Virtual Assistant Invoice Template — Hourly, Retainer
Hourly billing with tracked time, monthly retainers with hour caps, project packages, multi-client invoicing. The template handles direct clients and agency placements in any currency.
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What goes on a VA invoice
●VA hours (tracked, in 15-min blocks). Itemised by category if helpful.
●Monthly retainer (X hours included). Overage rate stated.
●Project package (e.g., podcast launch, course setup). Fixed-price deliverable.
●Tools / software pass-through (Calendly, Zapier). If sourced for client.
●Rush / out-of-hours surcharge. Premium rate.
●Subcontractor work (designer, copywriter). Pass-through with admin %.
How VAs usually structure billing
Direct clients: weekly or bi-weekly invoice for hourly; monthly for retainer.
Agency placements: their PO + their payment cycle.
Cross-border invoicing: client's currency is normal — multi-currency support matters.
Tax notes
VA services are typically fully taxable. Cross-border B2B services often reverse-charge under EU/UK rules — note 'VAT reverse-charged' on the invoice. US VAs operating across state lines: check nexus rules.
Frequently asked questions
How do I track hours for invoicing?
Use a time tracker (Toggl, Harvest, Clockify) and export the timesheet with the invoice. Clients want to see what they're paying for, especially on hourly engagements.
Should I bill in client's currency?
Yes — for international clients, invoice in their currency to remove their FX friction. Use the multi-currency switcher; convert to your local currency for your books.
How do I handle retainer overages?
Monthly invoice for the retainer. Track hours separately; issue a 'Retainer overage — month of [X]' invoice with a breakdown when hours go over. Don't bury overages in the regular invoice.
How do I invoice for project packages?
Fixed price for a defined deliverable ('Podcast launch package — $X — includes equipment setup, intro/outro, first 5 episode edits'). 50% deposit + balance on delivery.
Sample wording for a VA invoice
Realistic, copy-and-paste-ready line items virtual assistants typically use. Rates here are ballpark for a mid-cost US market; adjust to your specialisation and clients.
●Monthly retainer — Tier 2 (20 hrs/month executive support) (at $55/hr blended): $1,100
●Overage hours — additional 4.5 hrs at overage rate (at $65/hr): $292.50
●Project work — competitor research and briefing doc (8 hrs at $55, included in scope): no overage
●Calendar management — recurring weekly task (included in retainer): no charge
●Email triage and response drafts (included in retainer): no charge
●Software pass-through — ClickUp seat for client workspace (monthly): $19
●Tools — Loom Pro, Calendly seat (per agreement) (per month, included in retainer): no charge
Notes: Retainer invoiced 1st of month, due Net 15 via auto-draft. Overage hours billed monthly on the same invoice. Unused retainer hours roll one month then expire. 30-day notice for retainer change. Out-of-scope work quoted separately. Late-payment fee 1.5%/month.
How VA income actually works
Virtual-assistant work is a retainer business. Monthly retainer (5-40+ hours/month at $25-100/hr depending on specialisation) bills 1st of the month via auto-draft. The 'hourly only' VA practice is a downward spiral — clients monitor every minute and the math doesn't pencil for either side. Retainer locks in revenue and lets the VA optimise the workflow; hourly is for ad-hoc engagements with new clients before retainer commitment.
Specialised VA work — executive-level support, social-media-management adjacent, technical-VA (basic web dev, automation, AI workflow integration) — commands premium rates. Generalist VA work ($20-35/hr) is increasingly commoditised against offshore VA labour (Philippines, Latin America). The successful US-based VA practice positions on specialisation, time-zone alignment, and trust ('your inbox manager, not just an inbox handler'). Clients in this segment pay $4-12k/month and stay for years.
Five billing mistakes that leave VAs underpaid
●Quoting hourly to new clients instead of retainer. Hourly billing trains clients to count minutes. Retainer pricing trains them to value the outcome. Start every new engagement with a 4-week trial month, then transition to a 6-12 month retainer. State: 'After the trial, recommended retainer based on observed workload.'
●Letting clients bury you in 'just one more quick task'. Without a scope cap, retainer becomes overflowing. State on engagement: 'Retainer covers up to 20 hrs/month; overage billed at $65/hr in 0.25-hr increments.' Track hours daily; report weekly. Cap exposure prevents burnout.
●Forgetting to renegotiate when scope grows. Clients ask for 'one more thing' until your retainer covers 35 hrs of work at the 20-hr rate. Quarterly review meetings to discuss scope; annual review to adjust retainer. Don't let scope creep continuously without rate adjustments.
●Not using project-management software with the client. ClickUp, Asana, Trello, Notion — pick one and require the client to use it. Without shared visibility, you handle requests one-off from email and Slack; with it, work is tracked and accountable. State on engagement: 'Engagement uses ClickUp; all task communication via assigned tickets.'
●Skipping the 30-day notice clause. Retainers cancel by mutual notice (typically 30 days). Otherwise a client decides on the 28th to stop service and you're left with no income on the 1st. State clearly: '30-day written notice required for retainer termination.'
US tax notes for virtual assistants
Virtual-assistant services are non-taxable in nearly every state (professional service). The exceptions are the gross-receipts and services-tax states: Hawaii (GET), New Mexico (GRT), Washington (B&O), and South Dakota. Most VAs never trigger sales tax. The unique consideration: VAs serving international clients (UK, EU, Canada-based clients) may need to consider international payment processing (Wise, Payoneer), currency conversion, and the foreign-tax treaty positions on income.
Federal: 1099-NEC at $600 from US business clients. VA deductibles often missed: SaaS subscriptions for the work (ClickUp, Asana, Notion, Loom, Calendly, scheduling and project tools), AI tools (ChatGPT, Claude, Otter.ai, Grammarly Pro, etc.), continuing-ed (online courses, VA-specific training programs like Virtual Savvy or VANetworking), home-office deduction or coworking, payment-processing fees (Stripe, PayPal, Wise — fully deductible business expenses), and the under-claimed line — phone and data costs for client work, plus headsets/microphones for high-quality remote work.
Not tax advice — confirm specifics with your CPA or state department of revenue.
More questions from VAs
Should I price hourly or by the retainer?
Retainer for established clients with regular work; hourly only for ad-hoc and trial engagements. Retainer locks revenue, prevents minute-counting, and lets you optimise workflow without penalty. Most successful US-based VAs are 80-95% retainer revenue with hourly only for first-month trials and special projects.
How do I scope a retainer correctly?
Track hours diligently in the first 3 weeks of any new engagement. Average the weekly hours, multiply by 4, add 15-25% buffer for variance. That's your retainer. Re-evaluate quarterly. Most retainers underprice by 20-30% in the first month and need adjustment; clients accept this when you bring data.
Can I refuse tasks outside my skill set?
Yes — and you should. The professional VA states their service categories clearly: 'Executive admin, scheduling, inbox management, light project management.' Tasks outside scope (graphic design, copywriting, bookkeeping) get referred to specialists. Trying to do everything dilutes quality and commoditises rates.
How do I handle a client who pays late repeatedly?
Apply the late-payment fee per agreement. Two consecutive late months: require auto-draft setup. Three late months: terminate with 30-day notice. State the policy at engagement so the conversation is short when it happens. Auto-draft is the simplest solution; most stable VA practices require it on retainer.
Other professions
→ Contractors → Electricians → Plumbers → Photographers → Graphic designers → Web developers
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