All day, every day, 100% of the time, Profit Scale Thrive recommends using a software program designed specifically for trust accounting that allows you to track every penny in and out of your trust correctly by client/matter.
This spreadsheet is being provided for firms that do not yet have this software in place.
This downloadable spreadsheet is designed to help law firms perform a documented three-way trust account reconciliation. It guides you through reconciling your bank statement, trust ledger, and total client balances to ensure compliance with state bar requirements and ethical obligations.
Includes structured tabs, built-in formulas, and a reconciliation worksheet to support monthly documentation and audit readiness.
Trust accounting rules vary by jurisdiction. This workbook is intended as a structural tool to support proper reconciliation practices. Always confirm your state bar’s specific requirements regarding frequency, documentation, and retention.
Trust account reconciliation is not optional. It is a professional responsibility.
This downloadable Excel workbook is designed to help law firms perform a proper three-way trust account reconciliation by comparing:
The IOLTA bank statement balance
The trust ledger (check register) balance
The total of all client ledger balances
When all three match to the penny, your reconciliation is complete.
Trust account violations are among the most common causes of disciplinary action. Most issues are not fraud. They are process failures:
Missing documentation
Incomplete reconciliation
Unresolved outstanding items
Overreliance on bank reconciliation alone
This workbook provides a structured framework to help you avoid those mistakes.
✔ Check Register template with running balance formulas
✔ Client Ledger tracking with automatic balance calculations
✔ Reconciliation worksheet comparing all three required components
✔ Built-in formulas to reduce math errors
✔ Space to document outstanding deposits and checks
✔ Difference checks to confirm balances match exactly
Designed for monthly use and audit readiness.
Law firm owners
Firm administrators
Bookkeepers
CPAs serving law firms
Attorneys who want documented internal controls
This tool is especially helpful for firms using general accounting software that does not automatically produce a three-way reconciliation report.
Use this template to create a consistent monthly reconciliation process and strengthen your internal controls.
Because in trust accounting, the number that matters most is zero — zero unexplained differences.