{"id":117,"date":"2015-10-11T12:40:19","date_gmt":"2015-10-11T12:40:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.insurancebee.com\/blog\/?p=117"},"modified":"2021-11-03T17:23:29","modified_gmt":"2021-11-03T17:23:29","slug":"going-freelance-what-you-need-to-know","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.insurancebee.com\/blog\/going-freelance-what-you-need-to-know","title":{"rendered":"Going freelance? Here’s what you need to know"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n

Thinking of going freelance? What’s one of the first things that comes to mind?<\/p>\n

Most people think of things like finally getting to be their own boss. Managing their own time. Choosing the jobs they want, and so on.<\/p>\n

But what many don’t realize, is that going freelance is much like starting up your own business.<\/p>\n

Money, money, money<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Before you take the plunge, make sure you’ve got your finances in order.<\/p>\n

As a freelancer, taxes, social security, healthcare and retirement plans are down to you.<\/p>\n

Remember all the office supplies you used free of charge as an employee? Now you\u2019ll be responsible for them. And that includes things like paying for your own business licenses, marketing, promotions and events, plus gas mileage.<\/p>\n

You\u2019ll also want to have a safety net of money for times when work may slow down.<\/p>\n

Self-discipline <\/strong><\/h2>\n

Look back at how you\u2019ve performed at certain jobs or other responsibilities when you were working for someone else. Do you tend to procrastinate? Are you easily distracted?<\/p>\n

Be honest with yourself and figure out if\u00a0 you truly have the discipline to\u00a0 work a certain number of hours every day.<\/p>\n

Try to find ways to avoid being distracted early on.<\/p>\n

Shooting for the stars<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Be honest with yourself about what the future could hold. Most freelancers either don\u2019t aim high enough and come out with poor results, or aim too high too fast and get discouraged.<\/p>\n

If you make goals for yourself you’ll give yourself the chance to exceed your own expectations. And that’s good for your confidence as well as for business.<\/p>\n

Create a timeline outlining your goals. Adjust it as time goes on when you see changes.<\/p>\n

Location, location, location<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Choose where you\u2019re going to actually do your work before going freelance.<\/p>\n

A coffee shop? A home office? A library? Pick a place you’ll feel comfortable, free of distractions, and can work efficiently, without interruption.<\/p>\n

If you’ve got a couple of toddlers running around, your home may not be the best place to work!<\/p>\n

The legal bits<\/strong><\/h2>\n

If you\u2019re going to be a freelancer, odds are you\u2019ll be doing something that produces unique work for a client. Like if you’re a writer, a graphic designer, or website developer, for example.<\/p>\n

If that’s the case, you need to know all the ins and outs of the laws governing your work.<\/p>\n

Make sure you understand copyright laws, business laws for the self-employed, laws that govern financial components, tax law, liability issues, and so on.<\/p>\n

And get covered too. Professional liability insurance<\/a> will help protect your business if a client sues you for a mistake you’ve made.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Thinking of going freelance? What’s one of the first things that comes to mind? Most people think of things like finally getting to be their own boss. Managing their own time. Choosing the jobs they want, and so on. But … Read more…<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[26,5,30],"tags":[11,29,42,7],"class_list":["post-117","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-errors-and-omissions","category-risk-tips","category-small-business-insurance","tag-errors-and-omissions-insurance","tag-freelancers-insurance","tag-insurance","tag-professional-liability-insurance"],"yoast_head":"\r\nGoing freelance? Here's what you need to know.<\/title>\r\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"So, you've decided to go freelance? That's great news. 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