yes the milestones should definitely be part of the contract. It's usually spelled out in an attachment to the contract, but an attorney once explained to me t

yes the milestones should definitely be part of the contract. It's usually spelled out in an attachment to the contract, but an attorney once explained to me that the entire contract includes all those exhibits. If it's a big contract I recommend getting more than two paychecks. If it's small then that's OK. Consider what would happen to you if it took three extra months to satisfy that first deliverable; you might wind up on the street. But with more and smaller milestones, you at least have some money, even if you still underbid by three months. Most of my experience has mostly been that a verbal agreement is completely cool, but I did get screwed a couple of times as a result. Note that a verbal agreement is still a contract, you could sue your client for failing to abide by it. The real problem with verbal agreements comes when you and your client don't agree as to what you verbal agreement actually was. Don't ever sign a contract someone has just put in front of you. There are all manner of little ways you can get screwed. If someone just hands you a contract with the expectation that you're going to sign it on the spot, tell them that you're going to run it by your attorney - even if you don't really intend to - and that you'll make the decision later whether to sign it, or to offer an alternative. If you disagree with specific portions of a contract, draw a rectangle around them, cross them out with a big "X" then initial next to the portion that you just crossed out. If you want to exhibit real bravado, if you are then satisfied, sign the contract then ask your client to sign as well. Quite commonly they will sign without noticing what you just struck out.