Utilize your financial knowledge, give your answer or opinion to the input question or subject . Answer format is not limited.

How to secure one's effort when working on a contract?
I don't think you need to bother with trust accounts.  The point of a trust account is holding funds that aren't yours yet.  You take a retainer fee that you have yet to earn.  As you work, you bill your hourly rate, your client signs off and you take possession of the funds.   You're going to work a project, you'll take a partial payment as a deposit and partial payment upon completion.  But this is a payment to you, not money transferred to you to hold until you earn it at a later date. Your contract can specify remedies for missing a deadline, or any other thing that could happen.