Maybe not 1099 reasons. But there are good reasons to go the independent contractor route versus hiring employees. Of course, there are also compelling reasons to go the other direction on that. There’s a lot to consider when you make this choice, so let’s dive in.

Independent Contractors Versus W2 Employees

Before we get into the reasons to hire independent contractors, we need to understand the essential differences between the two, especially from the point of view of the IRS. Straight from IRS.gov, an independent contract is “an individual is an independent contractor if the payer has the right to control or direct only the result of the work, not what will be done and how it will be done.” With a W2 employee, the business must pay income taxes, withhold and pay Social Security and Medicare taxes, and pay unemployment tax. There are also insurance costs involved. With a 1099 contractor, the business simply pays contracted rates, and the contractor pays all associated taxes. It’s obviously important to get this right, as the business may face penalties, fines, legal fees and even an audit otherwise.

Read More: I’m Hired! Going Entrepreneur

Pros And Cons Of Hiring Independent Contractors

Depending on the business model, there are several advantages and disadvantages to hiring a contractor versus an employee.

Pros of Hiring Independent Contractors:

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