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When an invoice is not paid before it's due date arrives, then the payment and the invoice is considered past due. The phrase feels awkward to use, is there another?

There is another word, "overdue", but I don't think that would fit well in terms of an invoice.

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    It does fit well in terms of an invoice.
    – Matt E. Эллен
    Commented Jul 14, 2017 at 9:54
  • There's accounts receivable aging, but that refers to the 'age' of the invoices, not necessarily their overdue status.
    – Lawrence
    Commented Jul 14, 2017 at 11:14
  • The broadened usage 'pay an invoice' (cf 'pay a bill'), where 'pay a payment' might seem more appropriate were it not for the awkward repetition, could well be assumed by some to license 'the invoice is overdue' (though this is ambiguous). There are tens of thousands of examples of its being used on the internet. 'The bill is overdue' is a different matter.
    – Edwin Ashworth
    Commented Jul 14, 2017 at 11:27

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When an invoice is not paid before it's due date arrives, then the payment and the invoice is considered past due

I think at this point the invoice might be considered "past due" though perhaps "unpaid" might be clearer but the payment is "overdue".

Perhaps the issue is that you are looking for one word to cover both ...

  • The invoice which has not been satisfied
  • The payment which has not been made

I'd suggest that "overdue" is a correct term for the payment and "unpaid" is a correct term for the invoice.

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    "unpaid" also applies to an invoice which has not passed it's due date, but has also not been paid.
    – Olavi Sau
    Commented Jul 14, 2017 at 10:00
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    I like that distinction between the invoice and the payment, technically I believe you're right so plus one. However in common speech people do talk about "overdue invoices" meaning ones for which payment is overdue, not ones which have not been raised by the expected time.
    – BoldBen
    Commented Jul 14, 2017 at 10:01
  • Agreed, with both comments. I've updated the answer to indicate that my suggestions are valid choices but not the only valid choices. Thanks.
    – glytching
    Commented Jul 14, 2017 at 10:08
  • Used overdue :)
    – Olavi Sau
    Commented Jul 14, 2017 at 12:45

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