Accountant

Invoice Reminders for Accountants: Practice What You Preach on Receivables

You help clients manage their finances. Make sure your own accounts receivable is just as sharp. Automate payment reminders for your accounting practice.

Accounting firms write off an average of 5-8% of billed work due to client non-payment or fee reductions, with sole practitioners losing even more due to weaker collection processes.
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What Accountants are saying

Real frustrations from real accountants dealing with late payments.

The cobbler's children have no shoes. I advise clients on cash flow management all day but my own AR was a disaster until I set up automated reminders. Bit embarrassing honestly.

- Reddit user on <span>r/Accounting</span>

Client asked me to rush their tax return to beat a deadline, I worked through the weekend, then they took 90 days to pay the invoice. Never again — retainer upfront or you wait.

- Reddit user on <span>r/taxpros</span>

The accountant payment landscape

Understanding payment norms in accountant helps you set the right reminder strategy.

Net 30, often retainer-based
Typical payment terms
40 days
Average days sales outstanding
22%
Late payment rate

Common payment challenges for accountants

These are the specific challenges that make invoice collection difficult in accountant.

1

Tax season concentration risk

A huge portion of annual revenue lands in 4 months (January through April). Late payments during this window create cash flow problems for the remaining 8 months.

2

Clients undervalue compliance work

Clients see tax prep and bookkeeping as necessary evils, not valuable services. This mindset leads to delayed payments because the work doesn't feel urgent once it is filed.

3

Scope creep in advisory engagements

A simple tax return turns into estate planning advice, business structure consultation, and 'quick questions' that add hours of unbilled work.

4

Professional relationship concerns

Accountants who also serve as financial advisors may hesitate to press for payment because they have deep visibility into the client's finances and feel conflicted.

Invoice reminder templates for accountants

Copy-paste templates tailored for accountant professionals. Adjust timing and tone to match your clients relationships.

Email Template5 days before due date
Subject: Invoice #{{invoice_number}} for accounting services, due {{due_date}}

Dear {{client_name}}, This is a reminder that invoice #{{invoice_number}} for {{amount}} covering {{description}} is due on {{due_date}}. If you have any questions about the charges or need to discuss a payment arrangement, please don't hesitate to reach out. You can pay securely online here: {{payment_link}} Thank you for your continued trust in our firm. Regards, {{your_name}}, {{credentials}} {{firm_name}}

Email Template7 days after due date
Subject: Outstanding balance: Invoice #{{invoice_number}}

Dear {{client_name}}, I'm reaching out regarding invoice #{{invoice_number}} for {{amount}}, which was due on {{due_date}}. Our records show the balance is still outstanding. We understand that cash flow can be tight. If you'd like to arrange a payment plan, we're happy to work with you on that. Pay online: {{payment_link}} Please feel free to contact our office with any questions. Best regards, {{your_name}} {{firm_name}}

Email Template30 days after due date
Subject: Action required: Overdue balance on your account, {{firm_name}}

Dear {{client_name}}, This is a formal notice that your account has an outstanding balance of {{amount}} that is now {{days_overdue}} days past due. Per our engagement letter, we may need to suspend services on accounts with balances over 45 days past due. We want to avoid any interruption to your bookkeeping, payroll, or tax filing services. Please contact our office at {{phone}} to discuss payment options. Sincerely, {{your_name}} {{firm_name}}

Skip the manual work: All these templates are built into ChaseBot and sent automatically when invoices are overdue.

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Free plan available. No credit card required.

Best practices for accountant invoice reminders

Follow these proven strategies to get paid faster while maintaining strong clients relationships.

Use engagement letters with payment terms

Every client relationship should start with a signed engagement letter that specifies fees, payment terms, and consequences for non-payment. This is your contract.

Move to value-based or retainer pricing

Fixed monthly retainers (billed in advance) eliminate most collection issues. Clients budget for a predictable monthly amount instead of dreading a surprise invoice.

Bill early during tax season

Send invoices immediately after filing, not at month-end. The client's sense of relief from getting their taxes done creates a natural willingness to pay promptly.

Separate billing from advisory relationships

Have a staff member or automated system handle reminders so the partner managing the client relationship doesn't have to be the collections person.

How ChaseBot helps accountants

Purpose-built to solve the invoice chasing problem so you can focus on your accountant work.

SMS reminders that get read

98% open rate means your clients actually sees the reminder. No more emails lost in spam or ignored in overflowing inboxes.

Auto-stop on payment

The moment your clients pays, reminders stop automatically. No awkward follow-ups after payment has been received.

Visual flow builder

Design your reminder sequence visually. Set the right timing for accountant payment cycles with drag-and-drop simplicity.

Real-time Xero sync

Connect your Xero account in 30 seconds. Invoice data syncs in real time. No manual imports, no outdated information.

Manual chasing vs ChaseBot

See how automating your invoice reminders compares to doing it yourself.

Feature
Manual
ChaseBot
Time per week
2-4 hours
0 hours
Missed follow-ups
Common
Never
SMS reminders
No
Included
Auto-stop on payment
Manual check
Automatic
Cost
Your hourly rate
Free / $29/mo

Know your state's late payment laws

Before setting late fees on your invoices, check the legal limits in your state.

Browse all 50 states

Related industry guides

Explore invoice reminder strategies for similar industries.

Frequently asked
questions

Stop chasing clients. Start getting paid.

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