1. Formation documents
An LLC or corporation is a separate legal entity. That separation only protects you if you respect it — which starts with proper formation.
You need Articles of Organization (LLC) or Articles of Incorporation (corp), an EIN from the IRS, and initial member or shareholder resolutions.
2. Operating agreement (or bylaws)
Even single-member LLCs benefit from an operating agreement. Banks, investors, landlords, and partners will all ask for one. It defines ownership, voting, distributions, and what happens if a member leaves.
Without one, your state's default LLC rules apply — and they're rarely what you'd choose.
3. A clean business contract template
Every paid relationship needs an agreement. A clean master services agreement covers scope, payment, IP, confidentiality, and termination — and is reusable across most clients with small tweaks.
4. An NDA template
Use a mutual NDA when both sides will share sensitive information (most partnership talks) and a one-way NDA when only you are disclosing (vendor demos, prototype reviews).
Having a clean NDA ready to send signals professionalism and unblocks conversations that would otherwise stall.
5. A contractor agreement template
Almost every new business hires outside help — designers, developers, accountants, virtual assistants. A clean contractor agreement defines scope, payment, IP transfer, and 1099 status.
Pair it with a contractor NDA whenever sensitive information is involved.
Habits that matter more than the documents
Documents are necessary, but they don't protect you on their own. The habits matter:
- Sign in the name of the business, never your personal name
- Keep a separate business bank account
- Save signed copies in one organized place
- Re-read your contracts before sending them
- Use the same template family so you can spot odd clauses fast
Frequently asked
- Do I need an LLC to start?
- Not technically — sole proprietors can do business immediately. But an LLC adds a liability shield and takes a few hundred dollars to form.
- What if I'm a one-person business?
- You still need most of these documents. A solo consultant signs contracts, NDAs, and contractor agreements regularly.
- How much does this baseline cost?
- Built with templates, the full five-document baseline is typically a few hundred dollars one-time — versus thousands for custom drafting.
- When should I switch from templates to custom legal work?
- When the deal is unusual, large, or in a regulated industry. Templates cover the routine 90%; lawyers handle the edges.
LegalDocBuilder.com is a document preparation platform, not a law firm, and does not provide legal advice or representation. For complex matters, review your documents with a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction.