Review IP, payment, termination, and scope before you sign.
11 min readContract review checklist
| Section | Look for |
|---|---|
| Scope | Task list, hours, exclusions |
| Payment | Amount, currency, due date, late rule |
| Deposit | Upfront percent on projects |
| IP (intellectual property) | You keep rights until paid? Client gets license? |
| Termination | Notice, kill fee, final invoice |
| Revisions | Round limit, not "unlimited" |
| Confidentiality | Reasonable NDA, not forever gag on your portfolio |
| Liability | Cap at project fee, not unlimited |
Red flag clauses
- Work starts before payment with no deposit
- "Client owns all work product immediately" before you are paid
- Unlimited revisions and changes
- Net 60 or net 90 with no leverage
- Non-compete that blocks all future VA work
- "Contractor pays all disputes and legal fees"
You can ask to remove or rewrite. Many clients accept fair edits.
If you do not get a full contract
Send a one-page Statement of Work (SOW) email:
- Tasks and hour cap
- Rate and billing rhythm
- Payment method and due date
- Two revision rounds
- Files delivered after payment
Ask for "confirmed" reply. Better than a verbal yes.
See do virtual assistants need contract checklist.
SHIELD scan (quick)
Scope clear? Handoff/IP fair? Invoice terms OK? Escalation named? Limits on revisions? Dates and deposit set?
Common mistakes
| Mistake | Risk |
|---|---|
| Signing because "it's standard" | Standard for them, bad for you |
| Ignoring IP until end | Fight over files |
| No late payment clause | Chase forever |
| Google Doc never signed | No proof |
How Salag helps
- Agreement Builder: VA-friendly clause starters.
- Rate Calculator: know if payment terms match your floor.
- Request Clarifier: align contract scope with real tasks.
Move safer. Not faster.
In short
Before you sign, check six things: what you deliver, when you get paid, who owns the work, how either side can exit, revision limits, and who approves changes.
Not legal advice. When in doubt on big deals, ask a professional.
Common questions
Before you sign, check six things: what you deliver, when you get paid, who owns the work, how either side can exit, revision limits, and who approves changes. Not legal advice. When in doubt on big deals, ask a professional.
Read scope, payment, and who owns the work before you sign. Skip the fancy legal words at first; find the numbers and dates.
Ask for plain English summary if needed. Red flag if they rush sign without you reading.
You review every contract or send your own one-page terms for smaller jobs.
Propose edits on payment and scope clauses. Walk away if IP or payment is one-sided and they refuse talk.
Scan Scope, Handoff/IP, Invoice terms, Escalation, Limits, Dates/deposits.
Before signing: unlimited liability, work for hire with no pay, or net-90 payment with no deposit.
Yes. Email confirming "we agree to these terms" can supplement small jobs.
Agreement builder gives freelancer-friendly starting clauses.
Checklist, agreement builder, second pair of eyes from mentor.
Thirty minutes for a standard VA contract. More for large projects.
Retainers: hour cap, notice period. Projects: milestones, kill fee, IP on final payment.
Do not start without agreed terms on paper or confirmed email.