Creating and Selling Digital Products

Many freelancers believe inflation is just a distant line in government reports, something that barely dents their day-to-day hustle. If you find yourself thinking, “It’s just a few extra dollars at the store,” you are not alone. Yet behind those small changes is a slow but steady force that can quietly chip away at your financial security, often without immediate warning signs. Here’s a fact that may surprise you. Data from the 2025 Freelancer Rates Report shows that while rates have gone up slightly on average, many freelancers adjust their pricing less than once per year, often falling behind the real cost of living. If you skipped a rate adjustment, you are already ma…

Effective bookkeeping is the basis of any thriving small business. Correct financial records offer crucial insights into a business’s financial health, enabling sustainable growth and the ability to make informed decisions. However, numerous small business owners, managing several responsibilities, usually make common bookkeeping mistakes that could create cash flow problems, financial discrepancies, and tax issues. Knowing these mistakes and understanding how to avoid them is vital for preserving the financial integrity of your small business. #1 Mixing Business and Personal Finance Let’s begin with one of the worst common mistakes of DIY small business accounting: mixi…

Freelancing gives you creative freedom, but it also means you’re solely responsible for your finances. If you’re a designer, writer, consultant, stylist, or any kind of creative solopreneur, the following strategies will help you keep your money working for you — without the fluff. Build a Real Emergency Fund An emergency fund cushions you against surprise expenses such as medical bills, client payment delays, or sudden equipment replacement. A practical guideline is to save three to six months of living expenses. One effective way to build this fund is to treat your contribution like a monthly bill; set aside a fixed amount each month until you reach the target. Aim for …

If you’re like most freelancers, many of your best clients come from referrals, word of mouth, and your network. But this is a recipe for feast-and-famine months. Your network is finite. If something unexpected happens — like a client has to reduce your hours or end a contract early — you could have a dip in income without a warm pipeline of high-quality leads. If you’ve never done proactive marketing and lead generation before, you’re not alone. Freelancers and consultants often come to me after three, five, even ten successful years in business because their referrals dry up and they realize they never built a proactive marketing strategy. Believe me, I’ve heard it all.…

The U.S. Department of Education (DOE) recently announced a delay in resuming wage garnishment for borrowers with defaulted federal student loans. This offers temporary breathing room if you are a freelancer with such a loan. The following summarizes this new development and how freelancers can use this delay student loan garnishment to get ahead of potential financial strain and avoid the negative implications of garnishment. As you may be aware, when garnishment hits your radar it has strong potential to disrupt cash flow, jeopardize your tax planning and create other financial challenges. What’s Behind the DelayThe Department of Education has been working to transitio…

The other day, I was cleaning out my storage unit and I stumbled upon a pile of cassette tapes. All of them were my very first voice over demo that I produced way back in 1995. As I held one of them in my hand, I realized that this piece of plastic is a relic. It also dawned on me that this year marks my 30th anniversary as a freelance voice actor. Thirty years?! Wow. It feels like both a lifetime and the blink of an eye all at once. I’ve gone from booking studio time by the hour to editing mp3 auditions on my laptop from a hotel room closet. The technology has changed, trends have come and gone, but the core principles of building a lasting freelance voice over career? T…

The One Big Beautiful Bill has introduced a series of tax reforms designed to simplify the filing process and provide targeted relief to key taxpayer demographics. One of the most notable changes is the significant increase in the standard deduction for seniors—those aged 65 and older. This adjustment has the potential to make a meaningful difference for retirees and older adults living on fixed incomes, offering a straightforward way to reduce taxable income without the need for the itemization of each deduction. Under previous tax law, seniors received a modest increase in their standard deduction compared to younger taxpayers. While helpful, the bump was relatively sma…

Next week, the Freelancers Union will mark a major milestone: We’re turning the big 3-0. Obviously, the world is much different than it was 30 years ago, and by extension, so is the business of freelancing. Freelancers are nimble by nature, and just as the last three decades have forced freelancers to navigate a constantly shifting media, tech, and economic landscape, the Freelancers Union, too, has grown and changed. In the spirit of navigating change and getting back up again, even after you’ve been knocked down, we asked freelancers to share some of the “mistakes” they’ve made over the course of their freelance careers. Our members kindly shared their stories, as seen …

Not sure what to get the freelancer in your life for the holidays? Do you want to show them you support the independent path they’re on? We’ve created for you the Ultimate 2025 Freelancers Gift Guide, with gifts that will help empower the freelancer you’re shopping for in their work, and help them take a well-earned break when they need it. And as a bonus — all of these gifts are created and sold by freelancers and small businesses themselves! For the New FreelancerMutualism written by Freelancers Union founder, Sara HorowitzBreak Up With Your Job hat, from our friends at Freelancing Females99 Classics headphones by Meze AudioFor the Work-From-Home WarriorMain Character C…

One of the most challenging parts of freelancing is figuring out what you’re going to do about healthcare. Unlike traditional workplaces, which provide employees with healthcare plans, freelancers typically do not receive insurance plans from their clients. This can often leave freelancers in a precarious position, forcing them to pay high out-of-pocket prices for health insurance plans, relying on a partner’s employer healthcare coverage, or in certain cases, forgoing insurance entirely. New legislation seeks to change this, clearing barriers for clients to disperse money into an independent worker’s account to use for healthcare and other benefits like time off. These a…

If you are a freelancer who gives to charity, there’s good news: recent legislation has reshaped how charitable contributions are treated under federal tax law. The Charitable Act (S.317) and the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB), both passed in 2025, introduce new opportunities for tax deductions—especially for those who do not itemize—and new limits for high-income donors. Here is what you need to know to make the most of your giving strategy starting in 2026. A new deduction for non-itemizers: Under the Charitable Act, taxpayers who take the standard deduction can now claim a charitable deduction for cash donations to qualified charities. This is a significant shift from t…

Recently, I led a special workshop in partnership with Freelancers Union called RESET: Reconnect With Your Creative Self. It wasn’t about doing more. It wasn’t about productivity hacks. It was about honesty. Once the room felt safe enough to be real, something powerful happened: We named the kind of stuck that doesn’t budge. Not the “I need to plan better” kind—but the kind that makes you wonder: Why can’t I move forward?What am I even doing?Is it me—or is the world just too much right now?The RESET MomentSo we moved. We danced. We breathed. Not to perform—but to remember: Underneath all the noise, there’s still a pulse. A voice.A reason you began.RESET isn’t about fixing…

We talk a lot about how to make sure your clients pay you, fairly and on time. Sometimes, though, the people who are hiring you for your talent and services are not clients, companies, or businesses as we traditionally conceive of them — they’re your fellow freelancers. Whether it’s being hired by a photographer to style a shoot, writing for a friend’s blog, or even performing on a comedy show, it’s important to set expectations, communicate clearly, and follow through. Set clear expectations from the beginning No matter who you’re working for, in whichever capacity it is (and yes, performing counts as work) it’s important to know from the outset if it’s a paid opportunit…

On July 4, 2025, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (Public Law 119-21) was enacted, introducing significant new deductions that can benefit freelance and self-employed individuals. Below are some key quick tips based on the most relevant provisions, along with some initial guidance for maximizing potential tax benefits. As always, it is best to consult a tax professional if you have questions and to consider adjusting your tax plan when warranted: Tip 1: Deduction for Qualified Tips May Ease Tax Burden for Gig Workers Effective from 2025 through 2028, taxpayers in occupations recognized by the IRS as regularly receiving tips may deduct up to $25,000 annually in qualified tip…

The Freelancers Union and Freelancers Hub are proud to once again present our Freelancers Hub art show, this time highlighting work focused on Cityscapes and Architecture. Join us for the Opening Reception on September 10 to celebrate the incredible work created by the members of our community. RSVP today. All events at the Freelancers Hub are made possible thanks to the support of NYC Mayors office of Media and Entertainment. Featured Artists Alex KorolkovasSee more of their art Bio: Alex Korolkovas was born and raised in São Paulo, Brazil, and considers himself an artist first, photographer second. Moving to Los Angeles in 1992, he refined his craft at the Art Center Co…

This post was produced in collaboration with Hustle Culture, a free Substack newsletter. Every freelancer brings a unique mix of technical and creative expertise to the table, but most of us share two key skills: self-discipline and time management. Without those, working for yourself can look like long, slow days on the couch or weeks jam-packed with endless tasks. I’ve fallen into both of those modes, but over time I’ve developed a formula that helps me create a manageable and productive weekly schedule. It’s difficult for me to sit and focus on one task for many hours at a time. Instead, I break up my days and weeks into dedicated blocks for each of my weekly obligati…

Every year, freelancers unintentionally hand the IRS more money than they need to simply because they overlook deductions they’re fully entitled to claim. This breakdown of the 14 key business deductions to be aware of is designed to help you avoid revenue-boosting blind spots on your freelance business tax return before you file. It’s easy to miss expenses that qualify as business deductions because the tax code is complex and constantly shifting. This is why it is important to be aware of changes that may affect your freelance return and work with a tax professional who can help you identify additional opportunities to reduce your taxable income and maximize any refund…

The door for Open Enrollment will begin in most states on November 1. If you’re choosing your healthcare through the government’s marketplace, November through January is your opportunity to enroll in one of these healthcare plans. Exact deadlines vary state by state, so be sure to double check the pertinent dates for your location. While we don’t yet know what the outcome will be of the fight to extend the Affordable Care Act tax subsidies, we do know it’s important to be educated and informed of your options, including what health plans are available via our partners. Take this quiz to determine which health plan is right for you and read on below to learn more about ea…

“I just get really anxious saying no, sometimes,” a client shared with me recently. As a career coach I often hear this sentiment from clients who are struggling to maintain their professional boundaries. Past experiences where saying ‘no’ was met with rebuke or criticism, have made many of us very cautious with this word. Some of us avoid it altogether. For us freelancers, this disconnect from our ‘no’ can be especially destabilizing: we’ll take on projects we know are not a good fit, appease clients who make unreasonable requests, or accept unethical behavior from our associates. As this kind of misalignment grows, our energy drains. And as these burdens lead us into p…

Artists are freelancers — among the most underpaid and structurally unsupported. What happens in the arts is a mirror of what happens across the entire freelance economy. Why Art Matters Without art, we lose what makes us human. Art generates meaning, but what is less acknowledged is that meaning is the foundation of what we choose to invest in. Without meaning, any possibility of sustainable profit collapses. Growth Requires Resources Making art demands growth. Growth requires resources. Ask a corporate worker to leave a stable 9–5 to start their own business and see how destabilizing that transition can be. Ask an author what it takes to write a book. Art requires this…

This post is brought to you by our partners at TaxAct and was first posted on their blog. If you and your significant other are living together without being married, you probably share many expenses. One of you may even be financially supporting the other. In such a scenario, you may wonder if you can claim your girlfriend or boyfriend as a dependent on your tax return to take advantage of any tax benefits. Claiming a dependent on your taxes can lower your taxable income, but does your significant other count as a dependent? Here are the facts on how you could claim a domestic partner on your tax return, according to the IRS dependent rules. What are the tax benefits of …

If you’re a freelancer earning income through a business entity and living in a high-tax state like New York, understanding the Pass-Through Entity Tax (PTET) and its role in offsetting federal tax limitations could directly impact your bottom line. This is especially true with the recent passage of The President’s One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) which provides sweeping tax reform and expanded tax advantages at both the state and federal levels. Now is the time for freelancers to explore the benefits of strategic entity structuring and SALT workarounds. What Is PTET?The PTET is a state-level workaround created in response to the State and Local Tax (SALT) deduction cap impl…

Whether you’re self-employed or employed and work in a tipped profession, there is a new opportunity to lower your federal income tax bill—thanks to the newly enacted 'One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA).' For the first time, qualifying freelancers can deduct up to $25,000 in tips from their taxable income starting in tax year 2025, but as of right now, this deduction only qualifies until 2028. But before you celebrate, let’s unpack what this means and how to make it work for you. What’s New Under 'OBBBA' The “No Tax on Tips” provision applies to federal income tax only. That means while you can deduct tips from your taxable income, they still count toward your self-employ…