Following this step-by-step checklist will mean that you can write your contract with confidence: Know your parties. Agree on the terms. Set clear boundaries. Spell out the consequences. Specify how you will resolve disputes. Cover confidentiality. Check the legality of the contract. Open it up to negotiation.
The independent contractor should complete the W-9 and return it to the business with other requested information. When should the Form W-9 be completed? Contractors should complete it at the start of their working relationship with a company.
The agreement should have an introductory paragraph outlining who is the client and who is the service provider. It should contain the legal names of both parties, the date, and the physical addresses of each party.
Some states like Alaska and Washington require all independent contractors to obtain business licenses. Others vary by county or city, like in California.
What Documents Are Needed to Legally Establish Independent Contractor Status? Get a Form W-9. The first step to working with an independent contractor is getting a W-9 form. Agree on the agreement. Request an invoice. Finally, the 1099-NEC.
An independent contractor agreement is a contract that lays out the terms of the independent contractor's work. It covers the contractual obligations, scope, and deadlines of the work to be performed. It affirms that the client and contractor are not in an employer-employee relationship.
A contractor agreement should describe the scope of work, contract terms, contract duration, and the confidentiality agreement. It should also include a section for the two parties to sign and make the agreement official. If the contract doesn't meet these requirements, it may be inadmissible in a court of law.
Self-employment Profit and Loss Statement or Ledger documentation (the most recent quarterly or year-to-date profit and loss statement, or a self-employment ledger). It must contain: The person's first and last name and company name. Dates covered and the net income from profit/loss.
The general rule is that an individual is an independent contractor if the person for whom the services are performed has the right to control or direct only the result of the work and not what will be done and how it will be done. If you are an independent contractor, then you are self-employed.
People such as doctors, dentists, veterinarians, lawyers, accountants, contractors, subcontractors, public stenographers, or auctioneers who are in an independent trade, business, or profession in which they offer their services to the general public are generally independent contractors.