FREE CALCULATOR · LAW PRACTICE FINANCE
Legal Retainer Burn-Rate Calculator
Estimate how many weeks a retainer may cover projected legal fees and expenses, with a replenishment threshold.
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Change the assumptions to match your matter.
Your calculation
Illustrative calculation based on the values you enter.
Enter your assumptions and select Calculate.
How this calculator works
Weekly outflow = projected fees + expenses. Weeks to depletion = balance / outflow. Weeks to alert = max(0,balance−alert threshold)/outflow. Actual trust disbursement rules vary.
Professional verification required. This is an informational worksheet, not a legal conclusion. Verify governing law, court rules, fee agreements, facts and any applicable exceptions before acting.
Questions attorneys ask
Is a retainer always available to pay invoices?
No. Trust accounting, client authorization and earned/unearned fee rules govern use of deposited funds.
Does this replace trust-account reconciliation?
No. This is a forward-looking burn-rate estimate, not a trust ledger.
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