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When Should I Invoice?

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  • 02-02-2015 4:32pm
    #1
    theflipdave
    Registered Users Posts: 58 ✭✭


    Hey,
    I'll be teaching English to people over Skype in Non-EU countries. I'll be paid through Paypal and I'm just wondering do I need to invoice my customers or does a paypal receipt do for my tax records? I'm a soul trader by the way and I'll be dealing with individuals, not companies. I'm pretty clueless with this sort of stuff.


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    #2
    Trojan
    Registered Users Posts: 16,413 ✭✭✭✭Trojan


    Invoice as quickly as possible in all scenarios, it's been shown that the longer the delay in invoicing, the longer the client takes to pay.

    For this kind of work I'd be taking payment in advance, to a PayPal Business account, and be aware that they can do a refund on you for up to 60 days (afaik).

    I'm normally reticent to be "that guy", but since you are teaching English you need to watch stuff like "soul trader" ;)

    🎙️ The Recognized Authority Podcast



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    #3
    jimmii
    Registered Users Posts: 14,810 ✭✭✭✭jimmii


    A PayPal receipt is sufficient to make it easier to track out a decent description in it makes things a lot handier in the long term! You can set up an invoice template on PayPal so if you do want to have that it'll save you a lot of time writing one up each time. Don't tell your students you're a soul trader you might scare them off!!


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    #4
    theflipdave
    Registered Users Posts: 58 ✭✭theflipdave


    Cool ,thanks guys. Yeah I have a Paypal Business account, that's a good idea asking for payment in advance. I suppose I'll send them an invoice any way. I was looking at the Paypal business account and they do make invoicing easy, I think.


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    #5
    jimmii
    Registered Users Posts: 14,810 ✭✭✭✭jimmii


    Yeah they do I have one set up when I need to send a new one it only take about a minute to get it done! Definitely charge in advance even if it's just a case of paying half on booking and half later or something. Means you aren't caught short if someone is a no show! Good luck!


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    #6
    Gloomtastic!
    Registered Users Posts: 8,484 ✭✭✭Gloomtastic!


    +1 on payment in advance. You'll get all sorts of excuses not to pay if you let them leave it till afterwards.


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    #7
    Axwell
    Moderators, Computer Games Moderators Posts: 10,462 Mod ✭✭✭✭Axwell


    If they are hesitant over payment in advance of the full amount look at an Escrow solution. Basically money is put in a 3rd party holding account so your client makes payment to it and you know they have committed the money, then when you supply the agreed services you invoice them and they release the money. Neither party can touch the money while its in Escrow until both parties have complied with their side of the deal. The fact the money is held there means they cant just take it back and say they aren't paying. Its not foolproof and there can still be disputes obviously but this method of payment sometimes gives the person paying more confidence they will get what they are paying for. Its common on most freelance websites for deals between buyers and service providers.


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