There’s never been a better time to be your own boss. Really. But the freelance life does present some challenges on the benefits and insurance front.

While the days of full-time 9-5 jobs aren’t going away anytime soon, the freelance business is establishing a notable foothold in the U.S. In 2005, the number of people who had “alternate work arrangements” — which is to say freelancers, contract workers and the like — stood at 10.1 percent. By the end of last year, they made up 15.8 percent of the nation’s workforce, according to a joint study from Princeton and Harvard universities.

Read more at MassMutual: The freelancers benefit checklist