USA Getting Paid

[Debbie413]

Hello,

I recently began my own accounting, bookkeeping and tax services and have acquired a few clients. Everything has gone well until January 2015. One of my clients had stepped down from his company as of December 2014. He was the person who retained my services and who I communicated with. Afterwards his company board members began an audit on the account. I complied with all their requests and spent hours researching the account to answer every question they had. The account is in good standing and no wrong doing was found. I billed the company for the hours worked but still have not gotten paid. I'm still working on getting paid before writing it off as a bad debt. But my question is: Does anyone have a system where they automatically deduct their monthly fee from the client? Is it ethical? Or should I continue to bill them and expect a check?

 

[kirby]

Once you complete your work, the power is now with the client as to whether you get paid. So, you should be sending progress billings as soon as you complete key phases of your work.
For the folks who owe you money, you now have to depend on your power of persuasion to get paid. Your contract should provide for this by saying they will be billed monthly, invoice is due at presentation, you will stop work at 60- days past due, and late charges assessed at 30 days past due . If you think you will get no further work from these deadbeats, consider hiring a lawyer or do it yourself in small claims court.

Good luck!

 

[Debbie413]

Once you complete your work, the power is now with the client as to whether you get paid. So, you should be sending progress billings as soon as you complete key phases of your work.
For the folks who owe you money, you now have to depend on your power of persuasion to get paid. Your contract should provide for this by saying they will be billed monthly, invoice is due at presentation, you will stop work at 60- days past due, and late charges assessed at 30 days past due . If you think you will get no further work from these deadbeats, consider hiring a lawyer or do it yourself in small claims court.

Good luck!

Thank you, I will follow your advice.

 

[smallbushelp]

Yes, it is possible to set up automatic payments from a client's bank account and yes, it is ethical. So for future clients, discuss the option up front and then contact your bank or some other payment processing company (maybe paypal?) and make it happen!