Practical guides on IOLTA trust accounting, bar compliance, and managing client funds.
August 18, 2026 · IOLTATrusts Team
Many attorneys still manage their trust accounts with Excel. It works — until it doesn't. Here's what the switch to dedicated IOLTA software looks like, and why most attorneys wonder why they waited.
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August 5, 2026 · IOLTATrusts Team
In a multi-attorney firm, trust account errors rarely involve only the attorney who made the mistake. Supervisory responsibility, firm-level liability, and the question of who signs the reconciliation matter — a lot.
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August 4, 2026 · IOLTATrusts Team
Solo practitioners face trust accounting challenges without a bookkeeper or compliance team to catch errors. These five mistakes are the most common — and the most avoidable.
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July 21, 2026 · IOLTATrusts Team
A bar trust account audit can happen with little notice. Attorneys who maintain clean records and reconcile monthly have nothing to fear. Here's exactly what auditors look for and how to be ready.
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July 8, 2026 · IOLTATrusts Team
Flat fee arrangements are common in criminal defense, immigration, and estate planning practices. Whether the fee goes into trust or directly to operating depends on specific language in your fee agreement — and the rules vary by state.
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July 7, 2026 · IOLTATrusts Team
Every state has IOLTA requirements, but the specifics vary — participation rules, record retention periods, reconciliation deadlines, and audit triggers all differ. Here's what to check for your jurisdiction.
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June 16, 2026 · IOLTATrusts Team
Settlement proceeds are among the most common — and most mishandled — funds that pass through an attorney trust account. Here's the correct process from receipt to final disbursement.
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June 3, 2026 · IOLTATrusts Team
Attorneys who handle real estate closings receive and disburse the largest trust fund amounts of any practice type — often in a single afternoon. The compliance stakes are proportionally higher.
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May 26, 2026 · IOLTATrusts Team
Three-way reconciliation is the monthly process that ties your bank statement, your check register, and your client ledgers together. Bar rules require it. Here's exactly how it works.
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May 6, 2026 · IOLTATrusts Team
Most attorneys know trust account records must be kept 'for years' — but the specifics matter. What exactly must be retained, for how long, and what format do bar examiners accept?
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May 5, 2026 · IOLTATrusts Team
IOLTA accounts hold client funds that attorneys receive before earning them. Understanding how they work — and what happens when rules aren't followed — is essential for every practicing attorney.
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April 15, 2026 · IOLTATrusts Team
What do you do when a client matter closes but a small balance remains in trust — and you can't reach the client? Unclaimed property laws apply to trust funds, and ignoring dormant balances is a separate compliance risk.
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March 31, 2026 · IOLTATrusts Team
Law school teaches you to practice law. It doesn't teach you to run a trust account. Before you accept your first retainer, here's what you actually need to know.
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March 10, 2026 · IOLTATrusts Team
Commingling — mixing client funds with firm funds — is the most frequently cited trust account violation. Most of the time, it happens without any intent to steal. Here's how it happens and how to make sure it doesn't happen to you.
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February 25, 2026 · IOLTATrusts Team
How your retainer agreement is structured determines how retainer funds are handled in your trust account. The wrong structure — or the wrong recordkeeping — is one of the most common sources of bar complaints.
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February 11, 2026 · IOLTATrusts Team
Opening a new IOLTA trust account involves more than filling out a bank application. Here's the complete checklist — from choosing an eligible bank to setting up your reconciliation system before the first deposit.
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January 28, 2026 · IOLTATrusts Team
A bar complaint about trust fund mismanagement triggers a formal process that can move quickly. Here's what attorneys should expect — and how documentation determines the outcome.
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QuickBooks + IOLTA
Keep QuickBooks for your firm's operating account. Use IOLTATrusts for your client trust accounting. These guides explain what QuickBooks handles, where the compliance gaps are, and how the two systems work side by side.