The Freelance Payment
Protection Checklist.

10 terms to check before you sign

Tick each term that is clearly written in the contract — not implied, not "we'll sort it out later." Anything you can't tick is a gap. Boxes are interactive on screen and stay ticked while this page is open.

1. 1 The parties are named correctly. Your legal name (or business entity) and the client's legal entity — not just a brand or a first name. The person signing has authority to bind the company.
2. 2 The scope of work is specific. Concrete deliverables and acceptance criteria, not "design work" or "ongoing support." If a court had to read it, it would know exactly what you promised.
3. 3 Milestones or phases are defined. For anything beyond a small one-off, the work is broken into stages so payment and progress are tied together — not all due at a vague "completion."
4. 4 Payment schedule and amounts are explicit. The fee or rate, when each payment is due (a date or trigger, e.g. "net 14 from invoice"), and how to invoice. A deposit up front is named, if any.
5. 5 There's a late-payment consequence. A late fee or interest on overdue amounts, and the right to pause work if payment is late. Without it, the client has no contractual reason to pay on time.
6. 6 Revisions are capped. A specific number of revision rounds included, and a clear rate or change-order process for anything beyond it. This is your defense against endless free "small changes."
7. 7 There's a kill fee / cancellation term. What you get paid for work already done if the client cancels partway. Notice period for ending the engagement, for either side.
8. 8 IP ownership transfers on full payment. Who owns the deliverable, and that ownership passes only when you're paid in full. Under 17 U.S.C. § 204(a), a copyright transfer must be in writing — so this has to be spelled out, not assumed.
9. 9 Confidentiality is defined — and lets you show your work. What's confidential and for how long, plus a carve-out so you can display the finished work in your portfolio (or a clear note that you can't, if the client requires it).
10. 10 Governing law and dispute resolution are named. Which state's law applies and how a disagreement gets handled (court, arbitration, or mediation-first). Without it, a small dispute can default to expensive, inconvenient litigation.

Not legal advice. This checklist is general information, not a substitute for a qualified attorney. Clausio is an AI-assisted drafting tool, not a law firm. For an agreement that matters, have an attorney review it. Citations are from publicly available primary sources, for educational reference only.