Legal Documents and Contracts Guide: Wills, Leases, Business Agreements, Letters and Forms

Wills, powers of attorney and health documents

• Legal documents

  Last Will and Testament: What It Should Include and How to Make It Valid

  A practical guide to the contents of a will, signing and witness rules, safe storage and when to use a lawyer instead of a template.

  4 min read
• Legal documents

  General Power of Attorney: Powers, Risks and Safeguards

  What a general power of attorney lets your agent do, why durability matters, risks of abuse and tips to make one safely.

  3 min read
• Legal documents

  Medical Power of Attorney: Choosing Someone to Make Health Decisions

  How a healthcare power of attorney works, who to choose as your agent and how to make it valid and available in an emergency.

  4 min read
• Legal documents

  Living Will Guide: Stating Your End-of-Life Medical Wishes

  What a living will covers, how it differs from a healthcare proxy, state forms and how to make sure doctors follow it.

  4 min read
• Legal documents

  Medical Records Release: HIPAA Authorizations and How to Request Records

  How to give someone permission to see your medical records, what an authorization must include and how to revoke it.

  3 min read
• Legal documents

  What Is an Affidavit? How to Write and Sign One

  An affidavit is a sworn written statement. Learn when it is used, what it must include and why notarization matters.

  4 min read
• Legal documents

  Affidavit of Heirship: Proving Who Inherits Without Probate

  What an affidavit of heirship is, when it is used to transfer property or accounts and its limits.

  3 min read

Housing, property and vehicles

• Legal documents

  Lease Agreement Guide: What to Include and Check Before Signing

  What a residential lease should contain, the key terms tenants and landlords should read closely and required disclosures.

  4 min read
• Legal documents

  Sublease Agreement Guide: Renting Out Your Rental Legally

  What a sublease agreement should include, landlord consent and the risks you stay responsible for when subletting.

  4 min read
• Legal documents

  Roommate Agreement: What to Put in Writing

  A roommate agreement splits rent, bills and house rules. Learn what to include and how it relates to the lease.

  3 min read
• Legal documents

  Rental Application Form: What Landlords Ask and What They Should Not

  What a rental application typically requires, fair housing limits on questions and how landlords can screen tenants fairly and legally.

  4 min read
• Legal documents

  Lease Termination Letter: How to End a Rental Properly

  What to include in a letter ending a lease, notice periods, delivery methods and how to protect your deposit.

  4 min read
• Legal documents

  Eviction Notice Guide: What a Valid Notice Must Contain

  What landlords must include in an eviction notice, common notice types and why using the right form and timing matters.

  4 min read
• Legal documents

  Quitclaim Deed Guide: Transferring Property Without Warranties

  How a quitclaim deed works, when families use one and the risks and limits that surprise people.

  4 min read
• Legal documents

  Types of Deeds: Warranty, Grant and Quitclaim Deeds Compared

  The main types of real estate deeds, the promises each makes and when each is used.

  4 min read
• Legal documents

  Lien Releases: How to Clear a Lien After You Pay

  What a lien release is, how to get one after paying a debt, why it matters for property and vehicle sales and what to do if a lender will not provide it.

  3 min read
• Legal documents

  Bill of Sale: When You Need One and What It Should Say

  A bill of sale records the transfer of personal property. Learn what to include and how it works for cars and other items.

  4 min read
• Legal documents

  Vehicle Bill of Sale: What to Include When Buying or Selling a Car

  The details a car bill of sale should contain, how it works with the title and DMV, and tips to protect both buyer and seller.

  4 min read
• Legal documents

  Vehicle Lease Agreements: Fees, Mileage Limits and Early Termination

  Key terms in a car lease agreement, mileage and wear charges, early termination costs, and tips for private vehicle leases.

  3 min read

Business contracts and agreements

• Legal documents

  Small Business Contracts Every Owner Needs: A Practical Checklist

  The essential contracts and legal documents most small businesses need, what each covers, and when to use templates versus a lawyer.

  4 min read
• Legal documents

  Service Agreement Guide: Protecting Both Provider and Client

  Key clauses in a service agreement for freelancers and small businesses, including scope, payment, warranties and termination.

  4 min read
• Legal documents

  Consulting Agreement Guide: Scope, Fees and Ownership

  Terms to include in a consulting agreement, such as scope, payment, confidentiality and intellectual property.

  5 min read
• Legal documents

  Independent Contractor Agreements: Terms and Classification Risks

  What to put in a contractor agreement and why the label alone does not decide whether someone is a contractor or an employee.

  3 min read
• Legal documents

  Employment Contract Guide for Small Employers

  What an employment agreement should include for a new hire, at-will language, compensation, confidentiality and legal compliance.

  4 min read
• Legal documents

  Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs): How They Work

  What an NDA covers, the difference between one-way and mutual agreements and the limits on what an NDA can do.

  4 min read
• Legal documents

  LLC Operating Agreement: What It Is and Why You Need One

  An operating agreement sets ownership, management and exit rules for an LLC, even for single-member companies.

  3 min read
• Legal documents

  Partnership Agreements: Protecting Business Partners

  What a partnership agreement should cover, how default partnership law works and why a written agreement matters.

  3 min read
• Legal documents

  Shareholder Agreements: Protecting Owners of a Small Corporation

  What a shareholder agreement covers, buy-sell clauses, voting rights, transfer limits and why co-owners should sign one early.

  4 min read
• Legal documents

  Commercial Lease Guide: Key Terms Before You Rent Business Space

  How commercial leases differ from residential leases, common terms such as NNN and personal guarantees, and what to negotiate.

  4 min read
• Legal documents

  Licensing Agreements: Letting Others Use Your Work, Brand or Product

  How a licensing agreement works, exclusive and non-exclusive licenses, royalties, term and territory, and protecting your intellectual property.

  3 min read
• Legal documents

  Selling or Buying a Small Business: What the Purchase Agreement Should Cover

  Asset sale versus stock sale, key terms in a business purchase agreement, due diligence, non-compete clauses and common pitfalls.

  3 min read

Letters, releases and settlements

• Legal documents

  How to Write a Demand Letter That Gets Results

  A demand letter formally asks someone to pay or act before you sue. Learn what to include and how to send it.

  3 min read
• Legal documents

  Cease and Desist Letters: What They Are and How to Respond

  What a cease and desist letter can and cannot do, when people send one and what to do if you receive one.

  3 min read
• Legal documents

  Settlement Agreement Guide: Documenting a Deal to End a Dispute

  What goes into a settlement agreement and release, payment terms, confidentiality, dismissal and mistakes to avoid.

  4 min read
• Legal documents

  Liability Waivers and Releases: When They Work and When They Do Not

  How liability waivers function for gyms, events and activities, the limits courts place on them and tips for drafting and signing.

  4 min read
• Legal documents

  Hold Harmless Agreements: What You Are Really Agreeing To

  What a hold harmless or indemnity clause means, when it is used, limits on enforceability and what to check before signing.

  3 min read
• Legal documents

  Model Release Forms: When You Need Permission to Use Someone's Image

  When a model or photo release is needed, what it should say, commercial versus editorial use and tips for photographers and creators.

  3 min read
• Legal documents

  Promissory Note Guide: Putting a Personal Loan in Writing

  How a promissory note works, what terms to include for loans between friends, family or businesses, and tax and interest pitfalls.

  4 min read
• Legal documents

  Loan Agreement Guide: Terms for Lending Money to Friends, Family or Businesses

  The terms a personal or business loan agreement should include, interest, collateral, default and tax considerations.

  4 min read
• Legal documents

  Contract Termination Agreements: Ending a Deal Cleanly

  How to end a contract by mutual agreement, what to include, releases, refunds and ways to avoid later claims.

  4 min read

Family agreements

• Legal documents

  Parenting Plan Guide: What to Include for Co-Parenting

  The contents of a parenting plan, schedules, decision-making, communication and holidays, and how to get court approval.

  4 min read
• Legal documents

  Separation Agreements: Settling Issues Before or During Divorce

  What a separation agreement covers, how it differs from a divorce decree and when couples use one.

  3 min read
• Legal documents

  Postnuptial Agreements: Agreements Signed After the Wedding

  What a postnup is, why couples sign one, enforceability and how it compares with a prenuptial agreement.

  4 min read
• Legal documents

  Cohabitation Agreement: Protecting Unmarried Partners Who Live Together

  What a cohabitation agreement covers, why unmarried couples may want one and how it differs from marriage and prenups.

  4 min read
• Legal documents

  Child Travel Consent Forms: When You Need One

  When a parent or guardian should have written permission to travel with a child, and what a consent letter should include.

  3 min read

Frequently asked questions