The Loot Blog

Practical guides for Canadian freelancers.

How much a Canadian freelancer should set aside for taxes

How Much Should a Freelancer Set Aside for Taxes in Canada?

A plain-English answer for Canadian freelancers: set aside 25 to 30% of every payment, why that number, and the three things it has to cover (income tax, CPP, and GST/HST once you register).

Sep 9, 2026·6 min

Sole proprietor or incorporate: a guide for Canadian freelancers

Taxes

Sole Proprietor or Incorporate? When a Canadian Freelancer Should Actually Consider It

A plain-English guide for Canadian freelancers deciding whether to incorporate: the honest default, the three real reasons to do it, the traps people fall into, and when it becomes an accountant conversation.

Sep 2, 2026·6 min

Getting paid

How to Invoice as a Sole Proprietor in Canada

A plain-English guide to invoicing as a Canadian sole proprietor: what a real invoice needs, whether you have to register a business, when GST/HST starts, and how to get paid faster.

Aug 26, 2026·6 min

Getting paid

What to Do When a Client Won't Pay a Freelance Invoice

A calm, step-by-step guide for freelancers whose invoice has gone unpaid: how to escalate from reminder to firm notice to your last resorts, without burning the relationship or your nerves.

Aug 19, 2026·6 min

How to set up automatic payment reminders for late invoices

Getting paid

How to Set Up Automatic Payment Reminders (and Chase Late Invoices Without Nagging)

A practical guide to automating payment reminders for freelancers: when to send them, exactly what to write, how many to send, and how to stop being the one who chases.

Aug 12, 2026·5 min

Getting paid

How to Structure Milestone Payments as a Freelancer

A practical guide to splitting a freelance project into staged payments: how many milestones, what percentage each, how to word them, and what to do when a client pushes back.

Aug 5, 2026·6 min

Which GST/HST rate to charge a client in another Canadian province

Taxes

What GST/HST Rate Do I Charge a Client in Another Province?

The rate follows your client's province, so a BC freelancer bills an Ontario client at 13 percent. Every provincial rate, how the place-of-supply rule works for services, Quebec, and foreign clients.

Jul 29, 2026·6 min

How to ask a client for a deposit as a freelancer

Getting paid

How to Ask a Client for a Deposit (Script + When to Require One)

A freelancer's guide to asking for a deposit without losing the job: how much to charge, when to require one, the exact wording to use, and how to invoice it.

Jul 22, 2026·6 min

Getting paid

Should You Use a Freelancer Invoicing Service Like Ruul or Xolo Go?

Ruul, Xolo Go and similar services invoice clients for you and take a cut. When the fee is worth it, when to bill direct, and the questions to ask first.

Jul 15, 2026·6 min

Getting paid

Client Wants to Pay You Directly? How to Do It Safely

A client wants to pay you directly instead of through a platform. Here's how to say yes safely: what to check, what to put in writing, and how to get paid.

Jul 8, 2026·6 min

Getting paid

Why Some Invoicing Apps Hold Your Money

Some invoicing apps hold your money before paying you. Learn the difference between direct settlement and a platform that freezes funds, and four questions to ask.

Jul 1, 2026·6 min

Taxes

GST/HST for Canadian Freelancers in 2026: When You Charge It, and When You Don't

When you have to register for GST/HST, when you don't, which rate goes on the invoice by your client's province, and how Quebec's QST fits. Plain-language guide for solo freelancers in Canada.

Jun 24, 2026·7 min

For Wave users

A Canadian Alternative to Wave, Built for Freelancers

Wave's free plan has been shrinking since 2024. What changed, why it matters for Canadian freelancers, and what to look for in a replacement.

Apr 21, 2026·6 min