> Was paying under $700 for the two of us.

What did this buy, though? That premium sounds like either a "health sharing ministry" or some kind of barebones catastrophic plan. Both are smart options if a person has good income and a financial cushion, but they're a much lesser coverage than what most big employers would provide.

> if 1099 is ~25% more than W-2, odds are pretty good you can do better on your own

I've used a wider margin as a rule of thumb when considering it in the past. I'll have to rerun numbers based on my current income and benefits.

> especially if you take advantage of the solo 401(k) to reduce your tax load.

That secret $54k deduction... probably the biggest benefit for anyone who is moderately high-income and retirement-minded.