Give clients payment flexibility, get paid upfront
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Boost your cash flow
No need to defer payment or carry client debt. Get your full fee upfront, which secures cash flow and immediately reduces financial risk.
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Focus on legal work, not collections
Avoid the admin burden and stress of managing payments. Offer flexible options that keep payment conversations out of your office.
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Broaden your reach
Make your legal services accessible for clients who can’t pay all at once. Take on matters you’d otherwise have to turn down and grow your practice.
How to get paid with Pay Later
1. Turn on Pay Later
Go to Payments Settings and then Payment Methods. Then, flip the toggle to enable Pay Later. Learn more
2. Let clients pay at their pace
Once enabled, Pay Later appears as a new option on the payment page. Clients simply select it to choose the plan that best fits their budget.
3. Get paid—no admin, no stress
You get the full amount immediately. Every payment is automatically linked to the right matter and bill, and funds typically reach your account within 2-3 business days
Technical or loan inquiries
For any technical or loan-related inquiries, please visit www.affirm.com/help or call 855-423-3729.
Pay Later and Legal Fee Financing FAQs
What is Pay Later?
Pay Later is a financing solution by Affirm that allows your firm to get paid in full and upfront, while your clients pay over time through scheduled installments. While your firm offers this payment option, the financing is provided by Affirm, a third-party lending partner.
What is Affirm?
Affirm is a financial technology company and “buy now, pay later” provider. They are the third party that offers the loans to your clients.
Why should my law firm offer Pay Later through Affirm?
Offering Pay Later can improve your firm’s cash flow by ensuring you collect the full amount upfront, while your clients pay over time.
This reduces the time and administrative burden of managing collections, allowing you to get started on legal work right away without having to defer payment.
It also helps you broaden your client base by giving more flexible options to your clients—making it easy for clients to work with and pay your firm.
What is the difference between Pay Later and a traditional payment plan?
With Pay Later, your firm receives the full payment upfront, and a third-party lender (Affirm) is responsible for all subsequent transactions and collections from the client. A payment plan allows you to set payment terms with your clients to collect the full amount over time.
How does my firm receive the funds from a client's transaction?
The full payment amount is sent directly to your firm via ACH transfer within 2-3 business days. Processing fees are deducted from the payment (or withdrawn from your operating account for trust payments). With Clio Payments, you can choose between a daily or monthly fee deduction schedule. Learn more.
How do clients apply for legal fee financing?
The process is quick and easy. When paying online, clients will see Pay Later as a payment option. Selecting this option will redirect them to a short online application with Affirm. After entering a few pieces of information, they receive a real-time decision on which loan options they are eligible for.
How do I let my clients know about Pay Later?
You can let your clients know about this new payment option at the beginning of your client relationship, or when you are discussing payment. To help them understand the benefits and process, you can direct them to this webpage.
Is there a transaction size limit?
Pay Later through Affirm supports transactions ranging from $50 up to $30,000. Each loan is tied to a specific transaction, it is not a line of credit. The client’s approved loan amount is determined by their eligibility.
Are there any consequences to my law firm if a client doesn't pay their loan?
No. Your law firm is not affected if a client fails to make loan repayments. All collection and payment responsibilities are handled between the client and Affirm.
What is the cost to my firm for offering Pay Later? Can I pass this fee on to my client?
There is a transaction fee of 4.95% on the value of the transaction. This cost cannot be passed on to the client.
How do refunds work?
In the event that you agree to a refund with a client, you can process the refund through your account. Affirm will pause the client’s payment plan and refund them for any payments they have already made (whether partial or full refunds), excluding interest payments. Refunds are supported for up to 120 days after the original transaction date.
Can Pay Later be used for trust (IOLTA) accounts?
Yes, Pay Later supports payments to both operating and trust accounts. Any associated fees are never debited from the trust account.
My client has a question about their loan. Who do they contact?
For any questions regarding their loan, clients must contact Affirm directly. They can do so by visiting www.affirm.com/help or by calling 855-423-3729.
Where can I learn more about Pay Later and Affirm?
Learn more about Pay Later by consulting Affirm’s Help Centre, or taking this eLearning course.
*A processing fee of 4.95% will still apply to all Pay Later transactions
Disclosure
Rates from 10–36% APR. For example, a $800 purchase might cost $72.21/mo over 12 months at 15% APR. Payment options through Affirm are subject to an eligibility check, may not be available everywhere, and are provided by these lending partners: affirm.com/lenders. Options depend on your purchase amount, and a down payment may be required. Estimated payment amount may exclude taxes. For licenses and disclosures, see affirm.com/licenses.