Take a deposit and split the balance
Payment schedules for deposits, instalments and a balance due before delivery.
Most photography work isn't paid in one hit: a deposit secures the date, the balance falls due before or shortly after the shoot. A payment schedule splits one invoice into several dated instalments, each payable on its own.
Adding a schedule
- On the invoice, add a payment schedule.
- Add each instalment with an amount (or a percentage) and a due date.
- Check the instalments add up to the invoice total — you'll be told if they don't.
The client sees the whole schedule on their pay page, with the next instalment due highlighted. They pay them one at a time, and the invoice moves to paid once the last one clears.
A non-refundable deposit to hold the date (commonly 25–30%), then the balance due a week before the shoot. Money collected before you turn up is money you don't have to chase after you've already done the work.
If you're registered for GST, GST applies to a deposit at the time it's paid, not when the job finishes. Your accountant will thank you for not deferring it.