Disclaimer Template & Guide
If you worry about starting a business...Here is the Substack Disclaimer Template to give you peace of mind
Hi friends,
In my 14+ year legal career, I’ve helped several businesses grow safely and securely from start-up, to scale-up, then to IT Unicorn.
Now, I bring that same expertise to solo-preneurs that want to build a portfolio career with multiple income streams including one or more digital businesses, a personal brand that withstands the next work reorg or financial crisis.
So if you are a Substack creator who wants to build a solid business here,
start by getting yourself a legal disclaimer from below.
Warren Buffet said it best:
Self‑development is “THE BEST investment by far” because
skills can’t be taxed or “inflated away.”
So let’s learn something new, shall we?
1. Why You May Need a Disclaimer:
If you’re a Substack creator and you:
Give advice (wellness, medical, diet, fitness, business advice, investments, crypto, education, coaching, astrology predictions, etc.)
Offer paid content, downloads, coaching sessions,
Offer product recommendations in your podcasts…
If you share advice via personal experiences that others may act on…
...then you probably need terms and conditions for your Substack publications (they are called Publisher Terms in your Settings).
As a minimum, if you are too overwhelmed for now to create T&Cs, at least slap your legal disclaimer in strategic places! look at section 4 and 5 below for the templated.
2. What’s a Disclaimer?
A disclaimer is a first step to limit your risk (legal liability) by clarifying that your content is for informational purposes only and not professional advice.
Here’s my disclaimer: This article is provided FYI only and is not intended as legal or professional advice, its goal is to inform and empower Substack creators to think about and start managing their risk. Ideally, run your drafted disclaimer and especially T&Cs by a legal professional in your jurisdiction that may advise on local requirements.
Ok now you know. Here is my Disclaimer Guide is below!
Just a Disclaimer? Is it Enough?
You may already know the answer! but if you don’t…..
A disclaimer is not enough, but it’s a start. It’s better than nothing at all!
3. Reduce Risk like Business Pro
Below, I’ve created a graphic showing actions that reduce legal risk, and as you can see, Disclaimer is the first step.
Look at the diagram above.
I will show you how companies manage risk. Simplified version. We’re not going all out corporate here. We are dreamers that want to build something of our own on Substack.
On the vertical axis is the possible risk in percentages of doing business on Substack.
On the horizontal axis there are actions you take to reduce your risk.
A little note on risk.
Risk is never going to be 0. That’s not possible.
But you can reduce risk by mitigation actions.
You choose how much risk you are comfortable taking.
You weigh in the benefits with the cost and effort you need to put in to achieve those benefits.
As you can see, a bit of risk is mitigated via Disclaimer.
It only works if you actually add them! just reading the info here is not enough!
If you want to be covered at a very good level, consider adding Publisher Terms to your publication.
Noemi’s paid subscribers get a full guide to Publisher Terms in their inbox including Noemi’s template T&Cs for Substack - with usages for several types of subscribers and Office Hours subscribers can book if they have questions.
Finally, ideal risk management: On top of everything else I mentioned, take on an insurance Professional Indemnity Insurance (PI or E&O insurance).
This template is a Paid Subscriber Benefit. Become one at the link.
4. One-liner disclaimer
for Character-Limited Platforms like Twitter/X or Instagram Captions
Use case: For platforms with strict character limits (e.g., Twitter, Instagram captions, or TikTok descriptions).
TEMPLATE 1:
» Info only, not advice. Always verify & consult a pro. [Link to full terms if applicable] «
OR
TEMPLATE 2:
«This is not professional advice. Do your own research and consult an expert. [Link to full disclaimer/terms]«
5. Disclaimer Templates by Topic
(Pick the one that best suits you or get inspired to create your own!)
✅ For General Use:
Template 1 (General)
This content is for informational purposes only. It does not and should not be considered professional advice. Information shared here is current at the time of publication, but may become outdated with time. Please fact-check any information before relying on it and last but not least, PLEASE use your own good judgment and consult a qualified expert before acting according to the information I provide.
TEMPLATE 2 (Formal)
This content is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. The information shared here is based on my personal experiences, research, or opinions and is not a substitute for professional guidance in legal, financial, medical, business, or any other field.
Information may become outdated over time, so always verify details with current, reputable sources before acting on them. You are solely responsible for your decisions and actions based on this content. Consult a qualified professional in your jurisdiction for advice tailored to your specific circumstances.
TEMPLATE 3 (Fun but good add at the bottom of social posts)
P.S. This is just my take, based on my own experiences, research, and opinions. It’s here to inform and maybe spark some ideas, but it’s not professional advice (legal, financial, medical, business, or otherwise). Things change, so always double-check facts with up-to-date sources and chat with a qualified expert before making any big decisions. What you do with this info is on you!
If you want access to the entire article and to my custom T&Cs for your Substack Publication, please upgrade to paid.