A Comprehensive Guide to Law Firm Finance in 2021

Published on: 03 June 2021 Last Updated on: 03 January 2025

Have you been practicing law for a while? Today, many lawyers are stepping into the entrepreneurship world to open their law firms. Indeed, practicing under experienced lawyers gives a lot of exposure but having autonomy at work is equally vital. You can choose clients and legal cases of your choice and practice in a particular area. Likewise, you can enjoy flexibility and freedom, make decisions, and set your priorities.

However, most lawyers don’t understand that starting a law firm is more than practicing law. Apart from legal responsibilities, you have to recruit people, market the law firm, and most importantly, manage finances. You have to document a long-term financial strategy to stay on top of your daily budget and earn profits. At the same time, you have to manage taxes, acquire funding, handle invoices, and much more.

To help you get started, here is a comprehensive guide to law firm finance in 2021.

1. Create a Long-Term Financial Strategy:

As a law firm owner, you have to establish a vision for the firm’s future. Do you picture a multi-lawyer firm handing corporate clients? Or you want to step into litigation or criminal law? Having a clear idea of long-term goals will help in creating a well-defined financial strategy. You can start putting funds aside for expansion from the beginning.

Likewise, you have to keep up with numbers, forecasts, and budgets to manage the day-to-day cash flow. You have to ensure the business has enough funds to secure new clients and take cases to trial. After all, not every case settles. However, if you don’t have a knack for numbers, consider learning the ropes.

You can look for virtual programs such as MSF online to avoid the hassle of traveling to college. After all, online education gives students a lot of flexibility, motivating them to keep learning. As for your law firm, it will help in managing finances efficiently while practicing law.

2. Get Access to Funding:

Although you are stepping into a service business, you will need a hefty amount of capital and cash to start a law firm. From office rentals, conference rooms, stationary costs to staffing – you will come across a long list of expenses. Therefore, look for ways to obtain capital for your law firm. Here are some of the options you can explore.

Savings:

Whenever starting a business, make sure a small chunk of the capital comes from personal savings. That way, you will keep working in the game because you won’t be liable to another person when things get tough.

Bank Loan:

You can start with a few thousand dollars, but more capital gives lawyers enough runway to make the business profitable. Hence, if your savings don’t seem sufficient, opt for a bank loan or open a credit line to raise capital.

Startup Incubators:

Today, many incubators connect new business owners with funding to get going. Often, they use their contacts with angel investors to fund new businesses or seek help from venture capitalists.

3. Manage Taxes:

Most attorneys operating law firms aren’t aware of legal obligations. As a result, taxes hit them in surprising ways. You might get a call from Internal Revenue System (IRS) or a hefty fine for missing the deadline.

Similarly, many lawyers have difficulty categorizing deductibles. You might think everything is deductible, whereas your tax liability is higher than you predicted. These pitfalls not only halt business operations but are super pricey too.

Hence, consider bringing an experienced tax specialist on board. However, if you don’t have a budget for additional hiring, learn about the taxation policies yourself. It doesn’t mean you have to go back to school; instead, look for online programs. You can opt for an online LLM tax program and learn from the comfort of your home and office. It will help you plan for tax liability, closing doors for IRS audit, and incorrect tax deductions.

4. Streamline Invoicing & Payment System:

Usually, lawyers have different payment policies. When dealing with corporate clients, they charge a monthly fee and have separate legal charges for cases. On the other hand, they don’t charge when fighting for accident victims until the negligent party’s proven guilty. Despite having different payment policies, you must have an appropriate invoicing and payment system at the firm. You can leverage savvy software to automate the firm’s finances.

Moreover, record your income correctly. If you charge a retainer fee, treat it as an advance payment and track its spending on every case. Similarly, avoid recording any income in your financials until you have won the case. It will give you a realistic view of the firm’s financial position, making sure you are on the right track. Besides this, don’t forget to set flexible billing terms with the clients and discuss everything upfront to avoid issues later.

5. Prepare Budgets, Reports, & KPIs:

Having a budget is imperative for your law firm’s financial success. You have to estimate your expenses and the revenue you expect to earn. It will give you a solid idea of how much you should work to make the business profitable. Likewise, you have to prepare financials to catch a glimpse of profitability.

Well, to begin effective financial reporting, you have to start with the bookkeeping basics. You have to record all financial transactions and maintain a separate account for every client.

After this, you can prepare an income statement and balance sheet to determine the law firm’s equity. Also, create a cash flow statement to understand how much cash goes out and comes into the business. All these financials will be a brilliant source of insights about your law firm. You can spot trends, overcome weaknesses, and capitalize on your strengths to make the business more profitable.

Final Thoughts:

Every successful law firm considers numbers and data first. You have to create an excellent financial plan with a growth vision to make your law firm successful. Similarly, you have to manage cash flow, follow a detailed billing process, and raise sufficient capital. As you progress forward, a strong financial position will unfold new growth opportunities. You can tap into new practice areas, offer more services, and expand your team.

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Everything you Need to Know About Term Insurance Plan Premium

Term insurance plan is a type of insurance policy that offers pure life protection to the family of the insured in case of an uncertain demise of the insured person. This is the most basic kind of insurance policy that you can opt for. The premium amount on the term plan is also the lowest as compared to other life insurance policies. What Is A Term Insurance Policy? The term insurance policy offers life coverage for a specific period of time to the family of the policyholder in case of any eventuality. In case the policyholder expires within the tenure of the policy then the nominees get the sum assured amount. If the policyholder, however, survives all through the term plan and the policy expires then no maturity benefit is offered to the policyholder. The term plan is designed in such a way that it protects the family financially in case of the policy holder’s death. The online term plan is also for a set period of time. There is no wealth creation or investment benefit when you invest in a term plan. Term Insurance Plan Offers an Affordable Premium Rate: The offline/ online term insurance plans offer the lowest premium as compared to the other kinds of insurance policies. This is because the plan has no investment component attached to it and it is pure life protection. So in case, the policyholder expires during the policy term then the nominees will get the benefit. However, the term plan has no survival maturity benefit. This makes the term plan different from the other insurance policies that offer a maturity benefit to the policyholder in case the policyholder survives the entire tenure of the policy. How Is The Premium Of The Online Term Plan Calculated? Term insurance is basically a contract that the policyholder and the insurance company get into. The insurance company agrees to financially protect you and your loved ones in case of any eventuality within the policy term. In return for this security, you pay a premium amount to the insurance company. Having an online term plan is a great idea and should be apart of your financial plan. Life is unpredictable and your family could get into a big financial crunch if you leave them without any financial backup. Thus if you are not financially secure then your family could be in big trouble. If you leave without insurance then you may leave your family in big debt and thus you need to make it a priority to protect your family in every possible way. The term insurance plan is simple and the most economical way in which you can insure your life. The insurance plan lets you to financially secure your loved ones even when you are not around. Terminsuranceplansattract a premium amount and thus you need to know first what decides the premium amount that you pay towards the term insurance policy. The Term Plan Premium: The premium of an online term insurance policy is calculated based on some simple aspects. This is the premium rate which is multiplied with the coverage amount that you have chosen. Mathematics and statistics are used to decide the premium rates. The risk is calculated to determine what the term premium is. The risk is basically how likely you are to place a claim. The lower is the risk attached to you the lower is the term insurance policy premium rate. Factors That Affect the Term Insurance Premium Rate: The insurer determines the premium amount based on the various factors when you apply to buy a term insurance plan. Your age Age is one of the most important factors that determine the premium amount of the online term plan. The older you are the more is the premium amount that you will have to pay. This is because as you age you are a higher risk to the insurance company and the chances that you will be claiming the insurance amount is high. This is why it is advised that you get the term insurance plan when you are young. Gender It is studied that women have a higher life expectancy than men. The insurance companies feel that women are less likely to die and thus they are charged a lesser online term plan premium than men of the same age. This is why the premium that is charged for men is higher than that for women. Job profile What your occupation also determines the online term plan premium amount that you will pay. There are some job profiles that are high risk as per the insurer and thus you will have to shell out a huge premium if you are working in any of those profiles. Those that are in some dangerous professions like an army, pilot, etc. have a higher premium rate than those who work in safe working conditions. Geography Where you stay also plays a very vital role in deciding the premium amount. Those places that are less prone to disaster charge you less premium than those places where natural calamities could charge anytime. This includes places that are prone to earthquakes or hurricanes. BMI Your body mass index is calculated by the insurance company. If you are overweight then you are likely to suffer from medical conditions like heart diseases and thus you will be paying a higher premium towards the life insurance policy. Smoking Smokers have a lower life expectancy and thus if you smoke then get ready to shell out extra towards the term insurance policy. This is because smokers have a high probability of having cancer and lung disorders. The cost of premiums can vary more wildly for smokers than non-smokers, so it is even more important to compare quotes. You could use a comparison website or a regulated broker such as Reassured. Alcohol If you drink a lot then you could be prone to health problems related to alcohol. This is something that is considered when calculating your insurance premium. Medical history Your past medical state is also considered to calculate the premium amount. If you have ever suffered from illness in the past then this could cause the life insurance premium to increase. Also if your family member had some life-threatening disease at an early age then this could cause you to pay a higher premium towards the term insurance plan. This is because you are likely to get affected by the same disease at a later stage in your life. Adventure Sports If you are into adventure sports then you are likely to die having met with an accident. If you are too much involved in adventure sports then the premium charged to you will be higher. Other factors There are many other factors that could affect the premium that you pay towards term insurance policies. This includes your travel history, marital status and whether you have chosen for an additional rider. Every factor of your life determines how much premium you will be paying towards an insurance policy. It is important that you declare them all when buying a term insurance policy. There is no point keeping the insurer in the dark because in case they get to know about it after then they would reject the claim. Thus your whole purpose of having a term insurance plan in the first place gets nullified. How Much Premium Do You Need To Pay Towards Your Term Insurance Plan? If you are wondering how much premium you would have to pay towards your term insurance plan then here you go. You could use a term insurance premium calculator that will be available for you to use for free on the website. All that you will have to do is to key in some details required and this will calculate the premium amount for you. How much insurance coverage you will need is dependent on your age mostly. You need to add your present income and multiply it roughly with 15 and then add any of the outstanding debts or loans to it. This will give you an approximate amount of the coverage that you need. This just gives you an approximate amount. You will also have to figure out the premium based on your retirement age, present age, inflation, liabilities that are existing and other needs. It is important that you consider the information and put in as much information as required and accurately you can come up with the most approximate figure. Some of the details that will be required when you use the online calculator are your name and age, purchase year, tax liability, date of birth, gender, total coverage amount, etc. You can use the term insurance premium calculator to get a rough amount of premium that will be charged towards your term insurance plan. Choosing the Best Term Insurance Plan- Term Insurance Comparison It could be a little tricky to decide on the best term insurance plan. You need to keep the following things in mind to make an informed choice. The reputation of the insurance company Coverage required The claim settlement ratio of the company Factors that could affect the coverage Terms and conditions associated with different companies Online or offline term insurance plan purchase. All these will let you decide on the term insurance premium calculator on the best term insurance plan for your needs. The premium of the term insurance plan is comparatively lower than any other insurance plan that offers life coverage. It is however advised that you buy a term plan because it offers higher life coverage for a very low premium amount. Read Also: 5 Must-Have Long-Term Goals For A Secure Future 10 Estate Planning Tips To Help You Prepare For The End

5 Ways to Become a Profitable Landlord

Becoming a landlord is an appealing prospect to many, with the opportunity to make long-term investments. However, there is also a common belief that becoming a landlord is a way to get rich quick, but this is rarely the case. In fact, being a landlord can be a lot of hard work, requiring dedication, knowledge, and skill to turn a profit. To help boost your earnings, here are 5 ways to become a more profitable landlord. Treat Being a Landlord as a Business : Firstly, in order to boost profit, you need to know your figures. This means more than calculating how much you can afford when looking to buy property, but also fully understanding the actual return on investment. This is where rental yield is essential. Calculated as a percentage of the property’s value, yield shows yearly rental income compared to the investment price. The higher the percentage, the higher the yield and therefore, the bigger the income. Read here to find out more about rental yield. Stick to Areas You Know : When investing in property, it may be tempting to buy in another location that offers more attractive rental yields, or an area has been deemed as up and coming. However, this may mean buying in the property market that you are unfamiliar with, which can pose a larger risk. As such, it may be a good idea to stick to areas you know. This is particularly true for early investments, as securing a profit is essential to building a successful portfolio. Invest in Property Upkeep : In order to boost the profitability of your portfolio, you may want to spend as little money as possible. While this works in theory, properties require continual upkeep and investment. Often, this required some simple DIY, such as repainting a property before a new tenant moves in. Although this is an additional expense, a clean and modern interior could make your property more attractive to prospective tenants and boost rental value. Ensure Tenants are Happy : There is one thing that landlords dread: a vacant property. Not only does this mean zero income – while the mortgage, council tax and insurance must still be paid – but an empty property is also at a higher risk of being broken into. When aiming to keep a property leased, think about the needs of your tenants. After all, happy tenants are likely to stay for a longer period, reducing turnover. To do this, in addition to property upkeep, thoroughly screen applications and address maintenance issues in a timely manner. Consider Letting Through an Agent : Lastly, in order to increase your profit margin, you could consider letting as a private landlord. However, this can be time-consuming, meaning you would be responsible for dealing with tenant screening and repairs. In this instance, it may be a good idea to let through an agent. While this will carry a monthly fee, it can save you a lot of time – especially if you own multiple properties – allowing you to build your property portfolio or continue to work. Being a landlord can be difficult, but it can also be rewarding, both personally and financially. To help you get more out of your portfolio, you could consider these tips. However, these suggestions alone are not enough – it is also important to thoroughly research every potential investment.

Title Loan Requirements: What you Do and Don’t Need

A title loan is a type of a loan where an asset is given to act as collateral, popularized because of two main reasons: When determining your qualifications, title loans don’t put your credit rating into consideration. Title loans get approved very quickly for loan amounts of as little as $ 100. This makes title loans some of the most convenient and efficient options in the lending market. The Breakdown of A Title Loan : A car title loan is the most common type of title loan. It’s a case where you as a potential borrower, you are obliged to be in possession of car outright and sign the title over to an auto loan title company. The loan company will allow you up to 25% of the value of the car to the borrower and then retain the car’s title as collateral in case you breach the repayment agreement. It’s worth noting that the amount you want to borrow must always be put into consideration. The value of your car or the commonly called – equity in the value will set the limit of the amount of money you can borrow. If your car has a high value, so will be your title loan. The lenders will in most cases lend you money they are sure they can get it back easily if they were to sell your car in case you default the payment. With car title loans, there are no prepayment penalties, so it’s okay and not costly if you want to pay off your loan earlier. Be Careful of Rolling Over : A lot of title loan cases end up in rolling over. This means that you decide to prolong your payment by another 30-day loan. The disadvantage of rolling over with your title loan is that it gets very expensive and every time you extend the loan you are penalized for new loan fees. There are cases where the process of extending a car title loan is controlled by the law. Unlike the interest rates that you usually pay on credit cards, title loans have a very high cost despite the fact that there are laws that limit the interest rates. You, therefore, end up paying back more money than you actually borrowed. The Risk of Losing Your Car : Getting a car title loan sounds so good but there is always a big problem which is the risk of losing your car to your lenders. This happens in the event that you can’t pay back your lender. Your car will then become their possession and they sell it to get back their share of the money that they lend to you. Car title loans are different from bank loans, typically they have easier requirements. Here are the key dos and don’ts you need to know to apply for a title loan. What You Do Need To Apply FOR A Title Loan : You will need the following before going for a title loan: Vehicle title with your name Valid driver’s license Proof income Proof of residence These requirements will be qualified in the following manner: Vehicle Title with Your Name : Since the title loan is being given to you, the title of your car must be in your name, and lien-free or something close to lien free. What’s a lien-free car title? It simply means that you have total ownership of the car; it’s completely paid off with no outstanding balances or loans against it. Certifying that your vehicle is lien-free is important because the amount of money you are given on the loan is on the basis of the value of your vehicle at the time of application. A Valid Driver’s License : For proper verification of your identity, your valid driver’s license is required. In addition, the names on the form of identification must match the name on the title of the vehicle in order to issue the loan. Proof of Income : The companies that give you loans don’t necessarily depend solely on credit scores. Rather, you will be asked to show your proof of income like: Paystubs Bank statements Monthly allowances such as retirement accounts With proof of income, you basically tell the lender how much you can afford to pay back. Proof of Residence : Since title loans aren’t given to every region, you just have to prove your current residence and also certify that you have been an ongoing resident of your current residential area for the past two years. This same requirement is still used to verify your identity. What You Don’t Need To Apply For the Loan : There are so many misconceptions about what you need to apply for a title loan. Mostly, you might think that you need: A good credit score A bank account A high-paying job However, contrary to popular belief, none of these requirements are essential anywhere when applying for a title loan. A Good Credit Score : You don’t need a perfect credit score for you to get a title loan. A good credit score doesn’t necessarily prove your eligibility for a loan. A Bank Account : Are you worried that you don’t have a bank account? You don’t need to be. You will be provided with a check for your loan amount without having to give your account number from you. A High-paying Job : This is one of the most popular misconceptions that is among many people. There are flexible payment options for a realistic repayment schedule and the amount you’ll feel comfortable accepting. With the right kind of documents, you can easily get a title loan. You do not need to have a high-paying job, a good credit score nor even a bank account. All you need is a clean car title and the right kind of financier willing to lend you the money. Read Also : Top 5 Types Of Startup Business Loans

A Comprehensive Guide to Law Firm Finance in 2021

1. Create a Long-Term Financial Strategy: