<b>Today's term: the kill fee</b>

<b>Today's term: the kill fee</b>

Deals fall apart. The question is whether you get paid when they do.

<b>What it is</b> — a kill fee is money you keep if the brand cancels after you've started but before you publish.

<b>Why it matters</b> — you blocked the date, maybe filmed, maybe turned down other work. A cancellation shouldn't leave you with zero.

<b>Simple example</b> — common structure: 50% if they cancel after you've shot the content, 100% if they cancel after final approval. On a $500 deal, that's $250-$500 protected.

<b>Your move</b> — add one line: "If client cancels after content creation begins, a 50% kill fee applies." You're not being greedy. You're being paid for time.