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Free resources built for law firm owners who are tired of guessing about their finances
Every tool on this page was built from Chelsea's actual framework - the same one used inside our CFO services. These are not generic small business templates.
They are law-firm-specific, immediately usable, and free.
"I need to understand my numbers"
Tool: Law Firm Financial Success Guide
A plain-language guide to what financial success actually looks like inside a law firm - the metrics, the milestones, and the systems that make the difference between a firm that grows and one that just gets busier.
This is for you if: You feel like you should be further along financially and you are not sure what "further along" even means in concrete terms.
What you become: Someone with a clear picture of what a financially healthy law firm looks like - and where your firm sits relative to that.
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Tool: KPI Dashboard Key for Law Firms
A reference guide to the KPIs that actually matter for law firms - what each one means, how to calculate it, and what it tells you about the health of your firm.
This is for you if: You hear terms like realization rate, utilization rate, and collection rate and you are not completely sure what they mean for your specific firm or what to do with them.
What you become: Someone who can look at their firm's key numbers and understand what they are saying - instead of ignoring reports because they feel like a foreign language.
Tool: Law Firm Money Fix Masterclass Replay
Chelsea's full masterclass - the one that covers the profit equation, cash flow, KPIs, and what it actually means to run your firm like a CFO. This is the free training that introduces the complete financial framework.
This is for you if: You want to understand the full picture of law firm financial management before deciding what to do next - or you missed the live masterclass and want to catch up.
What you become: Someone who understands the financial framework that separates firms that keep their profit from firms that watch it disappear.
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Tool: CFO Guide and Checklists
The frameworks and checklists Chelsea uses with CFO-level clients - organized for law firm owners who want to start thinking and operating at a strategic financial level.
This is for you if: You are ready to go beyond basic bookkeeping and start making financial decisions with the same rigor as a firm that has a CFO in the room.
What you become: Someone with the tools to review your own financials strategically - not just hope the numbers are right.
"I need to fix something specific"
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Tool: Trust Account Guide for Law Firms
A plain-language guide to what compliant IOLTA trust accounting actually looks like - what a proper 3-way reconciliation includes, what bar auditors check, and what the most common trust accounting mistakes are.
This is for you if: You are not fully confident your trust account would pass a bar audit right now, or you are not certain your bookkeeper is handling it correctly.
What you become: Someone who understands what compliant trust accounting looks like and knows exactly what questions to ask about your own records.
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Tool: Law Firm Cash Management Guide and Calculator
A guide to building a cash management system for your firm - including a calculator to help you set up the right account structure so cash flow stops feeling like a guessing game.
This is for you if: Your revenue is there but you never seem to have enough cash when you need it, or payroll makes you nervous even in good months.
What you become: Someone who knows exactly how much is in each bucket, where it came from, and what it is for - instead of watching a single bank account balance and hoping it is enough.
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Tool: 95%+ AR Collection Rate Guide
A practical guide to getting paid for the work you have already done - the billing practices, follow-up systems, and intake processes that move your collection rate toward 95% and above.
This is for you if: Your revenue looks fine on paper but you know there is money sitting in unpaid invoices that you are not collecting consistently.
What you become: Someone who stops leaving money on the table for work that was already completed.
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Tool: Employee Home Office Calculator
A calculator for law firm owners with remote team members - determines the correct reimbursement amount for home office expenses so you stay compliant and your team members are treated fairly.
This is for you if: You have remote employees and you are not sure whether or how to reimburse them for home office expenses.
What you become: Someone who handles remote team compensation correctly and does not get caught off guard by a compliance question about it.
"I need to hire the right person"
Tool: How to Hire a Bookkeeper Checklist
A checklist of exactly what to look for - and what to ask - when hiring a bookkeeper for your law firm. Includes the law-firm-specific requirements most attorneys do not know to screen for.
This is for you if: You are looking for a bookkeeper and you want to make sure you are not hiring someone who does not understand legal trust accounting, only to find out six months later.
What you become: Someone who hires a bookkeeper with the confidence that they know what to look for - not someone who finds out their bookkeeper was wrong for the job after the damage is done.
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Tool: How to Hire a Tax Preparer Checklist
A checklist for finding and vetting a CPA or tax preparer who actually understands law firm tax situations - what to look for, what to ask, and what red flags to avoid.
This is for you if: You are not sure your current CPA is the right fit for your firm's complexity, or you are looking for one for the first time and you do not want to make an expensive mistake.
What you become: Someone who walks into their tax relationship knowing exactly what they need from it and whether their preparer can actually deliver it.
Reminder: CSG does not prepare tax returns. We create tax-ready books and coordinate with your CPA. This checklist helps you find the right person to complete that partnership.
"I need to plan ahead"
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Tool: What's Your Retirement Number Calculator
A calculator that helps you figure out what you actually need to retire - not someday in the abstract, but a specific number that you can start working toward now.
This is for you if: You have thought about retirement but you genuinely do not know what number you need to get there, or you have been putting off the conversation because it feels too far away to matter.
What you become: Someone with an actual retirement target - which means every financial decision you make in your firm can be evaluated against something real.
Tool: How You Get Paid - Entity Types
A plain-language breakdown of how owner compensation works across different entity structures - sole proprietor, LLC, S-Corp, and PC - so you understand how your entity type affects how and when you can pay yourself.
This is for you if: You are not completely sure how your entity type affects your ability to pay yourself, or you are considering a structure change and want to understand the compensation implications first.
What you become: Someone who understands how their entity structure and owner pay connect - instead of finding out after the fact that their setup was working against them.
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Tool: How You Pay Taxes - Entity Types
A plain-language breakdown of how taxes work across different law firm entity structures - what you owe, when you owe it, and how your entity type determines your tax obligations.
This is for you if: Tax time catches you off guard or you are not fully clear on how your entity structure affects your tax liability.
What you become: Someone who understands the relationship between their entity type and their tax obligations - so estimated taxes are planned for, not panicked over.
Reminder: This is educational information, not tax advice. CSG does not prepare tax returns. We create tax-ready books. Consult your CPA for advice specific to your situation.
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