The independent workforce continues to grow and mature, even as the economy continues to rebound and the unemployment rate declines, according to MBO Partners, the nation's largest provider of business services and tools to the self-employed and companies who engage them.

According to the 2017 State of Independence in America Report, the total number of self-employed Americans aged 21 and above rose to 40.9 million in 2017, up 2.8 percent from 2016. Independents, who now represent about 31 percent of the U.S. civilian labor force, are distributed across every demographic, age, gender, skill, and income group.

Want to learn more about the independent workforce? Check out the infographic from MBO Partners, or read up on the latest from BenefitsPRO:

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