Trust Administration Fee

Application of the Trust Administration Fee

Rule 2-110 requires lawyers to remit a trust administration fee (TAF) of $20 for each distinct client matter with trust funds. The TAF applies to all client matters in which trust funds have been received for any purpose other than for fees or retainers.

The exclusion for “fees or retainers” was to exempt the application of TAF to circumstances where a trust account was opened only to accept fees for legal services, or a retainer for future legal services. Rule 2-110 does not include an exemption for disbursements. Thus, where a trust account is used to deposit funds to pay disbursements to third parties in the course of delivering legal services, TAF will apply.

The TAF is applicable to each distinct client matter that the lawyer is retained, which may require the payment of multiple TAF for the same client.

Reporting period

The TAF is payable on a quarterly cycle and is due in the quarter year corresponding to the first applicable trust deposit for each client matter. The remittances are due within 30 days of each quarter year as follows:

Quarter Year	Due Date
January 1 to March 31	April 30
April 1 to June 30	July 30
July 1 to September 30	October 30
October 1 to December 30	January 30

The remittance of the quarterly TAF is not related a lawyer’s billing cycle or the completion of the client matter. It is at the lawyer’s discretion whether to pass the cost of the TAF to the client or absorb the cost as a firm expense.

Under Rule 2-111, a late fee of 5% applies to all late remittances.

Reporting and remitting

Before the due date each quarter, lawyers must:

Step 1: Log in to create and complete a new invoice

Step 2: Print and sign the invoice

Step 3: Remit the invoice and payment to the Law Society

Cheque option

Deliver the TAF invoice and cheque to:

Finance Department
The Law Society of BC
845 Cambie Street
Vancouver BC V6B 4Z9

On-line option

Remit payment using online banking and email the TAF invoice to the Finance department at finance@lsbc.org. Please allow 3-5 business days for processing the payment. Please note, online payments will not be processed without a corresponding TAF invoice.