Contractors Payment Guides | Beyond the Swipe

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Oct 23, 20268 min read

What Is Chargeback Representment? How to Fight Disputes

What is chargeback representment? Learn the dispute lifecycle, deadlines, what to put in a rebuttal packet and when a chargeback isn't worth fighting.

MannyPay Editorial Team

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Oct 23, 202610 min read

Surcharging vs. Cash Discount vs. Dual Pricing: Which Is Legal?

Surcharging vs cash discount vs dual pricing: compare card brand rules, debit limits, signage and state law so you can pick a compliant fee-offset model.

MannyPay Editorial Team

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Oct 23, 20268 min read

RTP vs. FedNow vs. ACH: Which Instant Payment Rail Fits?

RTP vs. ACH vs. FedNow: compare speed, limits, cost, finality and bank support so you know when instant bank payments are worth it for your business.

MannyPay Editorial Team

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Oct 23, 20269 min read

Retainage in Construction: How Contractors Get the Last 10% Paid

Learn how retainage in construction works, what state rules may limit it, and a step-by-step plan to bill, document and collect it before it goes bad.

MannyPay Editorial Team

Woman sipping from a mug while typing on a laptop at a desk by a bright window, with a phone and small plant nearby

Oct 23, 202610 min read

How to Get Paid Faster: 11 Invoicing Habits That Work

Learn how to get paid faster on invoices with clearer invoice details, pay links, a ready-to-use reminder schedule and a simple way to track DSO.

MannyPay Editorial Team

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Oct 23, 20268 min read

Card vs. ACH vs. Check for $50,000 Remodel Payments

Find the best way for contractors to get paid on a $50,000 remodel draw: compare card, ACH and check costs, speed, fraud risk and dispute rights.

MannyPay Editorial Team

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Oct 23, 20269 min read

Can Roofers Waive the Deductible? State Laws and Penalties

Can a roofer pay my deductible? Learn why waiving or rebating it can be insurance fraud, how states regulate it, and how to collect it cleanly.

MannyPay Editorial Team

Two businesspeople in suits shake hands over a desk with financial chart printouts as a third person holds a tablet

Oct 23, 20269 min read

ACH vs. Credit Card: Which Should You Push Customers Toward?

ACH vs credit card: compare fees, speed to funds, disputes and failure rates by ticket size, plus how to steer customers to ACH without losing sales.

MannyPay Editorial Team

Gray desktop calculator showing zero on top of a large pile of printed paper sales receipts

Oct 23, 202610 min read

ACH Payments for Small Business: Lower Fees, Slower Money?

Weigh ACH payments for small business: real fee savings, settlement timing, return risk and authorization rules, plus which invoices to move off cards.

MannyPay Editorial Team

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Oct 22, 20268 min read

Visa and Mastercard Surcharge Rules: Caps, Signs, Registration

Learn the Visa surcharge rules and Mastercard requirements that apply in every state: notice, caps, signage and receipts, and what to confirm first.

MannyPay Editorial Team

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Oct 22, 20269 min read

Same Day ACH Volume Jumps 37%: Should You Accept It?

Same Day ACH for businesses is surging. See what Nacha's Q3 2026 data means for your invoice fees, payment speed, return risk and setup.

MannyPay Editorial Team

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Oct 22, 20269 min read

Net 30 Payment Terms Explained: Setting Terms Customers Honor

Learn how net 30 payment terms compare to Net 15, due on receipt and 2/10 Net 30, and when an early payment discount beats waiting or financing.

MannyPay Editorial Team

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Oct 22, 20268 min read

How to Take Credit Card Payments Over the Phone Safely

Learn how to take credit card payments over the phone safely: the right tools, data that lowers rates, PCI-safe handling, and fraud checks for staff.

MannyPay Editorial Team

Black-and-white photo of a construction worker carrying a long steel rebar across a building site with vertical rebar

Oct 22, 20268 min read

Do Contractors Charge Sales Tax? Lump-Sum vs. Time and Materials

Do contractors charge sales tax? Learn when you pay tax on materials, when it goes on the invoice, and how to avoid double-taxing customers or audit bills.

MannyPay Editorial Team

Contractor in white hard hat and plaid shirt holding rolled blueprints, facing an unfinished two-story house

Oct 22, 20269 min read

Contractor Chargebacks: When Homeowners Dispute a Deposit

Facing a contractor chargeback on a deposit? Learn the reason codes homeowners use, the job-site evidence that wins, and contract fixes that prevent them.

MannyPay Editorial Team

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Oct 22, 20269 min read

13-Week Cash Flow Forecast: Build One From Your Sales Data

Learn how to build a 13-week cash flow forecast from real card deposits, fees, and holds so your projection matches what actually lands in your bank.

MannyPay Editorial Team

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Oct 21, 20269 min read

Non-Qualified Rates: How Tiered Pricing Downgrades Cost You

Learn how a non-qualified credit card rate gets triggered under tiered pricing, how to calculate what downgrades cost you, and how to stop overpaying.

MannyPay Editorial Team

Bearded contractor in cap and gloves setting large white tiles on an adhesive-coated wall during a bathroom remodel

Oct 21, 20269 min read

Contractor Credit Card Processing Fees: What Remodelers Should Pay

Learn how contractor credit card processing fees add up on big remodel invoices, and how MCC codes, entry method and pricing model change what you pay.

MannyPay Editorial Team

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Oct 21, 20269 min read

Construction Change Orders: Getting Paid for Extra Work

Learn a signed-before-work construction change order payment workflow that collects at approval and keeps extras from becoming final-walkthrough disputes.

MannyPay Editorial Team

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Oct 21, 20269 min read

Can Contractors Charge a Credit Card Fee on Progress Invoices?

Can contractors charge credit card fees on draw invoices? Learn how surcharge caps, state limits, debit rules and contract disclosures apply.

MannyPay Editorial Team

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Oct 21, 20269 min read

Business Line of Credit vs. Term Loan: Which Fits Your Need?

Business line of credit vs term loan: match each to real needs like inventory swings, equipment buys and payroll gaps, and learn the costs and fine print.

MannyPay Editorial Team

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Oct 20, 20268 min read

Why Your Processor Held Funds on a Big Remodel Deposit

Contractor payment processor holding funds on a big deposit? Learn why big jobs trigger reviews and how to set up your account to avoid frozen funds.

MannyPay Editorial Team

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Oct 20, 20268 min read

Why Online and Keyed Transactions Cost More to Process

Card not present fees, explained with Visa's own rate table: what an online or keyed sale really costs, when debit doesn't change, and how to close the gap.

MannyPay Editorial Team

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Oct 20, 20268 min read

Why Is My Processor Holding My Funds? Causes, Documents and Fixes

Processor holding funds? Learn why holds happen, which documents speed a release, and how to escalate without risking your merchant account.

MannyPay Editorial Team

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Oct 20, 20268 min read

Roof Insurance Check Made Out to the Mortgage Company? Next Steps

Got an insurance check made out to homeowner and mortgage company? Learn how roofers handle endorsements, loss drafts and depreciation to get paid faster.

MannyPay Editorial Team

Roofers working on a slate roof of a semi-detached house surrounded by scaffolding, with a green telehandler lifting materials

Oct 20, 20268 min read

Homeowner Won't Pay? Mechanic's Lien Steps and Deadlines

Learn how to file a mechanics lien, from preliminary notice to notice of intent, and how to collect by card or ACH before you ever need to file.

MannyPay Editorial Team

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Oct 20, 20269 min read

How to Compare Home Improvement Financing Programs for Contractors

Compare home improvement financing for contractors: how dealer fees, funding timing, approvals and loan limits affect your margin and close rate.

MannyPay Editorial Team

Wood-framed house under construction with sheathing and a ladder

Oct 20, 20269 min read

Construction Draw Schedules: How to Collect Milestone Payments on Time

Set up a construction draw schedule homeowners accept, tie each draw to a verifiable milestone, and collect by card, ACH or pay link on time.

MannyPay Editorial Team

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Oct 20, 20269 min read

Conditional vs. Unconditional Lien Waivers: When to Sign Each

Learn the conditional vs unconditional lien waiver difference and when card, ACH, and check payments are final enough to sign away your lien rights.

MannyPay Editorial Team

Three workers in hard hats reviewing blueprints at a concrete building site

Oct 20, 20268 min read

California Contractor Down Payment Limit: How to Take Deposits Legally

Learn how the California contractor down payment limit affects card and ACH deposits, which jobs to check, and how to bill progress payments compliantly.

MannyPay Editorial Team

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Oct 19, 20265 min read

What Is a Virtual Terminal? How to Take Card Payments Without Hardware

Learn what a virtual terminal is, how it handles phone, mail and invoice payments from any computer, what keyed sales cost, and how to keep them secure.

MannyPay Editorial Team