CSCareerQuestions

I'm looking for more flexibility in my work

Being self employed is great for that.

and getting out of parts of the corporate culture that I have grown to dislike.

And worse for that, since self employed developers have to do a lot of sales and contract work - and also have to navigate all of the sales and contract bullshit of each customer.

One approach is to do a year or two with a development contracting firm, to see how it suits your tastes, and learn the ropes.

I did, and I was glad to get close enough to learn the ropes and discover I didn't care for it, before leaping in headlong. I might still try it again as a post-retirement gig, at some point.

Source: perspectives from independent contractor developer peers and my own time joining and then running a development consulting practice.

Most companies do not want to deal with independent contractors, there might even be some penalties for the company if the contractor screwes up their taxes.

Solution is go through on of the many consulting firms, they will deal with the paper work, might even try to match you with a job and take a large cut of the pay.

If you want to go independent you'd need to have your own business. Your life will be in a constant state of stress of either no paid work, but still writing quotes and having meetings about potential work that never materialises, or too much work.