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How Often Do You Bill?

The Winter 2007 issue of SOLO newsletter, http://www.abanet.org/genpractice/solo/2007/vol13no2/index.html, published by the GP|Solo Division, was devoted to billing. That issue got a good mention at http://successfullysolo.com/blog/2007/03/how-often-should-you-bill. What is your billing frequency and style?

I bill throughout the month as work is done. If I complete drafting something, I bill, if I go to a hearing, I'll bill. This spreads paydays throughout the month as well.

Ronald Jones

I bill every 30 days, on the 15th of each month, for each active matter. No such thing as the amount being "too small" to send out a bill. If flat fee matters have already been paid, bills still go out showing work done; even if I've done no work but am waiting on the client for something on the flat fee matter, the bill still goes out, zero balance notwithstanding, as a reminder to the client.

Denise M. Guerin

I bill on the 20th, although I am still getting into a routine.

Someone once told me you should not bill at the end of the month because most people pay their bills at the end of the month or on the first of the month. So, if you issue all your bills on April 30th, your clients won't get them until the beginning of May, and they won't pay them until the beginning of June. That is why I issue on the 20th, so I don't miss the payment window.

Michelle J. Rozovics

I send out Statements of Account at the end of the month, then I transfer that amount from the client's trust account to the operating account. Hence, I don't care when they pay their bills.

If this month's Statement shows that your account is approaching the minimum balance, I put a note on it telling you to replenish within 10 days (which is in the Service Agreement).

CJ Stevens

I decided that with enough clients, I might get bogged down with a single day for billing, so I have assigned bill dates after the fifth and before the twenty-fifth of each month. Each client has a perpetual reminder in Outlook, so on their bill date I get a prompt to bill them that day.

On a corny note, I console myself with the notion that a bill a day keeps the landlord away.

Best regards, Arthur B. Macomber

I follow a similar plan. Because about 60% of my work is state-appointed appellate work, I ensure that every Friday I send out at least 1 bill to the state on an appointed appellate matter (we are only allowed to submit 2 bills per case).

I figure as long as I am billing the state " a claim a week" I will keep smiling from "cheek to cheek"

Amanda F. Benedict

2X a month, on evergreen retainers.

Jimmy Verner

I schedule a monthly "bill day." No appointments can be scheduled during that day. The office is not closed, but the A1 project is get bills out. Every other business day of the month, the clients come first. That one day, we do.

Remember the Foonberg curve. If you wait too long to bill, both you and your client forget what you did. You will tend to discount your time more, and your client will be more begrudging in payment.

A big bill on a stale matter is a sure way to client dissatisfaction.

Jim Gulecas

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