The guide shelf
Short, opinionated, and paired with the calculator that does the math. No 3,000-word intros; the reasoning, the numbers, and the tool.
- 1099 vs W-2: the real take-home math Why dividing a salary by 2,080 hours is a trap, what employer benefits are actually worth, and the honest conversion in both directions.
- Freelance taxes: what to set aside from every invoice The real math behind the 30% rule, how quarterly payments work, and the safe-harbor trick that makes penalties impossible.
- How many billable hours are in a year? Fewer than you think The honest arithmetic from 2,080 theoretical hours down to the 1,100 to 1,300 a real freelancer sells, and why every rate depends on it.
- How to set your freelance rate (without guessing) A working method for pricing your work: cost floor, market ceiling, and the number you actually quote. With the math shown.
- Solo 401(k) vs SEP-IRA: which shelters more The 2025 contribution math for both plans, why the solo 401(k) usually wins below six figures, and the December deadline that catches everyone.
- Invoice like a professional (and get paid faster) What belongs on a freelance invoice, the terms that change payment behavior, and the follow-up cadence that works without burning bridges.