Put these on every invoice
Your business name and contact details, the client, a unique invoice number, the invoice and due dates, what you did, the amount, and how to pay.
Free invoice template
Independent Contractor Invoice Template
Fill in the form, then download a finished PDF, or print the blank version. No signup, and what you type stays in your browser.
No account required Educational, not individualized advice
INVOICE
- Invoice number
- 001
- Invoice date
- Due date
From
Your business name
Bill to
Client name
| Description | Qty | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Your line items appear here. | ||
- Subtotal
- $0.00
- Total due
- $0.00
Invoice created with the free template from Taxstra: taxstra.com
Taxstra Tip
An invoice total is not take-home pay
No one withholds tax from a contractor payment by default. Here is a hypothetical year with $10,000 invoiced and $2,000 of business expenses, below the Social Security wage base.
- Invoiced and collected
- $10,000
- Business expenses
- $2,000
- Net earnings
- $8,000
- Amount subject to the tax (92.35%)
- $7,388
- Self-employment tax (15.3%)
- $1,130
Income tax comes on top of that. If you expect to owe $1,000 or more when you file, you generally need to make quarterly estimated payments. Other income and life situations will impact actual results.
Once your profit is steady, it may be worth running the numbers in our S-Corp calculator.
What a contractor invoice needs
An invoice tells your client what to pay, by when, and how. It also becomes part of your own income records.
Leave your SSN off
Your client collects your taxpayer ID on Form W-9, so it does not need to travel on every invoice. Send the W-9 once, the secure way your client asks for it.
Keep a copy
The IRS lists invoices among the documents that support gross receipts. Records generally need to be kept for 3 years after filing, and longer in some cases.
Invoice, W-9 and 1099-NEC: who does what
Contractors often mix these three up. Only the invoice is yours to send every time you bill.
Swipe horizontally to compare
| Document | Who prepares it | What it does | When it happens |
|---|---|---|---|
| Invoice | You | Requests payment and documents the work | Each time you bill |
| Form W-9 | You, at the client's request | Gives the client your correct name and taxpayer ID | Usually at the start of the work |
| Form 1099-NEC | The client | Reports your payments to you and the IRS | After year-end, generally when 2026 payments reach $2,000 |
Authoritative Sources
- IRS Instructions for Forms 1099-MISC and 1099-NEC (Rev. 12/2026)
- IRS, Forms and Associated Taxes for Independent Contractors
- IRS, Estimated Taxes
- IRS, Self-Employment Tax
- IRS Topic No. 554, Self-Employment Tax
- IRS Publication 583, Starting a Business and Keeping Records
Citations reflect U.S. federal tax law as of the article's last reviewed date.
Frequently asked questions
Educational, not individualized tax advice.
Is this invoice template really free?
Yes. There is no account and no email required. Your invoice is built in your browser and we do not receive what you type.
Do I still report income if I never get a 1099?
Yes. Whether you owe depends on your income and net earnings, not on whether a client sent a form. Report all of your self-employment income, and use your invoices and bank records to total it.
When does a client have to send me a 1099-NEC?
For payments made in 2026, the reporting threshold for nonemployee compensation is generally $2,000 in the year, up from $600. Exceptions apply, and the IRS will adjust the figure for inflation starting in 2027.
What if I do not give my client a W-9?
A client may have to withhold 24% of reportable payments as backup withholding if you do not provide your taxpayer ID the required way. Returning the W-9 promptly avoids that problem.
Should I charge sales tax on an invoice?
It depends on your state and what you sell. Many services are not taxed, but some are. The tax line is optional, so leave it at zero unless your state requires it.
Why is there a small Taxstra line at the bottom of the PDF?
It credits the free template and links back to this page. It is small print and sits on every page of the PDF.
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