Your client needs more time to pay.Make the next dates clear.
When the amount is agreed but the timing is not, another vague promise leaves you both guessing. Discuss a realistic installment schedule and review the responsibilities together.
Free to start. The case starter pays $79 only after both parties sign. The invited party never pays.
How do you agree a payment plan for an unpaid invoice?
Confirm the balance first, then ask what amounts and dates the client can realistically propose. List each installment, its due date and the payment method. Check that the installments add up to the agreed balance, and discuss how you will handle a missed payment or a request to change the schedule.
Confirm you agree on the balance
Reconcile the invoice with previous payments and credits. If the client also disputes the work or the price, address that explicitly before describing the whole amount as agreed. Scheduling payments does not answer a disagreement about what is owed.
Discuss a schedule that can be kept
Ask the client to propose specific amounts and dates. Consider the first payment, the time between installments and the final date. A smaller promise that both sides consider realistic may be a better starting point than an unsupported assurance to pay everything tomorrow.
Plan for changes before they happen
Discuss who should be contacted if a payment may be late, how payments will be confirmed and how a request to revise the schedule will be handled. Review any proposed interest, fees or consequences with appropriate advice rather than adding them automatically.
Bring the facts.
Leave room to listen.
Start with a short account and the relevant records. You can organize them privately before choosing what to share.
- The invoice, original due date and agreed remaining balance
- Payments or credits already recorded
- The client’s proposed amounts and dates
- Any existing terms about late payment or changes
A private place to prepare.
A shared place to work it out.
SettleBetween gives each person a private AI adviser and a shared process for exploring a resolution. You decide what to share and whether to agree.
Prepare your side
Explain what happened and what you want to resolve. Use included AI guidance to organize your account and documents.
Invite the other person
Review the invitation before sharing it. They can join free with their own private AI adviser.
Explore options together
A separate AI mediator uses approved shared information to help you discuss possible next steps.
Review the same terms
Both parties review and approve the same version before signing. Signing and fulfilling the agreement are separate steps.
The case starter pays the agreement fee. The invited party never pays. No subscription.
See pricing, included access and limitsWhat to clarify before you sign
- The agreed balance, currency and relevant invoice numbers
- Every installment amount and exact due date, including the year
- Payment method and how receipt will be confirmed
- Any remaining work and the agreed process for missed payments or changes
Is this right for your situation?
Useful for a business or freelancer and a client who agree on the amount and want to discuss more time to pay. A structured conversation can help turn a proposal into terms both sides understand.
A schedule does not guarantee payment. SettleBetween is not a lender or debt collection service, and it cannot decide what charges or enforcement steps are lawful. Seek appropriate advice if repayment appears unlikely or a legal deadline is approaching.
Availability depends on both parties’ locations and the dispute type. This is practical preparation guidance, not legal advice. AI can make mistakes. Review suggestions and seek independent advice where needed.
Questions about payment plans
Do I have to offer a discount to agree a payment plan?
A payment plan can keep the full agreed balance while changing the timing. A reduced total is a separate proposal. Make that distinction explicit so both parties understand whether you are discussing more time or less money.
Can the installments have different amounts?
You can discuss installments of different amounts. Record each amount and date separately, and check that their sum matches the balance you both agree to address.
What if a client misses an installment?
Check the agreement and the payment record, then follow the communication process you agreed. SettleBetween does not guarantee collection or enforce the schedule. Get independent advice about your options where necessary.
Can the AI decide which schedule is fair?
The AI can help organize proposals and explore options using the information shared. It does not know everything about either party’s circumstances and cannot impose a schedule. Both people choose whether the terms work for them.
You don’t need all the answers.
Just a place to begin.
Discuss a client payment planPrepare free. Choose when to invite the other person. No agreement fee unless you both sign.