Definition

Noun: A person who works for themselves, not as an employee of a company or organization. They earn their income by conducting a trade, business, or profession directly with clients or customers, rather than receiving a salary from a single employer. This status often involves managing one's own business, taxes, and workload.

Usage

This term is used to describe an individual's professional and legal working status. It emphasizes independence and direct responsibility for finding work and generating income.

Examples

• She became a self-employed person after leaving her corporate job to start her own consulting firm.
• As a self-employed person, he is responsible for filing his own quarterly taxes.
• Many freelancers and independent contractors are considered self-employed persons.

Advanced Usage

• Legal and Tax Context: The term is crucial for tax classifications, distinguishing individuals who must pay self-employment tax and handle their own deductions.
  • Example: On the tax form, you must check the box indicating you are a self-employed person.

Variants and Related Words

• Self-employed (adjective): Describing the state of working for oneself.
  • Example: She is a self-employed graphic designer.
• Self-employment (noun): The state or condition of being self-employed.
  • Example: Self-employment offers flexibility but also requires discipline.

Synonyms

• Freelancer
• Independent contractor
• Sole proprietor
• Own-account worker

Related Phrases

• To be self-employed: The common verbal phrase describing this status.
  • Example: I have been self-employed for five years.
• To work for oneself: A more informal way to express the same idea.
  • Example: He prefers to work for himself.

Noun

1. a writer or artist who sells services to different employers without a long-term contract with any of them