Consultant & Independent Contractor Agreements

I bought this book strictly for the independent contractor agreement template it contained. (I figured it was cheaper than consulting an attorney for the boilerplate contract I needed.)I discovered that in addition to the contract--make that contracts (plural) because there are many contracts for different types or contractors, plus general contracts to use when the specific contracts don't fit--there are tips and guidelines for working with ICs (independent contractors), and if YOU are the IC, there are tips for working with clients.There are checklists to help protect you so that the IRS is less likely to re-characterize the IC status as an employee status, which both the IC and the client absolutely do NOT want to happen.Another couple of thoughts about the contracts: First, most contracts come in two versions. Use one version if you're the IC and you want to have your client sign the agreement. Use the other version if you're the client and you want to have your IC sign the agreement. The versions are mostly the same, and they're both equitable and fair to both parties, but one favors the IC and the other favors the client. For example, in the section of the agreements that talk about how the client will pay, the client version says something like, "Client shall pay $xxx.xx upon completion of the project." But the IC's version says "Client shall pay $xxx.xx upon completion of the project," then it goes on to say, "Payment shall be made within ___ days, and late fees shall apply after that," etc.The second observation is that all the contracts are easily downloadable from the Internet. You don't have to manually type them. You simply adapt the Rich Text Format documents (compatible with Word, recent editions of WordPerfect, and most other word processors) by filling in blanks and choosing among various alternative terms. Even if you download the book in Kindle format, which I did, you still have full access to the online templates. They really are a breeze to use, and make drawing up professional, legally sound contracts a snap.I've been using Nolo ever since the very early 1970s (they were founded in 1971, and went by the name Nolo Press back then). Their books--and I've used nearly a dozen, are clearly written with straightforward suggestions, including suggestions of when you really should contact a lawyer. And to state the obvious: Having an attorney review a document you've prepared based on Nolo's templates will almost always be less money out of your pocket than having your lawyer draft the agreement for you. Plus, because of Nolo's thorough explanations, you'll understand your documents much more thoroughly, to the point you really feel like you "own" the concepts. You'll never again have to say, "I dunno. My attorney just said 'Sign this.'"

I bought the book with the intention of using the downloadable forms. The book does not meet my needs.

Book is detailed but links to downloadable forms do not work.

There are bare outlines. Hire a lawyer who will provide you with an agreement that actually states what you need it to state. You also need an attorney to ensure the contracts meet all of the state requirements.