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Contracts and Finance
Working as an independent consultant and being your own boss offer a number of benefits including setting your own hours, determining your specialties, and choosing your clients. However, independent consulting is not without its challenges. In MBO’s State of Independence report, we surveyed independent consultants to learn about their experiences, goals, and difficulties. Here, we…
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What is a Scope of Work? Before starting a new project, independent professionals are often asked to prepare a Scope of Work (SOW) document that outlines the terms of their project and details items like payment terms, roles and responsibilities, and a timeline for work. This is a straightforward document, but if you’re compiling one for…
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Entering into a verbal contract with clients is a common practice among independent professionals. Without the red tape and bureaucracy that can slow down larger businesses, independents enjoy the advantages of being flexible and agile in transactions and deals. However, while verbal contracts often simplify business, if things go sour they can end up complicating your relationship…
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In any business agreement, it is highly recommended to use a well-written contract. Contracts provide clarity, establish a relationship, and offer protection to all parties involved. For these reasons, many independent professionals wisely insist on using written contracts for every client project. In some cases, you may use your own contract, but clients will generally…
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Contracts are a must in any business relationship, but they’re particularly important for independent contractors to provide: legal protection, establish roles and responsibilities, and outline services to be performed The content of your independent contractor agreement should provide as much protection as possible, while also clearly establishing expectations of both parties. The exact language and sections…
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Being self-employed may not always be simple, but it definitely has its rewards. Doing what you love and having the flexibility that comes with being your own boss can certainly make the challenges worthwhile. In some cases, being self-employed can also have some less obvious tax advantages. Making sure you plan according to the tax…
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Life as an independent professional involves a different approach than that of a full-time employee, and the same can be said for independents come tax time. Since many independents receive payment on a 1099, it’s important to note that tax time for independents isn’t as straightforward as simply plugging a few numbers into an online…
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If you’re an independent professional, you’ve likely gotten a contract that required business insurance. While the flexibility and autonomy of working independently are a large part of what draws so many people away from the traditional W-2 lifestyle, they also means you have to navigate the complicated world of business insurance on your own. Liability…
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If you’ve been an independent contractor for more than a year, you know how fun it can be to gather up your expenses come tax time. This is definitely one of those times where an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of remedy. That’s why we’ve come up with four tips to help you…
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There’s never a bad time to check your spending and reassess your expenses. While any business budget can benefit from a little belt-tightening, as an independent contractor you deal with smaller profit margins than large companies. That means the need to keep expenses to a minimum is more pressing. We’ve assembled a list of 7…
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