Trust account management from retainer request to reconciliation
Each deposit, transfer, and disbursement is logged against the client and matter it belongs to.
Collect retainers by email
Send trust requests that clients pay through a click-to-pay link, a QR code, or the client portal.
Show trust on the bill
Bills display trust activity and remaining balances, so clients see what was applied.
Keep ledgers separate
Trust and operating funds stay in separate ledgers, with applications, transfers, and refunds recorded as they happen.
Export trust records
Pull trust transactions into Excel for your accountant or an audit.
Clio’s integrations mean we can integrate Clio with a whole bunch of other software we have. Even to generate invoices through Clio, we use Xero for our data management, profit and loss, and other reporting and payroll. Clio integrates with Xero so as soon as you generate a bill on Clio, it spits it out automatically on Xero.
Progressive Legal
Reconcile with the records in front of you
Reconciliation works from the transactions you’ve already entered, with nothing to rebuild.
Match against the bank statement
Compare trust transactions with your bank statement from the Accounts tab.
Reconcile three ways
Reconcile bank records, client ledgers, and trust liabilities together.
Run jurisdiction-specific reports
Use trust reports and statements, including reports designed for specific jurisdictions.
Keep retainers funded without chasing them
Get low-balance alerts
Evergreen trust alerts tell you when a client’s balance drops below the threshold you set.
Deposit on a schedule
Set up a credit card payment plan that deposits into trust weekly or monthly.
Bill against trust
Apply a client’s available trust balance to a bill as you prepare it.
Trust records that sync with your books
Link Xero or QuickBooks Online on select plans to keep your books in step with Clio.
Keep trust separate in Xero
Set up a separate Xero organisation for your trust account, apart from day-to-day transactions.
Sync with QuickBooks Online
Contacts, approved bills, Clio Payments, and trust transactions move to QuickBooks Online.
Work with Xero
Time and expenses, bills, credit notes, interest, payments, and contacts carry over to Xero.
Trust accounting resources
Trust accounting software FAQs
What is legal trust accounting software?
Legal trust accounting software records money a firm holds for clients, such as retainers and settlement funds, separately from the firm’s own money, by client and matter. Clio logs each deposit, transfer, disbursement, and refund, and keeps trust and operating ledgers apart. Get a demo.
How do I keep trust accounts funded?
Set evergreen thresholds so Clio alerts you when a client’s balance drops, then send a trust request that clients can pay by link, QR code, or the client portal. For clients who prefer it, a credit card payment plan can deposit into trust weekly or monthly. Start a free trial.
Does Clio support three-way reconciliation?
Yes. Clio runs a three-way reconciliation, comparing your trust bank records, each client’s trust ledger, and your firm’s trust ledger. Get a demo.
Does Clio have the trust report my jurisdiction requires?
Clio includes trust reports and statements, including several designed for specific jurisdictions. Check your state or territory’s trust accounting rules against the reports available. Get a demo.
Can I apply trust funds to a bill?
Yes. Use available trust funds when you prepare a bill, and the bill shows what was applied and what remains. Clients can follow their balance from one bill to the next. Start a free trial.
Can I use QuickBooks Online or Xero with Clio?
Yes, on select plans. Trust transactions, approved bills, payments, and contacts sync with QuickBooks Online, and bills, payments, and contacts sync with Xero. Get a demo.
Are processing fees taken from trust?
No. With Clio Payments, processing fees are charged to operating, so the trust ledger shows client money and the movements you made with it. Explore online payments.
Can I export trust records?
Yes. Export trust transactions to Excel for your accountant, an audit, or your own records, alongside the trust reports and statements you can run in Clio. Get a demo.
Is Clio compliant with trust accounting rules?
Clio gives you the records, reports, and reconciliation tools trust rules call for. The Law Society of New South Wales has certified Clio’s trust accounting software as compliant with the Legal Profession Uniform General Rules 2015. Your firm stays responsible for meeting the trust accounting rules in its state or territory. Get a demo.