Final Payment Date on Contracts

[skyyogastudio]

I am writing up a service agreement and was looking through others given to us at training, here are my questions based on the wording and time frame of contracts:

If you split payments - ie: deposit with remainder due
Do you require it at week 38, 14 days after last service rendered, or something else. I am looking at those two to start, but wanted to know how others list their remaining payment clause, and why you chose to word it that way, or do so that way.

Thanks!
Emily

[amymaew]

Mine says _______ balance - due at second prenatal visit or no later than two weeks before your due date. If the fee has not been paid in full or other arrangements have not been made, I am not obligated to be present at the birth. I figure it's easier to be paid before the birth, b/c moms are busy once their little ones get here! hth!

[jessa_bee]

Here's what I have in my contract for birth services:

Fees
My fees for the service described here are $500.00 to be paid as follows:
- $150 as a retaining fee, due when you select me as your doula or at the first prenatal visit
- $150 due at the second prenatal visit
- $200 postdated to your due date (collected at the second prenatal visit)

Please make checks payable to XXXX.

[helpinghands]

Quote:

Originally Posted by skyyogastudio I am writing up a service agreement and was looking through others given to us at training, here are my questions based on the wording and time frame of contracts: If you split payments - ie: deposit with remainder due Do you require it at week 38, 14 days after last service rendered, or something else. I am looking at those two to start, but wanted to know how others list their remaining payment clause, and why you chose to word it that way, or do so that way. Thanks! Emily

My contract states that a deposit (half my fee) is due at the signing of the contract. This covers prenatals and stuff..if they want to start meeting, they need to show a committment, ya know? The balance is due at 36 weeks or at the birth..whichever comes first. I choose to do things this way for several reasons. 1.) If they pay at least a portion up front, it shows good faith that they are committed to working with you 2). if they decide not to call you for the birth, (maybe they decide to schedule a cesarean or the dh decides they don't need a doula..but you have already met prenatally and invested a lot of work),..you at least have the deposit and don't feel taken advantage of 3.) after the birth or close to the EDD paying you may be the last thing on their plate UNLESS it clearly states in your contract that if they want you..it needs to be taken care of ..a.k.a..a priority

[DoulaCBE]

Quote:

Originally Posted by skyyogastudio I am writing up a service agreement and was looking through others given to us at training, here are my questions based on the wording and time frame of contracts: If you split payments - ie: deposit with remainder due Do you require it at week 38, 14 days after last service rendered, or something else. I am looking at those two to start, but wanted to know how others list their remaining payment clause, and why you chose to word it that way, or do so that way. Thanks! Emily

I take the first half at contract signing, the second half at our postpartum visit, usually withing 3-5 days of the baby's birth.

[helpinghands]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DoulaCBE I take the first half at contract signing, the second half at our postpartum visit, usually withing 3-5 days of the baby's birth.

I used to do that..but then I had a client who refused to return my calls or emails after she ended up with a long prodromal labor, insisted on induction/augmentation and ended up with a traumatic cesarean after 3+ hours of pushing. I felt really bad for her but the birth was was very difficult and having her family there didn't help.. she basically flipped out in labor ..total 180 from what she was like prenatally.

Has anyone else had a client not return contact postpartum? This was the only time it happened (years ago) but geesh..it was a doozy.

[dorothyh]

::ping out copy of contract::::

It says:

My fees for the services described here are $XXX.XX to be paid as follows:

$XXX.XX due at signing of contract + $XXX.XX due at first prenatal class (non-refundable retaining fee)

$XXX.XX due at last prenatal class

I hold my last prenatal at around 36 weeks.

[DoulaDawn]

I tell my clients if they choose to hire me a retainer fee is due two weeks after our first meeting. Then around 38 weeks I do a second prenatal meeting . the remaining balance of the fee is due then before delivery. I find it's so much easier to collect the fee before the baby comes.

[MothertheMother]

here's mine:
Fees
My fee is $________
• A non-refundable retaining deposit of $________is due at the time of contract signing
• Balance of $________is due___/___/_____(4 weeks prior to EDD)
• In the event of premature delivery, payment is due 10 days after delivery.

[Stacie]

Right from my contract:

Quote:

Fees: The total fee for these services is $XXX.XX. I ask for a non-refundable deposit of $XXX.XX at the time of contract-signing. I will not consider myself obligated to the birth until I receive this deposit. The remainder of the fee is due at/by the first postpartum visit.

This has worked very well for me. I have occasionally had times when payment was delayed either inadvertantly (one client had her mom come for a month after baby's birth, and client lived 40 minutes away from me. I told her she could drop it in the mail, OR, we could wait for her mom to leave and I could time my pp visit for the first week she would be on her own. That's what we did; another client really did not want me to come to her house, so when it was time to have a pp visit, she cancelled. She said she would send it. A week passed, I emailed her to let her know I was in and out of town, and if I hadn't received it by such-and-such date, I would drop by to get it. I got it in the mail 2 days later).

I have had situations where clients pay my full fee before birth, usually if mom is going on leave at work and they prefer to settle accounts before money level goes down, but my preference is to get the remainder afterwards. I didn't like feeling like I was working for nothing because the money was already in my account (or spent!) during the actual birth. I like having that money to look forward to. And I have never been stiffed (knock on wood!).

[cathy]

Jenni,
I have never had that exact experience, sounds very hurtful. I did have someone call to tell me she was in labor and to come over. I did that right away and when I got there pounding on her door 20 min. later no on was there. They had already gone to the hospital. When I finally got through she had flipped out and didn't want me there. (I was doing that one pro bono too). I felt quite hurt from that and didn't do another birth for several months.
cathy

[cathy]

Emily,
I ask for a deposit of $100 when signing the contract and the remainder needs to be paid in full by 36 weeks. I do not want to chase people down afterward, I figure that it is just a matter of time until I meet a couple that decides they don't have the money afterward. I see that a number of people do wait for the rest of their payment but I feel better holding onto it. I cash the checks but hold the cash until the birth is done. Then I feel the money is mine free and clear.

[DoulaDani]

Quote:

Originally Posted by wombservice4you I used to do that..but then I had a client who refused to return my calls or emails after she ended up with a long prodromal labor, insisted on induction/augmentation and ended up with a traumatic cesarean after 3+ hours of pushing. I felt really bad for her but the birth was was very difficult and having her family there didn't help.. she basically flipped out in labor ..total 180 from what she was like prenatally. Has anyone else had a client not return contact postpartum? This was the only time it happened (years ago) but geesh..it was a doozy.

Jenni,

While I have not experienced that exact situation, I have had instances where I felt like this could have happened, and had one instance where they did not call me for the birth after paying for me. I never want to be in a situation like that, let alone want to fight to be paid if it did happen! (Thankfully my non-calling couple had already paid me, and it was my choice whether or not I returned their fee... I did not).

[Abbydoula]

My contract says XXX due as a retainer fee along with the signed contract.

The final payment is due at the post partum visit or within 2 weeks of the birth, whichever comes first. I had one client wait nearly 5 weeks before she wanted a prenatal...and she was NOT broke...but I think sometimes people forget I'm actually depending on this money!!

Abby

[JessicaE]

I now ask for a non-refundable deposit, with the remainder due at 38w. If the baby comes before 38w, remainder is due at our first postpartum visit.

I did a couple of births with a deposit and the remainder due at the first postpartum. It felt so uncomfortable to be dealing with money after the birth, when I really just wanted to be downloading about their birth and cooing over their baby. The postpartum visit now, with money out of the way, feels much sweeter and more celebratory to me now (not so much, "I'm here to get my cash").