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Learning, Sharing, and Teaching => Ask a Mustachian => Topic started by: data.Damnation on April 11, 2014, 02:07:54 PM

Title: Software development and going independent (1099)
Post by: data.Damnation on April 11, 2014, 02:07:54 PM
I've been a developer for about 8 years now and I've always worked full time W2. However, I don't need benefits (we get them through my wife), I've never stayed at a job long enough to vest much of a 401(k) match, and software companies have very low loyalty, so I've been kicking around the idea of going independent and doing 1099 work at a (hopefully) higher pay rate.

Title: Re: Software development and going independent (1099)
Post by: Saverocity on April 11, 2014, 02:26:15 PM
I've been a developer for about 8 years now and I've always worked full time W2. However, I don't need benefits (we get them through my wife), I've never stayed at a job long enough to vest much of a 401(k) match, and software companies have very low loyalty, so I've been kicking around the idea of going independent and doing 1099 work at a (hopefully) higher pay rate.

  • Does it make sense for me to try to do 1099 independent contracting?
  • Is there a market for 1099 developers? It seems like even the temp jobs I've found want W2.
  • If there is a market, what's the best way to find clients for starting out?

If you are going to go 1099 then the real value is that you can funnel that income through a business entity to create tax savings. 
everything has a market if you know how to sell yourself correctly.

You are a little vague on what you do, a 1099 contractor could be doing anything from working at Goldman Sachs to being on Freelancer.com doing web design...

Title: Re: Software development and going independent (1099)
Post by: data.Damnation on April 11, 2014, 02:43:17 PM
Most of my experience is in .NET development. I've done winforms apps and full stack web development in ASP.NET (everything from setting up databases to writing stored procedures to C#.NET code to front-end code in JavaScript). I've also done some embedded development in C (both no OS and with an RTOS, although the RTOS was a no-name POS). I've worked in manufacturing and in finance. So I think I have a wide breadth of experience, which I would hope would make it easier to find 1099 jobs.
Title: Re: Software development and going independent (1099)
Post by: jpo on April 11, 2014, 03:06:04 PM
My company only works with a set list of contracting firms. Hard to get your foot in the door as 1099 unless you are a rock star.

If you can swing it, go for it.
Title: Re: Software development and going independent (1099)
Post by: Mister Fancypants on April 11, 2014, 03:34:20 PM
I've done both W2 and contract work, most of the contract work was earlier in my career, now I need the benefits, married mortgage and kids.

Don't do 1099 you leave to much on the table, do Corp to Corp much better rates and better write offs. Also a lot more opportunities.

I pretty much work in the same stack as you .Net full life cycle with a web centric focus, I am always in the finance space. There is plenty of opportunity if you are willing to jump around and take lots of short term gigs and are ok with breaks in work while find new jobs. How that equals out in the end is the end game.

Good luck!
-Mister FancyPants