Been freelancing for a while now and I've seen the same mistakes over and over — people doing great work but getting burned because they skipped the paperwork.

Here are the 5 documents that have saved me (and my money) more times than I can count:

1. Service Agreement — Not just a handshake deal. Spell out scope, timeline, payment terms, and what happens if either side bails. This alone prevents 90% of client disputes.

2. Invoice Template — A professional invoice with your branding, payment terms, and late fee policy. Clients pay faster when it looks legit.

3. NDA (Non-Disclosure Agreement) — If you're touching anything proprietary — designs, strategies, data — get this signed before you start. Protects both sides.

4. W-9 / Tax Forms — Have these ready to go. Nothing kills momentum like a client asking for your W-9 and you scrambling to figure out what that even is.

5. Independent Contractor Agreement — Especially if you're subcontracting work. Defines the relationship clearly so nobody gets surprised at tax time.

Most people learn these lessons the hard way. Don't be most people.

I built Business Docs Repository to make this stuff dead simple — every template you need, ready to customize and download in minutes. No lawyer required.