A Vote for the Gig Worker

Get paid to do right by yourself and if you have employees, help those who help breathe life into your brand.  This year ushered in the SECURE Act and California legalized the gig worker structure where companies like Uber and Lyft do not have to squeeze themselves back into the employer-employee work model.  Technology is breaking shackles around mindsets and ushering in new perspectives.  A few years ago, when I did a rail trip across America into Canada, Uber and Zip Car enabled my family’s exploratory excursions when we would hop off the train.  We did not have to lose precious time standing in a rental car line or waiting for taxi dispatch to come through.  The variety of drivers by gender and age we encountered in services like Uber demonstrated how many would want to work if able to dictate their availability.

Legislatures asked the people in California if they preferred the protections put in place for employees over the freedom of deciding daily where and when they want to convert their life hours into work hours.   That independence to work as you want to work also means you must plan for your retirement.  The onus is on you – that freedom brings responsibility.   The SECURE Act pays you tax credits over a multi-year period just to encourage you to set up a plan for saving toward your retirement and if you have employees, you get more money.  Tax credits mean money that stays in your pocket and not Uncle Sam’s.  Luckily, there is a nice variety of ways to accomplish this and finding the right size retirement plan is key.  If you already have one in place, it may be time to re-assess if it is still a good fit or time to adjust to your current needs.  For a complementary assessment, reach out to me and I will be happy to help.