Trust Disbursements Without the Tedium
Settlement funds. Client disbursements. Vendor payments.
Audit-ready records. No per-transaction fees eating into your margins.
The law firm payment challenge
Legal practices handle sensitive payment workflows:
- Trust disbursements: Client funds held in trust, disbursed on closing or settlement
- Multiple payees per matter: Client, other counsel, experts, court fees—all from one file
- Audit requirements: Law society rules require clear records of trust movements
- Time pressure: Closings happen on schedule; payments can't be late
- Volume variability: Quiet weeks and then five closings on Friday
Manual bank entry is slow, error-prone, and creates audit risk.
EFT Flow: Built for precision
Generate bank-ready payment files from your disbursement list. Clear records. Fast processing. No per-payment fees.
$95/month flat. Whether you're disbursing 5 matters or 50.
How it works
Export from your practice management software or create in Excel. Payee names, amounts, matter references.
Drag and drop. Map columns once—it remembers your format.
Clients, other firms, and vendors are matched to their saved bank details.
See exactly what's being paid before you export. Catch errors before submission.
Generate CPA-005 file. Upload to your trust account's bank portal.
Trust account considerations
Law firm trust accounts have specific requirements. Here's how EFT Flow fits:
What EFT Flow does
- Generates the bank file for upload
- Validates payee details before export
- Creates consistent, reviewable output
- Stores payee bank details locally (encrypted)
What you still control
- Trust ledger and accounting in your practice management system
- Authorization and approval workflows
- Bank portal access and submission
- Reconciliation and audit trail
Local processing: EFT Flow runs on your computer. Disbursement data isn't uploaded to any cloud service. The bank file is generated locally and you upload it directly to your bank.
Common disbursement scenarios
Real estate closings
- Net proceeds to seller
- Mortgage payout to lender
- Commission to realtor
- Adjustments to buyer/seller
- Registration fees, title insurance
Litigation settlements
- Settlement funds to client
- Fees to experts and witnesses
- Disbursements to third parties
- Medical liens and subrogation
Estate administration
- Beneficiary distributions
- Creditor payments
- Professional fees
- Tax remittances
Corporate transactions
- Purchase price disbursements
- Holdback releases
- Escrow distributions
- Professional fees
Works with your practice management software
If it exports to Excel or CSV, it works with EFT Flow:
Clio
Export disbursement data from trust reports.
PCLaw
Export trust disbursement lists.
Soluno
Export payment data from matter ledgers.
uLawPractice
Export trust transaction reports.
Cosmolex
Export disbursement data.
Any spreadsheet
Create your disbursement list manually if needed.
Audit and compliance
Law society audits require clear trust account records. EFT Flow helps:
- Consistent output: Every bank file is generated the same way—no manual variations
- Pre-submission review: See exactly what's in the file before you upload
- Validation: Catch invalid bank details before they cause failed payments
- Local records: Your data, your computer—maintain your own backups and records
Note: EFT Flow generates the payment file. Your trust accounting, ledger entries, and audit trail remain in your practice management system. EFT Flow is the bridge between your records and the bank.
Cost comparison
What does it cost to disburse trust funds?
| Method | Cost per Payment | 20 Payments |
|---|---|---|
| Bank drafts/cheques | $5-15 each + courier/delivery | $100-300+ |
| Wire transfers | $15-50 each | $300-1,000 |
| Per-transaction EFT service | $1-2 each | $20-40 |
| EFT Flow | Flat $95/month | $95 total |
The math: Even at modest volume, flat pricing wins. And when you have a busy closing week with 50+ payments, the savings are substantial.
FAQ for law firms
Is this appropriate for trust account disbursements?
EFT Flow generates a standard CPA-005 bank file—the same format banks have accepted for decades. You upload it to your trust account's bank portal the same way you'd upload any EFT file. The trust accounting and ledger entries remain in your practice management system.
What about audit trails?
Your audit trail is in your practice management system and bank records. EFT Flow generates the payment file—it's one step in your workflow, not a replacement for your trust accounting system.
Can I pay multiple parties from one matter?
Yes. Your payment file can include any combination of payees. A real estate closing might include 5-6 different payments—they can all be in one file.
What if a payee's bank details are wrong?
EFT Flow validates bank details before generating the file. Invalid transit numbers or account formats are flagged so you can correct them before uploading to the bank—preventing rejected payments.
Is client data secure?
EFT Flow runs locally on your computer. Payee bank details are stored in an encrypted local database. Your disbursement data never goes to a cloud service—it stays on your machine.
Do we need this for each lawyer?
Licensing is per-computer. If one staff member handles all disbursements, one license is enough. If multiple people need to generate payment files from different computers, each needs a license.
Ready to streamline disbursements?
Generate bank files from your disbursement list. Audit-ready. Validated. $95/month—no per-payment fees.