What Is Considered Self-Employment?

Self-employment is straightforward and simple to understand. Anytime you make money and are not employed by someone or someplace, you are considered self-employed. Anytime that you are your own boss you are self-employed. It is great for those who want a flexible lifestyle to maintain an income, without the structure of traditional employment.

There are many examples of self-employment, some you see every day and others you may only hear about.

• Your local coffee shop that is one-of-a-kind is probably owned by one person, that person is considered self-employed. Any business owner is self-employed; they may have employees of their own.


• The crafters and farmers at your local farmers market are also great examples of self-employment. Crafters work from home, purchasing the materials with their own money. Farmers grow, harvest and transport the food to sell you each week. The money you pay for these things directly supports those people and their families.


• Some other common self-employment fields are artist, writers, contractors, repair people, dance teachers and many more occupations that you would not think of.


• Self-employment means you have to obtain a special license in some cases, pay your own taxes on your income and keep good records.

It is a great way to make a living, if you want to be a fulltime parent and still pay the bills or if you just prefer to live a more flexible lifestyle. Many people can take their work with them when they travel. There are still rules to follow and deadlines to meet. People pay for the services offered, so you must be an organized person and work well on your own.