Freelancing has become a viable way to make a living all over the country. One 2014 study showed that there are approximately 53 million independent workers in the United States, making them a sizable portion of the workforce.
Independent contractors take many shapes and forms. From Uber drivers to freelance writers, there are many ways for people to make a non-traditional living. If you rely on invoices to make money, then you may encounter a client who is less than open about paying. Everyone makes mistakes, and sometimes, these late payments are a simple mistake. Other times, the client intentionally wants to stiff you. Regardless of the circumstances, freelancers have many options for obtaining their hard-earned money.
Avoid posting grievances on social media
As tempting as it may be, you want to keep all these issues off social media or your personal blog. Shaming clients publicly has worked for some freelancers, but it may do more harm than good. The last thing you want to do is alienate potential future clients because they worry you will air all dirty laundry publicly.
Treat everyone with respect
You have earned your money, and you may feel like lashing out at whomever you can get in touch with at the client's office. Remember that you never know why the payment has not gone through. Treat everyone kindly. You may make some allies who can help you recover your money without resorting to litigation.
Mediate
You should provide a written contract to every client you work with. A contract makes it harder for a client to get out of paying you. This contract should have a mediation and arbitration clause. Reach out to this mediator if your client breached the contract.
Find an attorney
If all else fails, then you need to involve a lawyer. You will spend money hiring the attorney, but depending on how much the client owes you, then this investment is worth it. Occasionally, all the lawyer has to do is send a payment letter request and the client will suddenly become cooperative.
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