How to get clients to pay on time

Late payment is rarely about a client who refuses to pay. More often the invoice went to the wrong person, sat in an approval queue, lacked a PO number, or was easy to put off because paying meant logging into a bank. You can fix most of those before the invoice is ever sent.

1. Settle the terms before you start

Put four things in the proposal or contract: when each invoice is sent, when it's due, how the client can pay, and what happens if it's late. A client who signed "due 15 days after invoice, 1.5% per month after that" has already agreed to the reminder you'll send later.

• Due on receipt: fine for small jobs and individuals, but larger companies will treat it as net 30 anyway.
• Net 15: a good default for small and mid-size businesses.
• Net 30: common with larger companies, whose payment runs are often fixed. Ask on the first call when they pay vendors.
• Milestones: for projects over a few weeks, bill at each milestone instead of waiting for the end.

2. Take a deposit

A deposit of 25% to 50% before you start does two things: it confirms the client is serious, and it limits how much unpaid work you can ever have outstanding. On a $6,000 project with a 50% deposit, the most you can lose is $3,000, not $6,000. For calls and sessions, charge when the client books.

3. Invoice right away, to the right person

Send the invoice the day you deliver. Address it to whoever pays (often accounts payable, not your contact), include the PO number if there is one, and describe the work in plain words. If you bill hourly, add the date range. An invoice that the approver can understand without asking you a question gets approved faster.

4. Make paying the easiest option

A "Pay now" button gets used the moment the invoice is opened. Bank details at the bottom of a PDF get scheduled for later. Offer card payment for smaller invoices and ACH for larger ones. Card processing costs you a percentage, so build that into your rates rather than surprising clients with a surcharge; some states limit surcharges, so check yours before adding one.

5. Set a late fee you can actually charge

A late fee only works if it was agreed in advance and stays within your state's limits on interest. There's no single federal rule for business invoices, and caps differ by state, so check yours or ask a lawyer. Two common structures:

• A monthly percentage: 1.5% a month on a $4,000 invoice is $60 for each month it's late.
• A flat fee: for example $50 once the invoice is 15 days overdue. Simple to explain, but it doesn't grow, so it matters less on large invoices.

Many freelancers waive the first late fee in exchange for prompt payment. What matters is that the client knows the deadline is real, not the $60.

To work out the fee on a specific invoice, use the invoice late fee calculator. It finds the due date from your terms, counts the days late and gives you the fee.

If your terms are in business days, the business days calculator gives you the exact due date, skipping weekends and federal holidays.

6. Send reminders on a schedule

Reminders feel less personal when they're predictable. A schedule that works: a friendly note 3 days before the due date, a reminder 3 days after it, a firmer one at 7 days, and a phone call at 14. Keep each one short and include the amount, the due date and the payment link every time.

3 DAYS BEFORE
Subject: Invoice 2026-014 due Friday
Hi Sam, a quick heads-up that invoice 2026-014 for $6,640 is due on Friday, October 16. You can pay by card or ACH here: [link]. Thanks!

3 DAYS AFTER
Subject: Invoice 2026-014 is past due
Hi Sam, invoice 2026-014 for $6,640 was due on October 16 and still shows as unpaid. Could you check where it is? Here's the link again: [link]. If it's already on its way, please ignore this.

7 DAYS AFTER
Subject: Invoice 2026-014, 7 days overdue
Hi Sam, invoice 2026-014 for $6,640 is now 7 days overdue. Under our agreement, a late fee of 1.5% per month applies from today. Can you confirm a payment date by Wednesday? [link]

7. When an invoice is seriously overdue

1. Call. Ask what's holding it up. Often it's a missing form or a lost email, and a call fixes it in one day.
2. Pause new work if your contract allows it, and say so politely in writing.
3. Offer a payment plan in writing if the client is struggling but willing.
4. Send a formal demand letter: the amount, the invoices, the contract clause, a deadline and what you'll do next.
5. Consider small claims court. Limits vary by state, filing fees are modest and you usually don't need a lawyer. For larger amounts, talk to a lawyer or a collection agency.

Laws that protect freelancers

In New York State, the Freelance Isn't Free Act (in effect since August 28, 2024) covers jobs of $800 or more and requires payment by the contract date, or within 30 days of finishing the work if none was set. Remedies for nonpayment include double damages and attorney's fees, and complaints go to the state Attorney General. New York City's earlier law covers work in the city. In Illinois, the Freelance Worker Protection Act covers contracts of $500 or more taking effect after July 1, 2024 and sets a 30-day default payment deadline. If you work in either state, mention the law in your demand letter.

Doing it in SoloWOS

SoloWOS Invoicing sends optional reminders 3 days before the due date and 3 and 7 days after it, only while the invoice is unpaid, and you can turn them off for a single invoice. With your Stripe account connected, clients pay by card from the invoice link and the invoice is marked Paid from the payment itself. Each invoice shows whether it's sent, viewed, paid or overdue. For sessions, Scheduling can charge the full price or a deposit at booking. SoloWOS has no automatic late fee; add it as a line item on a new invoice when your contract allows it.

This guide is general information, not legal advice. Late fee limits and collection rules vary by state; check yours before you charge a fee or file a claim.