How to Make a Contract Paper

Creating a contract paper only takes a few steps.

In law, a binding, legal contract is an agreement between two or more parties enforceable by a court of law or an arbitrator. In other words, a contract provides specific details of the duties expected to be performed in exchange for a promise of payment, as well as specific remedies in case there is a breach of contract.

While there are many online services that now offer to take care of every need of a business owner, experts still recommend consulting with a business attorney before agreeing to sign any contract paper.

Things You'll Need

• Internet access
• Word processor
• Business attorney

Instructions

Putting Together a Contract Paper

1. Get in writing a summary of the business agreement and terms before the final contract is drawn up. All of the terms should be agreed upon by the parties involved.

2. Search online for a business contract template similar to the one you plan to create. You can use one of these templates and modify it to suit your situation's specific needs. Or, Microsoft Office Online offers contract paper templates you can download for free, if you possess a registered copy of Microsoft Office.

3. Create a draft of the contract paper using the template you choose. If the contract is pretty straightforward, then you most likely do not need to create a draft of the contract paper. However, you still need to seek the approval of all parties involved.

4. Include the specific agreements and terms expected in the deal, and list them in your contract paper. Proofread the contract paper to make sure all possible angles are covered, such as payment terms, how to proceed if there is a breach of contract, insubordination or a lack of performance, for example.

5. Send the contract paper to your business attorney so he or she can review the final document and make sure it complies with local, state or federal laws, depending on the relevancy of the deal.

6. Send your other party two copies of the business contract paper, and include a brief cover letter requesting that he or she initial each page of the document before signing and dating the contract's final page. Signing makes it a legal, enforceable document.

References

• Microsoft Office Online: Contract Templates

Resources

• FindLaw: Sample Business Contracts