Mandad3s

Is there any such thing as the above?
I'm trying to find a workaround.
My husband (like most people I expect) can earn much more money as a contract worker than a permanent employee.
However self insuring would be prohibitive.
Is there any such thing as a collective of contract workers that are able to negotiate lower healthcare packages in the way big companies do?
Thank you for you help and any other suggestions you may have...
Amanda

Michael

You've already been advised in a previous post that the only thing available is ACA. The cost is based solely on age, whether someone smokes, and their income (no subsidy for higher earners) and not on someone's health.

https://www.healthcare.gov/

Although self employed often make more money, they lose benefits including health, dental, and eye care insurance, vacation, holidays, 401K matching contributions, life insurance, and also have to pay the employers part of FICA but they often get to write off expenses that someone working for an employer can't write off. Therefore unless someone can make at least 40%-50% more and can guarantee full time work, it often is financially better to be an employee.

Duncan Roberts

That's one of the main reasons they can earn more than permanent employees. That and the taxes bring the wages down considerably.

Mandad3s

Thanks for the replies.
We've been desperately number crunching and are finding that our finances (contract here, or permanent there due to healthcare costs) would work out fairly similar to the UK which is a shame as we had always thought we would be better off "over there".
Of course that isn't taking the weather into account...

Michael

What type of work is he doing and where would you plan to live? Just like then UK, the cost of living, salaries, and employment opportunities vary greatly throughout the US.

Mandad3s

Hi Michael,
My husband is an programmer specialising in E-Commerce, working mainly in asp .net, c# he has various Microsoft certifications inc. scrum master.
We would be planning on living in NC. - exact area dependent on career availability.

Michael

That is a relatively inexpensive area but the pay and opportunities won't compare to the Silicon Valley. However for High Tech opportunities, Raleigh/Durham is probably similar to Phoenix, Austin, and Boston.