For bookkeeping purposes, ensure you’re only tracking transactions that occur within your law firm’s accounts. If for any reason you make a mistake (such as depositing a personal check in your business account), make sure to track it in your books. We strongly recommend working with a legal-specific merchant provider. Generic merchants will withdraw processing fees from the same account they deposit funds into.

While you’ve spent years honing your skills to become a great lawyer, you didn’t learn about accounting or bookkeeping for attorneys at law school. The new normal also requires law firms to rethink their digital and service delivery strategies to streamline processes and add the most value for clients. Today’s connected digital environment makes cybersecurity best practices and programs essential for keeping client and case data safe. Like other businesses, law firms are subject to income taxes. Generally, a company’s taxable income is the profit a company makes after all legal tax deductions are made from the company’s revenue.

Audit & accounting

There are also financial reports that go beyond following best practices for accounting and identifying growth opportunities. Many new business owners view accounting and bookkeeping identically. Both are looking to help your firm grow and succeed financially.

This gives you the best of both worlds while making your law firm’s comprehensive accounting situation easier to manage. When it comes to accounting for law firms, there’s no one “right” method (though you may be required to take on the accrual method). Some software platforms allow you to use accrual-based books for monthly management of the firm while also creating cash-basis statements for preparing tax returns.

Interest on Lawyers Trust Accounts (IOLTA)

When looking at the importance of solid accounting, you’re really talking about looking at financial data on a regular basis. And you can’t do that if you’re not gathering and sorting it on a regular basis. This is a list of all your firm’s financial accounts, giving you law firm bookkeeping a framework for where to record every transaction. Hone your financial and accounting skills to make the strongest argument for your clients. Law firms are seeking new, innovative ways to do business, and strategic planning is at the forefront of leadership initiatives.

• The act of “bookkeeping” produces financial statements, which your CPA then uses to file your taxes.
• Department of Treasury, the New York Stock Exchange, and participants in the financial markets, including hedge funds, investment banks, and private equity funds.
• Because of poor training, lack of accounting help, or differing IOLTA rules across state lines, many attorneys are unfamiliar with what they are and aren’t allowed to put into an IOLTA account.
• This creates a better matching of costs to the revenues earned in a given month or year.

When it comes to accounting for law firms, whether you handle it yourself or hire someone, your bookkeeping system must maintain a consistent schedule for carrying out bookkeeping tasks. An accountant who specializes in accounting for law firms is beneficial. Your best bet is likely to hire both a legal bookkeeper and a legal accountant. Accepting credit cards is effectively a necessity in today’s world of instant, electronic payment options. However, if law firms don’t use the right merchant provider, they can land themselves in trouble.

Consider a business credit card

Group viewings for online programs may be arranged for five or more attorneys within the same organization prior to viewing by emailing west.wlec- This post is to be used for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, business, or tax advice. Each person should consult his or her own attorney, business advisor, or tax advisor with respect to matters referenced in this post. Bench assumes no liability for actions taken in reliance upon the information contained herein. The Federal Unemployment Tax Act (FUTA) tax provides payments of unemployment compensation to workers who have lost their jobs.

• The software will help your business collect payments through online invoicing.
• It is especially geared towards those firms who want a solution that makes trust accounting easy.
• But now that you own your own firm, you are discovering how important those “numbers” are to being profitable and confident.
• The key is to actively monitor things so you know when and what to adjust.
• The operating account, on the other hand, belongs to the law firm.
• Utilizing professional bookkeeping for attorneys to help keep accurate monthly documentation and consistent reviews of the business financial statements, you will see your firm’s accurate financial picture.
• This is a double-entry system, so there are two equal corresponding sides at all times.