* Proven experience as a bookkeeper, preferably in a legal or property-related environment.
* Proficiency in Lexpro.
* Strong understanding of trust account procedures and legal financial regulations.
Duties and Responsibilities:
Trust Account Management:
* Maintain and reconcile trust account records in compliance with legal and auditor requirements.
* Process all trust account payments and deposits, ensuring accuracy and adherence to procedures.
* Verify sufficient funds availability prior to processing payments, including transfers between investment and main accounts.
* Manage trust creditor investment accounts, including interest processing and reconciliation.
* Balance files and accounts with paralegals on the day of registration before payments are made.
* Ensure compliance with FICA regulations.
Business Account Management:
* Maintain accurate financial records for the firm's business accounts.
* Reconcile bank statements and financial records regularly.
* Prepare and assist with audits, providing necessary documentation and support.
* Utilize Lexpro software to manage financial records and generate reports.
Audit Preparation:
* Prepare and assist with audits.
* Prepare monthly journals and accounts for review and sign-off by the Director.
* Generate and analyze financial reports, identifying discrepancies and providing recommendations.
Trust Account Specific Responsibilities:
* Confirm sufficient funds are available for each specific trust creditor before processing payments.
* Transfer funds from trust creditor investment accounts to main accounts as needed.
* Process final investment account transactions after property transfers.
* Verify final payment amounts against Lexpro account balances and supporting documentation.
Reconciliation & Error Correction:
* Process daily payments and deposits, ensuring Lexpro balances match bank statements.
* Highlight amounts over R100k not in investment accounts, and report to director.
* Identify and correct discrepancies in investment account balances.
* Immediately inform the Director and reconcile accounts with insufficient trust creditor balances.
* Liaise with auditors (Accuity) for assistance with corrections, allocations, or refunds.
* Maintain detailed records of all reversals and corrections, with Director sign-off.
Client File Management:
* Create and maintain separate folders within client files, containing essential financial documents (investment instructions, offers to purchase, transfer instructions, SOAs, fee invoices).
Monthly Duties:
* Process interest on investment accounts.
* Confirm bank statement and Lexpro agreement.
* Follow up on trust account balances after transfers, ensuring timely payouts.
Weekly Duties:
* Follow up on debit balances and investment account balances greater than trust creditor balances.
* Report weekly to directors.
* Follow up on old balances.
* Report on procedural non-compliance.
PLEASE NOTE: Thank you for your interest in this position, we will review and be in touch if you are suitable.
Due to the amount of applications we receive for each position, we are unable to respond to each one individually. Please accept your application as unsuccessful if you had no feedback within 7 days of applying. Your CV will remain on our database and we will be in touch for other suitable positions.
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