Freelancers Union

Freelancers Union is a national membership organization that supports independent workers, including actors, with health insurance resources, advocacy, and community. Membership is free and open to anyone who earns income through freelance, contract, or self-employed work.

The organization provides access to health insurance plan comparisons, dental and retirement benefits, and educational resources on topics like tax preparation, contract negotiation, and financial planning. Their annual freelancer survey produces valuable data on the freelance economy.

For actors who do not yet qualify for union health plans, Freelancers Union is a key resource for navigating the individual insurance marketplace. Their guides break down ACA plans, short-term coverage options, and supplemental insurance in plain language.

Membership is completely free. Insurance plans and other benefits are priced independently, but the guidance and comparison tools provided by the organization cost nothing to use.

Every actor is a freelancer, and Freelancers Union advocates for the policy changes that affect your livelihood, from healthcare access to payment protections. Joining takes minutes and connects you to a community of millions of independent workers. The organization has been instrumental in advocating for portable benefits, freelancer payment protection laws, and improved access to affordable healthcare for the self-employed. For actors who feel isolated in their freelance status, membership provides a sense of solidarity and collective voice that individual advocacy cannot achieve.

Freelancers Union membership is completely free, with no dues, subscription fees, or hidden costs. Health insurance plans accessed through the organization are priced at standard ACA marketplace rates, which vary by state, age, and income level but typically range from $200-800 per month for individual coverage before subsidies. Dental plans are available starting around $20-30 per month, and retirement savings tools are offered through partner providers at standard market rates. The educational webinars, tax guides, and financial planning resources are all included at no cost with your free membership. Compared to other freelancer support organizations or coworking communities that charge $20-100 per month for membership, Freelancers Union's free model is remarkably generous. For actors who do not qualify for SAG-AFTRA health benefits due to insufficient earnings, the insurance comparison tools alone are worth the few minutes it takes to sign up. The Freelance Isn't Free Act, which the organization helped pass in New York City and subsequently in other jurisdictions, provides legal protections for contract payment that directly benefit actors doing freelance work outside of union jurisdiction.

Every actor should join Freelancers Union simply because it is free, takes minutes to sign up, and provides resources that are genuinely useful for navigating the financial and logistical challenges of freelance life. It is particularly valuable for non-union actors and those who do not yet earn enough to qualify for SAG-AFTRA health benefits, as the insurance comparison tools and financial education resources fill a critical gap during the most financially vulnerable phase of an acting career. Actors who are new to freelance life and unfamiliar with quarterly estimated taxes, self-employment tax, or health insurance marketplaces will find the educational resources especially helpful as a starting point for understanding their financial responsibilities. If you are already a SAG-AFTRA member with qualifying earnings and full union benefits, Freelancers Union provides less incremental value, though the advocacy work and community still have merit. Pair Freelancers Union resources with the Actors Fund's financial assistance programs and SAG-AFTRA Foundation's educational offerings for the most comprehensive support system available to working actors. For actors who do significant non-union work, commercial freelance gigs, or work in related fields like voiceover, modeling, or content creation, the freelancer payment protection resources are particularly relevant and can help you avoid getting stiffed on invoices.

Sign up using your professional email and take 20 minutes to explore the full resource library immediately after joining, as many members sign up and never discover the depth of tools available beyond the initial welcome email. Use the health insurance comparison tools during open enrollment each November through January, even if you currently have coverage, to verify you are on the most cost-effective plan for your income level and healthcare needs. Download the tax preparation guide at the beginning of each year and set up a system for tracking freelance income and deductible expenses throughout the year rather than scrambling at tax time. Attend at least one Freelancers Union webinar or community event per quarter to stay current on policy changes and financial best practices that affect your freelance income. Set up a separate business bank account for your acting income and expenses, following the financial management advice in the Freelancers Union guides, as this single step dramatically simplifies tax preparation and gives you a clear picture of your business finances. If you receive the Freelance Isn't Free Act protections in your jurisdiction, keep written contracts for all freelance work and file a complaint through the designated city agency if a client fails to pay within 30 days of the agreed payment date, using Freelancers Union's template complaint forms as a starting point.