The Benefits Of Working As A Consultant

Low Taxes Are Paid By Agency-EmployedSuch consultants get non-wage benefits such as 401
Consultants(k) plans, health and welfare plans and even holiday
Doesn't 'low taxes!' grab your attention? Americanpay. These benefits can be highly beneficial, financially
workers are subject to two types taxes - one ofand otherwise. Some agency consultants are also
them is federal income tax and the other is F.I.C.A.offered total compensation packages.
Federal Income TaxA consultant who is earning about $50,000 a year
This tax applies to everyone, regardless of whetherbenefits by having paid two weeks vacation, which
it is being withheld by the employer or not. It is paidcan be valued around $2,000. Consultants also save
annually. Simply put, independent consultants whoup to hundreds or thousands of dollars per year on
work for themselves and who file I.R.S Form-1099federal taxes, due to company-sponsored retirement
are all subject to the same tax bracket as their W-2saving plans. The savings due to health and insurance
consultant counterparts. Independent consultantsbenefits can be sometimes up to 15-20% of their
have to save enough around the year to cover theirannual health salary.
annual Federal Income tax bills. SometimesIn-Depth Study
independent consultants also have to pay State andIf you have some experience in the field of
local income taxes, as these taxes are applicable inconsultancy, you may have wondered about
many states.non-wage benefits:o An agency consultant who
Independent consultants, as well as agencymakes $50,000 probably gets five days paid vacation
consultants, pay the same amount of Federal Income(or more), which is worth about $1,000 before
Tax if their gross yearly earnings are the same, but ittaxes.o 401 (k) plans offer agency consultants a
is paid differently.valuable tax shelter that will save them about $500 a
F.I.C.Ayear or more while paying Federal Income tax. These
This tax is mainly paid each period to fund Socialsavings can then be converted into future
Security and Medicare - it is applicable to all workers.investment gains.o Medical and dental coverage is
The rate on this tax is 15.3%.highly beneficial if an employer offers it. In addition,
Agency employed consultants pay 7.65% of theirsometimes agencies help defray the cost of these
taxable income, whereas independent consultants paymedical benefits, thus reducing the payable taxes for
twice that amount. This means that an independentemployees even further.o Fringe benefits such as life
consultant pays an additional $4,000 more in tax thaninsurance, vision coverage and dependent life
their counterpart who works through an agency.insurance go a long way into savings.
Agency Employed Consultant Benefits