How to politely request late payment from a family business client

Late payment from a family business client usually comes down to their process, not bad faith. Here's who pays, when, what tends to hold payment up, and a polite reminder you can send today.

Who pays, and when

Usually the family member who runs the business, sometimes with an outside bookkeeper. Often paid when the owner sits down to do the books, weekly or monthly.

Why payment runs late

Decisions rest with one person, and admin waits when they're busy.

Tips for chasing a family business client

Find out who does the books and send invoices there too.
Be warm and personal. Relationships matter here.
Ask for a specific date rather than a general promise.

Example reminder email

Subject: Quick reminder: invoice [number] Hi [first name], I hope all's well. Invoice [number] for [amount] was due on [date]. If it's already on its way, thank you, and please ignore this. I've copied in your bookkeeper so everything is in one place. Who looks after the books, so I can copy them in next time? You can pay here: [payment link] Thanks, [Your name]

Write your reminders

Fill in the invoice to get four emails for a family business client, from a heads-up to a final notice, with the dates to send them. Nothing you type leaves your browser.

Your reminders will appear here.

Want these sent for you?

We're building a tool that sends these reminders automatically from your own Gmail when a Stripe invoice goes overdue, all in one email thread, and stops the moment it's paid. It isn't ready yet. Planned price: $19 a month.