How to Protect Yourself From Non-Paying Clients
By Justin Frazier·4 min read·Updated July 2026
The classic way to get burned is doing the whole job, delivering everything, then asking for money you no longer have leverage to collect. Protect yourself by keeping a foot on the value until you are paid: deposits up front, payment at milestones, final delivery on final payment.
Build in the safeguards
- Take a deposit before any work begins.
- Bill big jobs in stages, not all at the end.
- Hold final files or go-live until the balance clears.
- Put it all in a short written agreement.
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