Independent Contractor or Employee
Hire 1099 Independent Contractor or Employee?
Kick Your Business Into High Gear With SMALL BUSINESS KICKSTARTER

Independent Contractor Benefits
There are many benefits to working with Independent Contractors (I.C.’s). Employees can be much more costly in running a small business (we will cover this in future articles).
We can not overemphasize the importance of doing your research first to gain a thorough understanding of what constitutes an Independent Contractor.
Any mistake in set-up or operation can be costly (we know from personal experience).
Our thanks to SBA.GOV for the use of the following info:
Hire a Contractor or an Employee?
Independent contractors and employees are not the same, and it’s important to understand the difference. Knowing this distinction will help you determine what your first hiring move will be and affect how you withhold a variety of taxes and avoid costly legal consequences.
What’s the Difference?
An Independent Contractor:
- Operates under a business name
- Has his/her own employees
- Maintains a separate business checking account
- Advertises his/her business’ services
- Invoices for work completed
- Has more than one client
- Has own tools and sets own hours
- Keeps business records
An Employee:
- Performs duties dictated or controlled by others
- Is given training for work to be done
- Works for only one employer
Benefits Of Hiring Independent Contractors
Many small businesses rely on independent contractors for their staffing needs. There are many benefits to using contractors over hiring employees:
- Savings in labor costs
- Reduced liability
- Flexibility in hiring and firing
Why Does It Matter?
Misclassification of an individual as an independent contractor may have a number of costly legal consequences.
If your independent contractor is discovered to meet the legal definition of an employee, you may be required to:
Reimburse them for wages you should have paid them under the Fair Labor Standards Act, including overtime and minimum wage
Pay back taxes and penalties for federal and state income taxes, Social Security, Medicare and unemployment
Pay any misclassified injured employees workers’ compensation benefits
Provide employee benefits, including health insurance, retirement, etc.
Note: There are numerous cases where this has led to failure and closing of the business !!!
Tax Requirements
Visit the IRS Independent Contractor or Employee guide to learn about the tax implications of either scenario, download and fill out a form to have the IRS officially determine your workers’ status, and find other related resources.
Also, See 2014 Publication 15-a.pdf
Employment Information
There is no single test for determining if an individual is an independent contractor or an employee under the Fair Labor Standards Act. However, the following guidelines should be taken into account:
The extent to which the services rendered are an integral part of the principal’s business
The permanency of the relationship
The amount of the alleged contractor’s investment in facilities and equipment
The nature and degree of control by the principal
The alleged contractor’s opportunities for profit and loss
The amount of initiative, judgment, or foresight in open market competition with others that are required for the success of the claimed independent contractor
The degree of independent business organization and operation
Whether a person is an independent contractor or an employee generally depends on the amount of control exercised by the employer over the work being done. Read Equal Employment Opportunity Laws – Who’s Covered? for more information on how to determine whether a person is an independent contractor or an employee, and which are covered under federal laws.
How Small Business Kickstarter Works
Many of our Custom Programs are designed for the small business on a tight budget. Instead of an upfront investment to get started, we partner with you and are compensated as we grow your business.
We are results-oriented – We Focus On Your Success!!!
Want To Get Started Right Now?
Just tell us about your business in the contact form below (please be as detailed as possible), and we will contact you to set an appointment to discuss.