Getting paid the right amount matters to everyone. You work hard for your money and deserve every dollar owed to you. But what happens when a payment falls short? Speaking up about money can feel awkward, but it needs to be done.
Money talks can be tricky, but with the right words, you can ask for what you’re owed without hurting business ties. These email samples will help you ask for your missing money in a clear and kind way. Each sample gives you the words to use so you can get paid in full without any bad feelings.
Underpayment Email Samples
Here are fifteen email templates you can use when you notice you’ve been underpaid. Each has its own style to fit different situations.
1. Friendly First Notice
Subject: Quick Note About Recent Payment
Hi Sarah,
Thanks for the payment you sent over yesterday. I checked my records and noticed there might be a small mix-up with the amount. The invoice was for $1,500, but the payment received was $1,200.
Would you mind looking into this when you get a chance? I’ve attached the original invoice for reference.
Thanks so much for your help!
Best wishes, [Signature block to include: Your name, company name, contact details]
2. Direct Approach for Regular Clients
Subject: Underpayment on Invoice #4528
Hello Mark,
I hope this email finds you well. I’m writing about invoice #4528 that was paid on Tuesday.
The invoice total was $3,750, but the payment received was $3,250. This leaves a balance of $500 still due.
Could you please check this and send the remaining amount at your earliest chance?
Thank you for your quick attention to this matter.
Regards, [Signature block to include: Full name, position, company name, phone number, email address]
3. Detailed Explanation
Subject: Payment Discrepancy on March Project
Dear Ms. Johnson,
Thank you for your recent payment of $2,800 for the March website project. Upon checking my records, I noticed that there seems to be a discrepancy between the amount paid and the amount due.
The original invoice #2023-105 was for $3,500, broken down as: – Website design: $2,000 – Content creation: $1,000 – SEO setup: $500
The current payment leaves a balance of $700. I’ve attached both the original invoice and a payment record for your review.
Please let me know if you need any other details to resolve this matter.
Thank you for your business and prompt attention to this issue.
Sincerely, [Signature block to include: Name, title, business name, contact information, website link]
4. Gentle Reminder
Subject: Small Payment Matter to Resolve
Hi Alex,
I trust you’re doing well this week. Just a friendly note about the recent payment for my consulting services.
It seems there was a small oversight with the payment sent on the 15th. The amount received was $850, while the agreed rate for the 10 hours of work was $1,000 ($100/hour).
No rush at all, but when you have a moment, could you please send the remaining $150?
Thanks so much for your time. I really enjoy working with you and your team.
Warm regards, [Signature block to include: Name, professional title, phone number, social media handles]
5. First-Time Vendor Notice
Subject: Payment Adjustment Needed for First Order
Dear Mr. Williams,
Thank you for choosing our company for your supply needs. We greatly value your business.
I’m writing about the payment we received yesterday for order #BT-2023-089. The total order amount was $5,250, but we received a payment of $4,750.
As a new client, I wanted to reach out promptly to address this $500 difference. You can find the detailed order breakdown in the attached invoice.
Please let me know if you have any questions or need help with processing the remaining payment.
Looking forward to a long and successful business relationship.
Best regards, [Signature block to include: Name, position, company details, direct line, email address]
6. Follow-Up After No Response
Subject: Second Notice: Outstanding Balance on Invoice #3342
Dear Dr. Thompson,
I hope this message finds you well. I sent an email last week regarding an underpayment on invoice #3342, but I haven’t heard back, so I wanted to follow up.
The original invoice amount was $1,850, and we received $1,500 on April 3rd. There is still a balance of $350 outstanding.
Could you please let me know when we can expect the remaining payment? If there’s any issue or question about the invoice, I’m happy to discuss it.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Kind regards, [Signature block to include: Full name, business name, address, contact details, business hours]
7. Payment Plan Suggestion
Subject: Solution for Outstanding Payment Balance
Hello Jamie,
I hope you’re having a good week. I’m reaching out about the balance of $2,200 from our last project that remains unpaid after the initial payment of $1,800.
I understand that cash flow can sometimes be tight. If paying the full amount right now is difficult, would a payment plan work better for you? We could split the remaining balance into two payments of $1,100 each, due on the 15th of this month and the next.
Please let me know what works best for your situation, and we can move forward accordingly.
Thank you for your business and understanding.
All the best, [Signature block to include: Name, position, company logo, contact information, company tagline]
8. Addressing a Pattern
Subject: Ongoing Payment Discrepancies – Need Your Help
Dear Mr. Clark,
I hope this email finds you well. I need to bring a pattern to your attention regarding recent payments.
For the past three months, we’ve received payments that were less than the invoiced amounts: – February: Invoiced $1,200, received $1,000 – March: Invoiced $1,350, received $1,100 – April: Invoiced $1,200, received $1,000
This adds up to a total underpayment of $650. I’ve attached all three invoices and payment records for your review.
Could we schedule a quick call to discuss this and make sure we’re on the same page moving forward? I value our business relationship and want to make sure everything is clear.
Thank you for your time and attention to this matter.
Respectfully, [Signature block to include: Full name, title, company name, phone number, email, business address]
9. Rush Request
Subject: URGENT: Payment Shortfall Needs Same-Day Resolution
Dear Lisa,
I hope your day is going well. I need your urgent help with a payment matter that requires same-day attention.
We received a payment of $8,500 yesterday for project completion, but the final invoice was for $11,000. This leaves $2,500 still due, which we need to receive today to pay our suppliers.
Could you please process this remaining amount today? Our accounting department can provide any documentation needed to help speed this along.
Thank you very much for your quick action on this time-sensitive matter.
Best regards, [Signature block to include: Name, emergency contact number, email, company name, position]
10. Very Formal Approach
Subject: Notice of Payment Deficiency: Contract #KL-2023-0456
Dear Mr. Anderson,
This communication serves as official notice that payment received on April 12, 2023, for Contract #KL-2023-0456 was deficient.
Contract amount due: $7,500.00 Amount received: $6,000.00 Outstanding balance: $1,500.00
As per Section 4.2 of our contract, full payment was due upon project completion, which occurred on April 1, 2023.
Please remit the outstanding balance of $1,500.00 within five (5) business days to avoid any disruption of service or additional late fees as outlined in our agreement.
All payments should be directed to the account specified in the original invoice.
Your prompt attention to this matter is appreciated.
Respectfully, [Signature block to include: Full legal name, title, company legal name, business address, contact information]
11. Payroll Underpayment
Subject: Missing Hours in Recent Paycheck
Hi Jackie,
I hope you’re doing well. I just received my paycheck for the period ending April 15th and noticed that something seems off with the hours calculated.
Based on my time sheets, I worked 82 hours during this pay period, but my pay stub shows only 74 hours. This is a difference of 8 hours, which at my hourly rate of $25 comes to $200 before taxes.
I’ve attached my time sheets for your review. Could you please look into this and let me know when I can expect the missing amount?
Thank you for your help with this.
Best, [Signature block to include: Employee name, ID number, department, work phone extension]
12. Contractor to Client
Subject: Adjustment Needed on Recent Freelance Payment
Hi Terry,
Thanks for the quick payment for the graphics project I completed last week. I really enjoyed working on those designs for your new product line.
I noticed that the payment I received was $400, but the agreed amount for the 5 designs was $500 ($100 per design). I wanted to check if there was a reason for the difference or if it was just an oversight.
Could you please let me know about the remaining $100 when you get a chance?
Looking forward to working together on future projects.
Cheers, [Signature block to include: Name, freelance title, portfolio website, phone number, social media handles]
13. Service Provider to Customer
Subject: Balance Due on Home Repair Services
Dear Mrs. Garcia,
Thank you for your recent payment for the plumbing services we provided at your home on April 10th. We truly appreciate your business.
Upon reviewing your account, we noticed that the payment received was $350, while the total cost of services was $475. This leaves a balance of $125 still due.
For your reference, the service included: – Kitchen sink repair: $175 – Bathroom faucet replacement: $150 – New shower head installation: $150 – Total: $475
Please let us know if you have any questions about the services or the billing. We’d be happy to address any concerns.
We look forward to receiving the remaining payment at your earliest chance.
Thank you for choosing our company for your home repair needs.
With appreciation, [Signature block to include: Name, company name, license number, phone number, emergency service number]
14. Software Subscription Billing
Subject: Subscription Payment Adjustment Required
Hello Jordan,
Thank you for being a valued customer of our software platform. We appreciate your ongoing business.
Our billing system has flagged that the most recent payment for your Premium Plan subscription was $99, rather than the current rate of $129 per month.
This discrepancy may have occurred because: 1. You might be referring to our old pricing from before the January update 2. There could have been an error during the payment processing
Please note that to keep your account active with full access to all Premium features, we’ll need the additional $30 for this month’s subscription.
You can easily make this payment by logging into your account dashboard or replying to this email for alternative payment options.
Thank you for your understanding and prompt attention to this matter.
Regards, [Signature block to include: Name, customer support title, company name, help desk link, support hours]
15. Final Notice Before Action
Subject: FINAL NOTICE: Outstanding Payment Required Within 48 Hours
Dear Mr. Reynolds,
This email serves as the final notice regarding the outstanding balance on invoice #INV-2023-0089 before further action is taken.
Despite several previous communications sent on March 15, March 30, and April 10, the following balance remains unpaid:
Original invoice amount: $5,750 Amount received to date: $3,000 Outstanding balance: $2,750
As stated in our terms of service, which were agreed upon at the start of our business relationship, failure to make full payment within 48 hours will result in: 1. Suspension of all current services 2. Referral to our collections department 3. Possible legal action to recover the debt
To avoid these measures, please make immediate payment of the outstanding $2,750 via bank transfer to the account listed on your invoice.
Should you have made the payment very recently, please disregard this notice and send us the payment confirmation details.
We value your business and hope to resolve this matter promptly.
Sincerely, [Signature block to include: Full name, accounts receivable manager title, company legal name, direct phone line, email address]
Wrap-up: Getting Your Full Payment
Asking for money you’re owed doesn’t have to be hard. Pick the email style that matches your needs and how well you know the other person. Stay calm, be clear about what’s owed, and give proof to back up your claim.
Keep a kind tone even if you feel upset. Most of the time, underpayments happen by mistake, not on purpose. Give the other person a chance to fix the error before you get too firm in your emails.
If you don’t hear back after your first try, send a follow-up. Be patient but steady in asking for what you’re owed. With the right words and a professional approach, you can get your full payment without hurting your business ties.