Can I Sign a Contract With a Minor?

Probably not, so get the parents involved

I am interested in managing a singing group that has one underage member. Do I have to word the contract a certain way?

You're right to be a bit wary. Legally, minors generally cannot form a binding contract. Courts consider a person under the age of majority -- which varies from state to state, but is usually 18 or 21 -- to lack the capacity to enter into a binding contract.

So a minor who signs a contract but later wants out of it -- to spend more time working for world peace or to recover from a nasty nose piercing operation, for example -- can often legally do so. To avoid this, have the minor's parent or guardian sign the agreement on behalf of the minor. The parent's or guardian's signature should be enough; you don't need to write a special contract or use certain language in it.