Ask How do you protect yourself when a client refuses to respond after you have sent a final invoice?

[Edward22]

Finishing a project and submitting the final invoice feels like the end of the job, but some clients go quiet at that exact point. The silence is different from normal delays because it comes right when money is owed. An invoice is a formal request for payment that lists the work done and the amount due. Waiting too long to follow up can feel awkward, but not following up at all can mean losing the payment entirely. What do you usually do when a client stops responding right after you have submitted your final invoice and payment is still outstanding?