Payments are made directly between you and the family, using the method you both agree on (bank transfer or cash).
You are a self-employed professional with full control #
✅ You negotiate your rates directly
✅ You choose your payment method
✅ You keep 100% of your earnings
✅ You manage your own bookkeeping
✅ You set your own terms and conditions
Margot is NOT a payment platform #
- We take NO commission on your income
- We do NOT process payments between you and families
- We do NOT intervene in your financial transactions
- We do NOT manage invoices
- We do NOT guarantee payments
Protection against non-paying clients #
🛡️ You may report a client who does not pay by contacting support@margot.care
🛡️ We may permanently ban repeat offenders
For your protection, we strongly recommend using a traceable payment method (e.g., Interac e-Transfer).
You remain fully responsible for your tax obligations and for declaring your income as a self-employed worker.
Invoicing tools based on your level of comfort with technology #
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If you are NOT comfortable with technology #
Paper receipt book ($0–$15) #
The simplest way to get started:
- Purchase a duplicate receipt book (Dollarama, Staples, Bureau en Gros)
- Cost: $5–$15 for approx. 200 receipts
- Each receipt includes 2 copies: one for you and one for the client
- Fill it out by hand after each service
What to write on the receipt:
- Date: [day] [month] [year]
- Received from: [full name of the person responsible for payment]
- Services: [name of service] for [name(s) of the person(s) receiving the service]
- Hours: [example] 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (9 hours)
- Rate: [example] $22/hour
- Total: [example] $198.00
- Payment method: [example] Interac received ✓
- Signature: [your signature]
- Your full name
- Your email address
Advantages:
✅ No technology required
✅ Immediate proof for the client
✅ Automatic copy of your records
✅ Legally valid for tax purposes
✅ The client may claim it for tax credits
How to stay organized:
- Keep all copies in one envelope per month
- At month end, total all receipts to simplify your annual tax filing (before May 1 each year)
- Write the total on the envelope (e.g., “January [year]: $1,584”)
- Keep records for 7 years
Limitations:
- Manual calculations required
- Paper copies can be lost
- No automatic reminders if a client forgets to pay
If you are comfortable with technology #
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2. Zoho Invoice (Free) #
Simple and complete:
- Mobile app + desktop
- 100% free for up to 1,000 invoices per year
- Available in French
- Automatic payment reminders
Why Zoho Invoice is excellent: #
✅ Focuses only on invoicing
✅ Pre-built invoice templates
✅ Automatic weekly invoicing if desired
✅ Notifications when invoices are paid or overdue
🎥 Free tutorials: Zoho offers French-language tutorials on YouTube.
Search “Zoho Invoice tutorial.”
Advantages:
✅ Free (more than sufficient for small businesses)
✅ Automatic reminders (“Ms. Tremblay, your invoice is due tomorrow”)
✅ Simple statistics (“You earned $1,584 in January”)
✅ Tax-friendly (exports to Excel)
3. Wave (Free) #
A complete free accounting tool:
- Completely free (unlimited invoices)
- Canadian company
- Available in French
- Mobile app + desktop
Why Wave is excellent:
✅ Unlimited free invoicing
✅ Tracks paid and outstanding invoices
✅ Automatic reminders
✅ Built-in tax reports
✅ Accepts credit card payments (2.9% fee only if used)
✅ Optional bank account connection
Recommended payment methods #
✅ Interac e-Transfer – Traceable, fast, secure
✅ Online payments (PayPal, Wise) – Convenient for recurring payments
⚠️ Cash – Acceptable, but always provide a signed receipt
❌ Cheques (not recommended)
How to request payment if a client forgets #
Polite reminder (Day 1–2 after due date): #
“Hello Ms. Tremblay, I hope you’re doing well. I just wanted to confirm that you received invoice #2025-015 dated January 15 for $396, which was due yesterday. If it was misplaced, I’d be happy to resend it. Thank you and have a lovely day.”
Firm reminder (Day 5–7): #
“Hello Ms. Tremblay, I have not yet received payment for invoice #2025-015 ($396), which was due on January 17. Could you please confirm when the payment will be made? I would appreciate settlement within 48 hours. Thank you.”
✔ Stay calm, factual, and professional
✔ Document everything:
- Keep copies of all emails and messages
- Record dates and times of follow-ups
- Keep proof of services rendered
If the client still does not pay #
Immediate suspension of services
🛑 Stop working for the client immediately
🛑 Never resume services until full payment is received
🛑 Communicate clearly, politely, and firmly
Preventing payment issues: set clear expectations from the start #
Written agreement before the first service:
- Exact hourly rate
- Invoicing frequency (daily or weekly recommended)
- Payment deadline (48 hours recommended)
- Accepted payment methods
- Late payment policy (fees, suspension, etc.)
Important tax obligations #
As a self-employed worker in Canada, you must:
- Declare all income to the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA)
- Keep all invoices and proof of payment for at least 7 years
- Collect GST/QST if your annual revenue exceeds $30,000 and if the service is taxable
👉 On Margot, most services provided to children are tax-exempt.
Please consult your accountant for up-to-date guidance.
Helpful resources #
Margot does not provide tax advice. Please consult a professional accountant if needed.
