To: Len Roselli who wrote (71011 ) 1/12/1999 12:55:00 AM From: nihil Respond to of 186894
Try not to transgress the IRS -- Me too. That's the beauty of the first amendment. It is the only absolute lock. Read section IRS Code 501(c). But its really not necessary. If you know anything at all, you can establish a successful consulting firm in any city in the United States. If you know anything about computing, you are in like Flynn. If you can reliably boot windows three out of four tries, you are an expert. No professional should ever admit to being non- or un- employed, you are simply a consultant with the capacity to take on additional engagements ("gigs" is declasse'). Every book store is full of custom handbooks that will take you through the tax and incorporation problems. typically "How to Start a Small Business in Afghanistan-Bananastan." I am not retired and never will be, but then I'm a college professor so it's hard to tell the difference. I am obnoxious enough that any time I want to take time off, my employer is delighted (the wonders of tenure). I have accumulated months of full pay sick leave, and my executor has been instructed to keep my stinking corpse ventilating at least as long as the sick-leave pays my salary. I have employer paid medical insurance (Medicare) since age 65. I have studied problems of retirement and pensions all my life (my dissertation: Income and Employment of the Aged, Duke University, 1960: University Microfilms (I recommend strongly against reading this)). I have been laying for retirement since 1960, and even helped the government turn the rotten thieving private pension system before ERISA into the rotten, thieving bombed-out system we have now. If they had listened to my advice, they would have had a fully funded, privately invested, defined contribution system long ago. My advice -- wait. Hang on to you job for the moment. Learn something about your situation. Read some books. Then propose to your employer that you take over some of your duties as a consultant, with a (much higher) hourly billing rate, and no fringes. Work out a performance contract, guaranteeing your former employer a definable amout of results. Cut yourself a high degree of individual control of your work (its legally necessary any-way). Set up a trial period, with a review. Don't try to trap the co. into being fair. Its impossible. Companies are automatically unfair. Its their nature. Just be sure that the decision is made by someone high enough not to be jealous of you (and not by your replacement, f.i.). It is critical that you establish your self as a person of the greatest integrity and honor. Companies are so astonished when a consultant doesn't rip them off that they go out of their way to recommend you highly to others in order to keep you in town. Do nothing precipitate. The Service Corps of Retired Executives is full of guys who retired without plans for something to do. A consultant with a strong base consultancy is honored and can name his price for supplementary jobs. He doesn't need an office (just a web site) just a computer and a color printer. Make you business card a small folder (with Japanese writing on the back) so people can use it as a note card. Put your picture on it -- in sailing or mountain climbing togs (if you legs can stand it). Join some local branches of professional societies. Enjoy the lunches and meet people. If you are ignorant keep you mouth shut except to agree with people. Learn how to use the web to solve technical problems. Find some really ugly, bad smelling, smart young person to help you. Get rich! Have fun! Hire another person and have an IPO. But all that's ahead -- now you've got to get your employer to play along. Good luck! You are in the forefront of the wave of the future. Hang ten!