Guides

Practical guides for US freelancers and consultants: invoicing as a 1099 contractor, quarterly estimated taxes, W-9s, deductions, contracts, pricing and getting paid on time. Tax and legal facts are checked against IRS and statute sources, and each guide lists them at the end.

• How to write a freelance proposal clients say yes toHow to write a freelance proposal: pin down the scope, price it in a line-item table, set terms and a timeline, and follow up within a few days.
• How to track billable hours and turn them into an invoiceHow to track billable hours by project as a freelancer, check them once a week and turn them into an invoice without rebuilding timesheets.
• Are electronic signatures legal?An overview of e-signature law: the U.S. ESIGN Act and UETA, EU eIDAS signature levels, documents that usually can't be e-signed, and audit trails.
• How to invoice as a 1099 contractorWhat a 1099 contractor invoice needs, which payment terms to set, when clients ask for a W-9 and the new $2,000 Form 1099-NEC threshold for 2026.
• Quarterly estimated taxes for freelancers in 20262026 estimated tax due dates, the safe harbor rules that prevent a penalty and a worked example of how a freelancer calculates each quarterly payment.
• W-9 form for freelancers: when clients ask and how to fill it outWhen clients ask freelancers for a Form W-9, how to fill out each line as a sole proprietor or LLC, and how to send it without exposing your SSN.
• Independent contractor agreement: what to includeWhat an independent contractor agreement should cover: scope, payment, IP, termination and state freelancer laws, with a free outline to copy.
• How to get clients to pay on timeHow freelancers get paid on time: net terms, deposits, late fees within the law, reminder emails to copy and what to do when an invoice is overdue.
• How to price a freelance projectHow to price a freelance project: find your rate, estimate hours by task, add a buffer and pick hourly, fixed or value pricing, with worked examples.
• Freelance tax deductions checklist for 2026A 2026 checklist of freelance tax deductions: home office, mileage at 72.5 and 76 cents, software, health insurance, retirement, meals and records.
• How to send a proposal clients accept and signHow to send a freelance proposal clients accept and sign: what to include, how e-signatures work under ESIGN, when to follow up and what comes next.
• Client onboarding checklist for freelancersA client onboarding checklist for freelancers: intake, discovery call, signed contract, deposit, billing details, kickoff and a welcome email to copy.
• How to take payment when clients bookHow to charge clients when they book a call or session: full price or deposit, refund window, time to pay and Stripe setup, step by step in SoloWOS.
• Connect SoloWOS to Claude or ChatGPTConnect SoloWOS to Claude or ChatGPT with one URL, then ask who owes you or draft an invoice in plain words. Steps, access levels and example prompts.