The modern world offers a lot of opportunities for people with opportunities in the business space and overall career aspect. More disabled people are coming into the entrepreneurship and self-employment world becoming self-reliant. Working for someone else can be challenging and pose many issues for people with disabilities. Self-employment is the better choice that allows disabled people to work on their own terms and as per their needs and comfort. Starting your own business can offer you greater financial freedom and life satisfaction compared to working at a company owned by someone else. Here are the best resources that can get you started toward a life of fulfillment:
1. Starting your own business
With so many opportunities around, you can easily find an industry to do your own business. But there are so many things that you need to take care of when you start your own venture. Thankfully, there are various resources that can help you with registering and forming your business strategies.
- US Small Business Administration. You can get the information on how to legally register and start your business, what you need for registration, and contacts of local, state, and federal agencies are available on the site.
- Chamber of Commerce for Persons with Disabilities, Inc. The official site of the Chamber also helps people with disabilities to grow their businesses.
- JAN. Job Accommodation Network has various resources such as articles, blog posts, publications, and events for people with disabilities.
2. Benefits provided by the Government
- Internal Revenue Service. This site provides appropriate formats for needed IRS documents such as large print, Braille-ready files, browser-friendly HTML, and more.
- The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Small business owners and people with disabilities can get access to the fact sheet on tax provisions on the site.
- Tax benefits for businesses that have disabled employees. You can find information about the tax credits and deductions for those who hire disabled people on this page.
- Disability grants. You can find the list of business grants that are provided to people with disabilities on this link.
3. Business plan
A proper business plan can help you be guided through the entire business establishing process so that you don’t miss anything.
- Writing a business plan. On this page, you will find a guide on how to write a business plan with examples.
- Business structure. A business structure is vital for your tax identity. You can get all the information about which tax forms different business structures needs on this site.
4. Self-employment
Becoming self-employed has its pros and cons. You need to know about the resources that can help you become self-employed:
- Know about self-employment from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This site offers a guide on self-employment, its pros and cons, and valuable tips for becoming an entrepreneur.
- Become self-sufficient. This is a downloadable guide that offers details about how to introduce entrepreneurship into youth programs and young people with disabilities.
- Self-employment for disabled people. This project of the Office of Disability Employment Policy lets people with disabilities identify various policies that help disabled people to set up their own businesses.
5. Vocational training
Starting your own business requires you to possess different skills based on your industry. Vocational training can come in handy for people with disabilities wanting to learn certain skills.
- Ticket to Work Program. This is a free and voluntary program under the office of social security that helps disabled people learn skills that will help them gain financial independence.
- MRC. The Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission gives disabled youths various vocational training, disability benefits, and transition services.
People with disabilities need to research the various resources and programs that can help them start their own businesses and get them one step ahead towards a life of financial independence.
