I'm Nicole Lapin, the only financial expert you don't need a dictionary to understand.

It's time for some money rehab.

Being self-employed can be awesome.

You have the freedom and perks that are unique to that entrepreneur life.

But this career also comes with more responsibility to your number one employee.

Yourself.

Not an email from a money rehabber who's new to the self-employment game and is wondering,

WTF do I do about planning for retirement?

Here he is.

Hey Nicole, my name's Ian and I got laid off from a media company job late last year and

since then I've been doing some freelance work.

My old company I had a 401k that they managed but now that I'm self-employed I'm not sure

about what I can do or what I should do to plan for my retirement.

Thanks.

Okay Ian, I'm going to be real with you as I always am.

Accounting stuff and retirement planning are two of the most complicated parts of being

self-employed.

They're kind of the worst but they're also both super important.

Think about it this way.

As a self-employed person you're hustling hard, you're building something awesome.

You can't forget about your future self in the process or what's it all for?

So quickly talking to my many reapers who aren't self-employed for a minute, you guys

...