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Is contracting a good career move?

By Olivia Norman |

You should take a contract job because contract work provides additional experience, knowledge, skills, and gives you more control of your schedule. A contract assignment also gives you the opportunity to work in different industries within a relatively short period of time.

How do I set up myself as a contractor?

To set yourself up as a self-employed taxpayer with the IRS, you simply start paying estimated taxes (on Form 1040-ES, Estimated Tax for Individuals) and file Schedule C, Profit or Loss From Business, and Schedule SE, Self-Employment Tax, with your Form 1040 tax return each April.

Why do contractors get paid so much?

As an independent contractor, you’ll usually make more money than if you were an employee. Companies are willing to pay more for independent contractors because they don’t have the enter into expensive, long-term commitments or pay health benefits, unemployment compensation, Social Security taxes, and Medicare taxes.

Why do I want to go back to contracting?

This guides explores the reasons why and offers some advice. Common reasons for moving back to permanent work include: The highest paid contractors work very hard to stay at the top. They are continuously reading and training themselves on the latest trends within their arena.

What’s it like working as a contractor thru a staffing agency?

As an employee of the staffing agency, you’re expected to let them know when you are too ill to go to work, need to take personal time off, or have a vacation planned.

What do you need to know about contracting?

Borrowing money from a bank, eg for a mortgage or a car, can be harder if you’re a contractor. You’ll probably need: buffer savings, to show you can pay your mortgage even when out of contract work. “When I started contracting I was surprised at the end of the year that I hadn’t earned more,” says long-time IT contractor Stephen.

How does a contractor stay at the top?

The highest paid contractors work very hard to stay at the top. They are continuously reading and training themselves on the latest trends within their arena. It is more than a nine to five job, often encompassing evening and weekend working for no money in order to command the highest rates in the market.