Trust Account Starting Balance

Trust Account Starting Balance

Trust Account Starting Balance Guidelines

The starting balance in a trust account refers to funds that belong to the attorney or the firm—not to any client. In some jurisdictions, you are permitted to deposit a small amount of your own funds (e.g., $50) to cover bank fees. If your jurisdiction does not allow this, set the starting balance to $0.

Important: If you are replicating an existing trust account from your bank that already contains client funds, do not enter the entire amount as the starting balance. Doing so will prevent CaseFox from accurately tracking which client the funds belong to.

To properly set up a trust account in CaseFox:

  1. Create the trust account with a starting balance of either:

    • $0, or

    • Your own funds (if allowed by your jurisdiction).

  2. After creating the account, use the "Add Funds" option to deposit any client funds. You will be required to select the relevant client for proper fund tracking.

  3. CaseFox will then maintain separate balances for each client and will prevent overdrawing from any client's trust funds.

Note: The starting balance is reserved for firm/attorney use and cannot be withdrawn for client-related expenses. You may withdraw from the starting balance only by selecting [Self - Attorney/Firm] as the client.

Depositing or Withdrawing Attorney/Firm Funds:

  • To deposit your own funds: Use "Add Funds" and select [Self - Attorney/Firm].

  • To withdraw your own funds: Use "Withdraw" and select [Self - Attorney/Firm].

Paying Invoices from Trust Funds

If an invoice shows an amount labeled "To Be Paid From Trust Funds" (enabled via Settings > Tools/Reports > Invoice/General Settings), you can handle the payment in either of the following ways:

Option 1: Manual Payment + Withdrawal

  1. Go to the Invoices tab.

  2. Click the green dollar icon next to the invoice.

  3. Enter the amount to be paid and optionally include “paid from trust funds” in the description.

  4. Navigate to the Trust Funds tab for the client.

  5. Click "Withdraw", enter the same amount, and reference the invoice number in the description.

Option 2: Pay Directly from Trust

  1. On the invoice payment screen, select "Pay From Trust Funds".

  2. Choose the trust account to use.

  3. Enter the amount to be paid.

  4. CaseFox will:

    • Record the invoice payment,

    • Automatically withdraw the funds from the selected trust account,

    • Display the client’s remaining balance,

    • Ensure no overdraw occurs.