Getting paid as a freelancer
The money side of client work: which payment terms to put on an invoice, how much deposit to ask for, what card and bank fees take from each payment, and what to do when an invoice goes past due. Start with the two guides below, then pick the question you have today. Every article lists its sources and the date its facts were checked.
Start here
- How to get clients to pay on timeHow freelancers get paid on time: net terms, deposits, late fees within the law, reminder emails to copy and what to do when an invoice is overdue.
- How to invoice as a 1099 contractorWhat a 1099 contractor invoice needs, which payment terms to set, when clients ask for a W-9 and the new $2,000 Form 1099-NEC threshold for 2026.
Articles
- Can you charge late fees on invoices? Interest limits by stateLate fees on freelance invoices: when they're enforceable, default interest rates and caps in 9 large states, a worked 1.5% example and a clause.
- Can you charge clients a credit card fee?When freelancers can add a credit card surcharge: Visa's 3% cap and notice rules, state limits in CT, MA, ME, CO, NY and CA, and invoice wording.
- How much deposit should a freelancer ask for?Deposit size by project size and risk, the cash at risk at 25%, 50% and 100% upfront on a $4,800 project, and a deposit clause and email to copy.
- How to bill a monthly retainerHow to bill a monthly retainer: three retainer models, invoicing on the 1st, a rollover and overage example in numbers, and a sample invoice.
- How to invoice an international client from the USInvoice a client abroad: currency choice, fees on a €3,000 invoice via Stripe, PayPal and Wise, invoice fields, reverse-charge wording and tax forms.
- How to number invoices: 5 formats and the one to useFive invoice number formats with pros and cons, why year-sequence numbers work best for freelancers, and what to do after you void an invoice.
- Invoice vs receipt (and pro forma invoice): what's the difference?Invoice vs receipt vs pro forma invoice: what each one is for, when to send it, the fields each needs, and what to do when a client asks for a receipt.
- Milestone billing for freelance projectsThree payment schedules for a $6,000 project with the money at risk at each stage, plus an acceptance rule and a milestone clause to copy.
- Net 30 vs due on receipt: which payment terms should freelancers use?Net 30 vs due on receipt with real cash-flow math: what each term ties up on $3,000 a month, who each suits, and the default in NY, CA and IL law.
- Payment terms wording for invoices and contracts: 12 copyable clauses12 copyable payment terms clauses for freelancers (due date, deposit, late fee, kill fee, currency, ownership) and where each one belongs.
- Stripe vs PayPal vs Square fees on a freelance invoiceWhat a $500, $2,000 or $10,000 invoice nets you through Stripe, PayPal, Square, ACH and Wise, with fees checked on October 18, 2026.
- What to do when a client won't pay: a 6-step escalation planA dated plan for unpaid invoices: what to send on day 1, 7, 14, 30 and 45, a final demand letter to copy, and small claims limits in 9 states.
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