Guide
Milestone payment guide
Milestone payments align cash flow with delivered value — when each gate is tied to approval, not optimism.
Define milestones in the contract
Each milestone should be countable and tied to a payment event:
- Title and deliverables per milestone
- Amount (sums to contract total)
- Revision rounds included
- Approval event that triggers payment
Milestone payment flow
Submit → review within revision limit → Approval Lock → Payment Release Gate → invoice or escrow disbursement.
When to fund milestones in escrow
New clients, high value, or long gaps between delivery and pay benefit from milestone escrow. Release still follows approval gates.
FAQ
Common questions
- How many milestones?
- Three to five is common for brand and web projects. Match client cash flow and risk.
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