For those leaving academia, or wanting out, or finding themselves adrift, this book offers hope, advice, and a bracing look at how others facing the same quandary have made careers outside of the academy work. All of the authors in this volume, as well as the editors, have built successful careers beyond the groves of academia—as freelance editors and writers, consultants and lecturers, librarians, realtors, and entrepreneurs—and each has a compelling story to tell. Their accounts afford readers a firsthand view of what it takes to transition from professor to professional. They also give plenty of practical advice, along with hard-won insights into what making a move beyond the academy might entail—emotionally, intellectually, and, not least, financially. Imparting what they wish they’d known during their PhDs, these writers aim to spare those who follow in their uncertain footsteps. Together their essays point the way out of the “tenure track or bust” mindset and toward a world of different but no less rewarding possibilities.

"Self-employed? Whether you're an independent contractor, freelancer, consultant, or considering self-employment, it all adds up to the same thing: you need to be more aware of laws and taxes than the average person. Get all the information you need to know to: obtain permits and licenses comply with strict IRS rules avoid unfair contracts "--

Imagine starting your workday in sweat pants, sipping a freshly brewed cup of coffee as you maneuver your commute down the hallway to your home office. Sound appealing? This is how millions of people start their days in the world of telecommuting, and it can be your reality too. The Field Guide to Telecommuting is a book for potential, new and seasoned telecommuters. Formatted to read as an ?ala carte guide, it captures data from numerous sources including other telecommuters, employment agencies, human resource professionals, government sources and personal experience to create an easy-to-view format that can be read from cover to cover or in relevant sections. Useful to both those who telework for a single company or are freelancers, The Field Guide to Telecommuting offers valuable tips, links to resources and explanations of terms, laws and issues that surround the world of telework. In addition, purchase of this e-book includes free access to a webpage of updated resources, and PDF version of the guide and checklists to help steer you through the maze of creating a functional telecommuting experience.