💡 1185 things they never taught you in school
Breaking into tech, freelancing, and building marketable skills.
If you’re doing gig work or contract jobs and your income suddenly disappears, unemployment benefits aren’t available to you. But there’s a catch that could change everything.
If you’re a U.S. citizen freelancing abroad and keeping money in a foreign bank account, there are reporting rules you probably never heard of — and ignoring them can cost you big.
A client can claim your work was ‘unauthorized,’ file a chargeback with their bank, and walk away with both your work AND their money — and if you don’t have a contract and paper trail, there’s almost nothing you can do about it.
You did the work. You sent the invoice. Then your client files for bankruptcy — and suddenly you’re at the back of a very long line. Here’s what actually happens to your money.
Getting paid as a freelancer isn’t guaranteed — even after you deliver the work. One dispute from a client can freeze your money, and the burden of proving you did the job right falls on you.
Most people assume you can always change your mind about a job — even after signing. You can’t always walk away clean, and in some cases, the company can come after you for real money.
If you’ve been freelancing for the same client for years, the IRS might decide you’re actually their employee — and that can get messy and expensive fast, for both of you.
If you’re a remote worker, where your company is headquartered doesn’t automatically mean their state’s rules protect you — and that could affect your paycheck, your breaks, and what happens if you get fired.
If the startup you work for gets acquired, your unvested stock options can be canceled — just like that. And if you leave, you might have only 90 days to buy your vested shares before they’re gone forever.
Most people don’t realize that where your laptop is sitting could legally matter just as much as where your company is based. Some states will send you a tax bill even if you never set foot in their office.
A client disputes a credit card charge and boom — the money you already earned disappears from your account, sometimes with a fee on top depending on the platform. Here’s what’s actually happening and what you can do about it.
Getting paid in stock options instead of real salary sounds exciting, but it’s genuinely a gamble. Most startup equity never pays out, and understanding why could save you from working for free.
If a company offers you stock as part of your pay, there’s a countdown clock attached to it — and if you leave at the wrong time, you walk away with nothing. Here’s how not to get burned.
If a company tells you when to show up, how to do your job, and controls your work — but calls you a ‘contractor’ to skip paying you benefits — that might be illegal. And you have real options.
Tech companies love offering stock options as part of your pay — but there’s a tax trap most people don’t see coming. You might owe real money to the IRS before you’ve made a single dollar.
If your freelance contract includes a royalty-free license, your client may legally keep using your work for as long as they want — no more payments, no asking permission, no expiration date. Here’s what that actually means before you sign anything.
Not just your work emails — employers can monitor your internet activity, screen, and location on a company device or network. If it’s their device or their Wi-Fi, they generally have the legal right to see what’s happening on it. Here’s what that actually means.
Reporting a vulnerability to a company sounds like doing the right thing. But without the right legal protection in place first, it can backfire badly.