Ask Your Contract: 12 Questions Worth Asking Before You Sign

Most regret about a contract comes down to one unasked question. Not "is this a good contract?" but something specific: if I leave in month eight, what do I owe?

Contract Analyzer's Ask tab answers questions like these from the contract text and your report, with the passages the answer relies on. Here are the twelve that come up most often, grouped by what you are signing. This is informational only and not legal advice.

For any contract

1. If I want out early, what does it cost me? Look for notice periods, break clauses, early-termination fees and whether they apply only to you.
2. What can the other side change without asking me? Fees, duties, location, rent, terms of service. Ask whether changes need notice and whether you can leave if you disagree.
3. What happens if they break the contract? Remedies for their breach are often thinner than remedies for yours.
4. Which dates do I need in my calendar? Renewal windows, notice deadlines, cure periods. The report's Dates tab lists them and can export an .ics file.

For a job offer or employment agreement

5. If I am let go without cause, what do I get? Severance, benefits continuation, treatment of bonus and unvested equity.
6. If I resign, do I keep what I have already earned? Bonuses for completed periods, accrued leave, vested equity.
7. How broad is the non-compete, and would it stop me taking my next job? Scope, geography, duration, and whether your location limits enforceability.

For a lease

8. How do I get my deposit back, and what can be deducted? Protection scheme, inventory, "fair wear and tear" wording.
9. Can the rent go up during the term? Review clauses and the notice they require.
10. When can the landlord come in? Notice for access, emergencies.

For a freelance or client agreement

11. When do I get paid, and what if they pay late? Milestones, net terms, interest, kill fees.
12. Who owns what I make, and when? IP transfer on payment, pre-existing work, portfolio rights.

Getting answers you can check

An answer is only useful if you can verify it. Each answer in Contract Analyzer quotes the clauses it is based on, and "Show in contract" highlights them in the text. If the contract is silent, the answer says so, which is often the most important thing to know before you sign.