Nevertheless, many attorneys fail to separate revenue that covers incurred costs from their actual income. Failure to allocate appropriately can lead to inaccurate books, and battle compliance issues. An IOLTA account is a pool, interest-bearing business checking account for the deposit of client funds which interest earned belongs to the Lawyer Trust Fund. Every business needs to have a bookkeeping and accounting process. Although the roles of bookkeeping and accounting are different, there is a thin line to distinguish between them.

Although you now understand the common mistakes in accounting for law firms, you’re still an accountant or bookkeeper. There will come a point when you need to call in professionals for legal accounting, so don’t be afraid to delegate when you need help. Unfortunately, far too many firms utilize outdated and ineffective tools to perform their accounting functions. This could be putting your firm at a significant disadvantage as inadequate law firm accounting software can lead to excessive billing process errors and inaccurate time tracking. It is easy to make legal accounting mistakes when working in law with trust accounts. It is too easy to put the funds in the wrong bank account, mismanage an account, accidentally use funds that need to be saved, or fail to report it correctly.

Access from anywhere

“Money leakage” is a term used to refer to situations where the money that should have been collected as revenue is lost or not collected. This can occur when invoices are not sent out in a timely manner, resulting in missed opportunities to collect payments. Money leakage can be particularly damaging for law firms, which typically have an 85% collection rate, meaning that only 85% of what they bill gets paid. You undoubtedly have more pressing matters than organizing your financial statements or monitoring your books.

As your business grows, you can bring on an outsourced bookkeeper who will provide traditional bookkeeping services such as categorizing and reconciling transactions. As a lawyer, when you receive cash that belongs to a client, you are obligated to hold those funds in a client trust account separate from your own money. These are commonly known as IOLTA accounts (interest on lawyers trust accounts) and vary by state (and also check with your local bar association). This guide will provide an overview of law firm bookkeeping, some best practices to follow, mistakes to watch out for, and tools to make the whole process easier.

Differentiating income and revenue incorrectly

This can save the firm money in the long run and help to maintain accurate records. Finally, an easy expense reimbursement system can help employees and partners feel more comfortable using company credit cards for business expenses. In addition to thinking about expenses, it’s also important to project future revenue when setting a budget for a law firm. This will help you make sure that you’re bringing in enough money to cover your costs and hopefully make a profit. Law firms must adhere to the rules and regulations governing their area in order to remain compliant. It is essential for business owners to familiarize themselves with the compliance regulations specific to their jurisdiction before starting a law firm.

There are very specific rules regarding what you can and can’t do with them, and these rules vary depending on your jurisdiction. Businesses are complex, and you may need to set a budget for different categories like marketing, technology, etc. With money flowing in so many different directions, it’s easy to lose track. While new business owners may want to run their firm in a relaxed way and not set any budget, we don’t advise it. Keeping your firm professional in all matters goes a long way toward attracting new clients and high-quality employees. These rules and regulations change with every jurisdiction, so it’s a good idea to become familiar with what’s expected of you before jumping in.

Legal News for Lawyers

They don’t know a debit from a credit or cash basis from an accrual basis. Now it’s not fair to criticize a person who got handed a job they were not experienced for. They may understand some of the legal aspects of the workflow, but it’s a skill you develop over time when it comes to the accounting side. Lawyers are not accountants and they often make the same common mistakes when it comes to accounting for law firms. Legal accounting and attorney bookkeeping mistakes have catastrophic consequences for your business, income taxes, and license.

Ethics rules vary in each jurisdiction, but there are definitely some basics when it comes to accounting for law firms. Once you develop a bookkeeping system, business owners will want to consider working with a CPA or professional tax accountant around tax time to handle tax returns. While there are some outsourced services that offer this functionality, so far I’ve found law firm bookkeeping that working with individuals and small accounting firms is better for this task. Here’s the list of tax accountants that we’ve vetted at the Biglaw Investor. The Less Accounting approach is more of a hybrid between the do-it-yourself approach and true outsourcing. For their initial plan, you can pay a monthly fee to access their software and manage your books yourself.

You need to grow your business

When you don’t collect funds that you’re owed, you miss out on revenue and are essentially working for free. And when you’re missing out on 12% of your billable hours, that’s 4.8 hours in a standard 40-hour workweek. It’s similar to two-way reconciliation, where you compare your bank account balance to your company’s books to make sure it matches. The key to good accounting is keeping detailed records of every single transition coming in or going out of your IOLTA.

An attorney is required to reconcile their trust bank statement to their client’s individual balance on a quarterly, or even monthly basis. A trust account is a special bank account where client funds are kept safe and in a separate account from law firm operating funds. We recommend you reach out to a professional, like a legal accountant or bookkeeper, to assist with your business’ accounting.

Transform Your Practice

In addition to these more traditional Bookkeeping functions, the bookkeeper will be tasked to track certain production and marketing metrics to aid the owner in data-based decision making. The Bookkeeper will use the firm’s practice management system and accounting software to record transactions and prepare standard reports as directed by the owner or the CFO. The Bookkeeper’s duties are designed to keep the Owner apprised of the heartbeat and health of the firm. In addition, the Bookkeeper shall immediately apprise the Owner of any unusual financial activity or problem that may arise. When holding money on behalf of clients or third parties, you need a trust account — which must be separate from your personal or business bank account. You need these accounts to hold retainer fees, legal settlements, and real estate transactions.

• This is a list of all your firm’s financial accounts, giving you a framework for where to record every transaction.
• Supporting Strategies can evaluate your day-to-day operations and suggest improvements that have the potential to transform the financial management of your law firm.
• However, when a firm fails to separate revenue that covers incurred costs from its actual revenue, its records will not be correct.
• They can help level up your firm and make the legal accounting process even smoother by adding legal accounting and legal practice management software to your firm’s toolkit.
• Opting for a part-time or contracted high-level accounting solution proves to be more cost-effective and beneficial for the organization as a whole.
• And when you’re missing out on 12% of your billable hours, that’s 4.8 hours in a standard 40-hour workweek.