
Ask HN: Is there a good step by step guide to starting freelancing? - mcrittenden
I&#x27;m thinking about the logistics of it, so questions like:<p>- What do I do for health insurance (for US citizens)?<p>- Do I form an S Corp or LLC or what? How do I go about that?<p>- Do I need a lawyer? How do I find a good one?<p>- Do I need an accountant? How do I find a good one?<p>- How can I be sure that my contract protects me?<p>- What are some rules of thumb for how much money I need to set aside for dry spells, etc.?<p>- How do I decide between T&amp;M vs. project based vs. retainer billing?<p>Does anything like this exist? I&#x27;d love if it were community maintained but really I&#x27;d just be excited to find anything that guides you through things like that.
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kjksf
1\. Insurance: you buy it either via Obamacare exchange (e.g.
[https://www.coveredca.com/](https://www.coveredca.com/) in California) or buy
it directly from health insurer operating in your state. Use Google to find
one. If you can, buy Oscar Health.

2\. You don't need LLC or S Corp. You can form one if you like spending money
and filling out paperwork. Freelancers can operate as individuals.

3\. You don't need a lawyer. You can get one. Yelp.

4\. You don't need an accountant. You can get one. Yelp.

5\. Read the contracts. If you don't understand them, hire a lawyer to explain
them to you.

6\. 6 months of expenses, the more the better.

7\. By negotiating with your clients and balancing your needs with their
needs.

Want to know more?

* [https://www.amazon.com/Working-Yourself-Independent-Contract...](https://www.amazon.com/Working-Yourself-Independent-Contractors-Freelancers/dp/1413319815)

* [https://www.google.com/search?q=freelancing+guide+for+progra...](https://www.google.com/search?q=freelancing+guide+for+programmers)

