Maine · Trust Accounting

Maine IOLTA Trust Account Rules

What Maine attorneys must do to keep client trust funds compliant — the governing rule, how often you must reconcile, and how long records must be kept.

Maine Trust Account Requirements at a Glance

Governing rule

Maine Rules of Professional Conduct 1.15 (Safekeeping Property, Client Trust Accounts, Interest on Trust Accounts)

Reconciliation required

Not specified by rule

Record retention

8 years

Regulator

Maine Board of Overseers of the Bar

IOLTA program

Maine Justice Foundation IOLTA Program

Bank overdraft reporting

Required — banks must notify the regulator

Source: Maine Board of Overseers of the Bar . Rules change — always confirm against the current text before relying on it.

Three-Way Reconciliation in Maine

Maine's stated reconciliation requirement is: Not specified by rule. A three-way reconciliation compares three totals that must all agree. If they do not, the difference has to be found and resolved before the reconciliation is complete.

1

Adjusted bank balance

Bank statement balance, adjusted for outstanding checks and deposits in transit.

2

Trust register balance

Your internal trust account register as of the same date.

3

Sum of client ledgers

The total of every individual client ledger balance on that date.

For a full walkthrough of the procedure, common violations, and what examiners look for, see our IOLTA compliance guide.

What Maine Attorneys Must Keep, and for 8 Years

Maine requires trust account records to be retained for 8 years. In practice that means keeping:

This page is a summary, not legal advice. IOLTA Guard is not a law firm. Confirm current requirements with the Maine Board of Overseers of the Bar — rules change, and your obligations as the attorney of record are yours alone.

Trust Account Rules in Other States

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Stay Compliant with Maine Trust Account Rules

IOLTA Guard automates three-way reconciliation, blocks negative client ledgers, and keeps the audit trail Maine attorneys are expected to maintain.

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