Why should I become an independent contractor?

1. Better pay.
According to The Wall Street Journal, contractors are usually paid at least 20% to 40% more per hour than employees performing the same work.

2. More tax benefits.
According to NOLO.com:

Being an IC also provides you with many tax benefits that are not available to employees. For example, no federal or state taxes are withheld from your paychecks, as they must be for employees. Instead, ICs have to pay estimated taxes directly to the IRS four times a year. This means you can hold on to your hard-earned money longer before you have to turn it over to the IRS. Moreover, it’s up to you to decide how much estimated tax to pay (but there are penalties if you underpay). This flexibility gives you more control over the money you earn. For more information on estimated taxes, see Paying Estimated Taxes.

3. The ability to pick jobs that will expand your skills.
Build a relationship with your recruiter; once you have a good review from an employer, your recruiter will find you work consistently and you can expand your skill set as you go from working on one project to another.

4. Expanding network.
Meeting so many new people within your field can introduce you to new opportunities and again help to increase your skill set.

5. Working from home.
Oftentimes, contractors can work from home. According to a recent survey, 40% of workers would take a pay cut t...

6. Less distraction.
As an employee, it is good to make yourself indispensable – to become the go to person. While this may provide job security, it can lead to many distractions as people call on you for all manner of tasks. As opposed to many employees, contractors are working on a specific project with a specific deadline and thus, you are less likely to be pulled in three different directions.

7. Opportunity for travel.
Many independent contractors are chosen for projects overseas as visa regulations restrict the amount of time that employees can work within the country. It is easier to fill these positions with contractors.

8. You are the boss.
This gives you increased responsibility of course, but also increased flexibility. Recruiters like to work with the same contractors over and over. “If someone I work with gets a good review from my client, I rush to work with that individual again,” says recruiter Victor Virga. “I want to make sure that my colleagues and clients are always happy so I will go above and beyond to find them the job they want.”

9. No Office Politics.
Anyone who has worked in an office atmosphere for any length of time has enjoyed their fill of office politics and office gossip.

10. No company handcuffs.
It used to be that you could use “No 401K match” as a downfall of contracting, but less companies are fortunate enough to offer this benefit to employees and even those that do cannot be considered a sure thing for retirement.... Contractors do not feel the same loyalty to their employers and can have more freedom to move about their careers at will.