What is frelance work?

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio

Freelancers are self-employed people who work for themselves. They are also known as independent contractors. Freelance work means being your own boss.  Other organizations use freelancers on a part-time or short-term basis, but they do not receive the same pay or have the same level of commitment to any one company as full-time employees.

When it comes to labor that a freelancer may accomplish, not everyone uses the terms "freelance" or "freelancer." Most freelancers, in fact, refer to themselves as "self-employed."  Other phrases related to freelancing that you should be aware of include:

• Contract Work Jobs that require you to work on a short-term or part-time basis.
• Work on a contract basis: same as above.
• Independent Contractor or  A freelancer 1099. Is classified as follows by the IRS: In contrast to a full-time W2, freelancers are paid via a tax form called a "1099-MISC." A freelancer is sometimes referred to as a "1099."
• A contract consultant: is someone who works for a client on a 1099 basis for a certain amount of time.
• Contract-to-hire: Freelancers may be interested in full-time work at times. Contract-to-hire positions give a freelancer a "trial period" before being hired full-time.