What are the pros and cons of being paid under the table?

Question

Zippia Team · Accepted Answer

The biggest con of being paid under the table is that the employer and employee commit a crime, which means the job can get shut down or worse.

On top of this, you're not receiving any benefits like insurance and social security when you're getting paid under the table. After all, being paid under the table means you're not an employee on paper.

Alternatively, the big pro of being paid under the table is that you can receive your income in cash off the books and avoid paying taxes on it. There's no tax record when you're paid under the table. This is a prominent item in the pro column for some people, but it's still tax fraud, even on a small scale.