Clear the overdues — or they’ll follow you all year

If an invoice is still unpaid in January, it’s no longer a “Christmas delay”.

It’s a pattern.

Historic overdues have a habit of poisoning everything that comes after them. New invoices feel awkward. Chasing feels personal. And before long, late payment becomes the norm rather than the exception.

January is the right time to draw a clear line.

Not aggressively — clearly.

A calm phrase that works well is:

“Before we move forward with new work this year, we just need to clear the balance from last year.”

Professional.
Measured.
Difficult to argue with.

You’re not dwelling on the past — you’re making space to move forward.