Document help, plainly explained.

Yes — under the ESIGN Act, a typed name carries the same legal weight as ink. Here's exactly what makes it valid and where the real risk actually lives.

The law settled this in 2000. Here's what ESIGN actually requires, what it explicitly excludes, and why the audit trail matters more than the signature itself.

For most situations — a contractor, a new hire, a business conversation — a good template covers you. Here's the clear line between when a template is fine and when you need counsel.

Functionally, almost nothing — they're the same instrument with different names. The distinction that actually matters is one-way vs. mutual, not the label on the document.

Three real methods — print-and-scan, PDF over email, free e-sign tier — ranked by effort and with an honest breakdown of where each one breaks down.

A locked PDF isn't actually locked against filling — you just need the right approach. Four methods that work, from Mac Preview to AI auto-detection, ranked by effort.

DocuSign doesn't delete them immediately — but access gets complicated, and the free tier is a fragile place to store documents you'll need years from now. What to download before you cancel.

The standard answer is seven years — but IP assignments should be permanent, employment records go longer, and the clock starts at expiration, not signing. A practical table by contract type.