Payment terms are one of the most uncomfortable conversations in freelancing, especially when a client insists they want to review the completed work before paying anything at all. You want the job, but you also know how easily things go wrong when money is not agreed on clearly from the start. Many freelancers have lost work they can never recover because they trusted too early. How do you handle this situation when it comes up, and what has actually helped you protect your time without losing the client?