#self-employment

#self-employment

The labour market continues to present a gloomy picture. While not as bad as some have feared, most of the important indicators are negative. Employment and vacancies are slightly down, inactivity remains a problem, and unemployment is up again. One particular issue is entirely predictable. The hike in employer national insurance contributions, plus the Employment Rights Bill threatening to bring in unfair dismissal from day one and the clampdown on zero hours contracts, all mean that employers are extremely wary of taking on untried

As a self-employed artist, Ginny doesn't receive sick pay and will not be able to earn anything over this time (if you don't do the gig, you don't get paid). This is already a challenging time to be an artist - gigs are less frequent and funding is scarce. Ginny is a working-class disabled queer artist with no financial support to fall back on - and the worry about how to cover their mortgage & bills during this time is real.

Audits from the IRS are no picnic. The Internal Revenue Service has a job to do, and that often involves targeting people they think are gaming the system for a more intensive inspection. The IRS can ask for clarification, adjust your tax filing for you (and allow you to either accept the changes or show proof that you had the correct figures to begin with), or go all in with an audit of your finances. They are rare, but the IRS is more likely to audit taxpayers whose returns have certain red flags.

Self-employed workers and landlords earning over £50,000 a year will face fines of up to £900 if they miss new quarterly tax deadlines under HMRC's Making Tax Digital reforms.

COVID-19 forced a shift in career considerations, leading to a move from Washington, DC to a self-employment friendly town in Arkansas, inspiring a new restaurant venture.

A major mistake is failing to track which states or countries they spend time in. This can unintentionally create tax residency in multiple jurisdictions.

Every day, mortgage brokers and mortgage lenders encounter talented entrepreneurs, successful investors, and international buyers who deserve homeownership but can't check the conventional boxes.