Buying software as an independent contractor

[Gene Kim-Eng]

If you are working an assignment as an employee of any 
company, whether it is the client being serviced or a third 
party such as an agency, your independent contractor status 
for that assignment is at risk.  It doesn't matter whether you 
are working as an employee of the client or of another 
company.  You don't want to be receiving W2s from 
*anyone* for any project you intend to claim 1099 status 
for.  

The only way to work through an agency and ensure 
independent status is if the agency provides services to
you, that is, it bills clients on your behalf and processes 
invoices and payments and charges you for the service, 
either as a flat fee or a percentage of the amounts handled.

Gene Kim-Eng


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Writers Book Mall" <steve at writersbookmall.com>

> One of the best ways I know of to maintain independent
> status to the benefit of all parties is to work
> through an agency. No, not that kind of agency. There
> are specialized agencies that are essentially payroll
> operations. They don't market you (and add a markup);
> you market yourself and bill through them as their
> employee. The fact that you are an employee of a
> third-party company is pretty clear evidence that you
> are not an employee of the client.
> 
> If anyone wants a recommendation of the agency I use,
> please let me know.