Starting a freelance business in the US: first 30 days checklist

This checklist covers the admin side of going freelance, not how to find clients. It's written for US sole proprietors, links to the IRS and SBA for the rules, and to our own guides and tools for each step. More on picking and pricing the tools themselves is in our tools and costs series. Choosing an LLC or S corporation is a legal and tax decision we leave to the SBA's guide and your accountant.

The 30-day checklist

Do I need an EIN as a freelancer?

Not if you're a sole proprietor with no employees: you can use your Social Security number on W-9s and at the bank, per the SBA. Many freelancers get an EIN anyway so they don't hand their SSN to every client. As of October 18, 2026, the IRS online application is free and issues the number immediately when you're eligible; you must finish it in one session. The IRS warns not to pay a third-party site for one. A sole proprietor puts their own name on line 1 of the application and the business name on line 2.

Registering a business name

A sole proprietorship doesn't need a state filing to exist. If you work under a name other than your legal name, most states require a DBA (also called an assumed, trade or fictitious name), filed with the state, the county clerk or the city depending on where you live, according to the SBA. A DBA doesn't protect the name as a trademark or separate your personal liability.

Licenses are a separate question. Some cities and counties require a general business license or a home occupation permit even for a one-person service business, and some professions need a state license. The SBA's registration page points to state and local offices; your city's website usually lists what applies to a home-based business.

Taxes in the first month

• Clients who pay you $2,000 or more in a calendar year report it on Form 1099-NEC, for payments made after December 31, 2025 (IRS). They'll ask for a W-9 before the first payment.
• If you expect to owe at least $1,000 in federal tax for the year after withholding, you pay estimated tax. The 2026 due dates are April 15, June 15 and September 15, 2026, and January 15, 2027 (IRS Form 1040-ES). The quarterly estimated taxes guide explains the safe harbor rules.
• Self-employment tax applies on top of income tax; the self-employment tax calculator gives you a number for your first quarter.
• Keep receipts from day one. IRS Publication 583 covers what records a new business should keep.

Setting up the tools in SoloWOS

The tool steps (contract, proposal, booking page, invoicing, expenses) can live in one SoloWOS account: send invoices clients pay by card through your own Stripe account, publish a booking page, send your contract for signature and log expenses with receipts. Basic starts with a 14-day free trial that needs a card and becomes $2/month unless you cancel before it ends; Solo costs $15/month when you need more. If you'd rather start with free tools, free plans compared lists what each one allows.