As an independent contractor, you may enter verbal and written contracts to do work for other individuals, businesses, government bodies or organisations. A contract could be made simply because of a handshake deal to do a job where the only thing in writing is a quote on the back of an envelope.
Whatever the form of your agreement, if you commit to providing a service to a hirer for money, you have entered a contract - you are promising to do a job for the hirer and the hirer is promising to pay you for it.
Find out more about the
types of contracts used by independent contractors.
When you have completed the work - or a portion of the work if your agreement includes that - you will invoice the hirer. Your invoice should include items such as:
- rate of pay and duration (if applicable)
- GST component
- date the service was provided
- your details including name, address, phone number and email address
- description of the service provided
- any expenses you incurred under the contract your ABN
- an invoice number and any other details the hirer requires.
If you are registered for GST, your invoice will be a ‘tax invoice’, which must contain certain information depending on the nature and value of the supply you make.
Read more about
GST and tax invoices.