Trust Bookkeeping

Trust bookkeeping you can refer with confidence. When your clients need help with trust recordkeeping, send them to a CPA who specializes in it.

The critical distinction

Principal is the original asset (the house, the stock portfolio). Income is what it produces (rent, dividends).

Many trusts pay income to one person and leave principal to another. Getting this wrong causes incorrect distributions and tax problems.

Most trustee headaches start with one mistake: mixing up principal and income. If a dividend gets coded as principal instead of income, the wrong person's account grows. Do that for a year, and unwinding it is a nightmare.

The fix: Track the separation monthly, not annually. Year-end becomes a review, not a reconstruction.

What I do

I handle trust bookkeeping so your clients stay compliant.

Principal vs. income tracking

Every transaction classified correctly so the right beneficiary gets the right amount.

Monthly reconciliation

Clean books every month. No scrambling at year-end or before tax time.

Court-ready reports

Accountings that satisfy legal requirements for conservatorships.

Tax-prep records

Everything your CPA needs for Form 1041, organized and ready to go.

Who I help

Family trustees

Adult children managing parents' trusts who didn't sign up to be accountants.

Professional fiduciaries

Licensed fiduciaries who want the bookkeeping handled so they can focus on administration.

Conservators

Court-appointed conservators with accounting deadlines.

How it works

1

You refer a client

Send them to this page or have them call me directly.

2

Free consultation

I talk through their situation and explain how I can help. No pressure.

3

Ongoing support

Monthly reports, annual summaries, and clean records for tax time.

New to trust administration?

Download "The Family Trustee's First 90 Days," a plain-English guide to getting started right.

Get the free guide

Direct download. No email required.

JK

Jeff Kohn, CPA

I founded Streamline Bookkeeping in 2010 to help families navigate trust administration without the overwhelm. I'm a CPA, which means I understand both the accounting and the tax implications of every decision.

Every client gets two staff members assigned for consistency, plus custom checklists tailored to your trust's specific needs.

Monthly fees: $300–$1,500 depending on complexity

Ready to talk?

Schedule a free consultation to discuss your situation. No pressure, no obligation.

Schedule a conversation

Or connect with Jeff on LinkedIn.