Fiduciary accounting review add-on
Trust and estate accounting review
Forensic accounting review support for fiduciary accountings, trust account records, estate inventories, and related financial documents — checking the accounting against underlying records and producing workpaper-style findings.
Built by HopkinsForensic. Powered by StatementProof workpapers.
What this is
Checking the accounting against the records
A trust or estate accounting is prepared by the fiduciary — a trustee, executor, guardian, or conservator — and presented to beneficiaries, counsel, or the court. A Trust and Estate Accounting Review checks that accounting against the underlying financial records: bank statements, check images, wire records, deposit slips, and other source documents. The review identifies whether entries in the accounting are supported by underlying records, whether statement periods are complete, whether receipts and disbursements reconcile to what the records show, and whether there are periods, accounts, or transactions that are not reflected in the accounting at all.
The output is workpaper-style findings organized for beneficiaries, counsel, or other reviewers — not a legal conclusion about whether the accounting is correct and not a fiduciary opinion. It helps reviewers see what the records support and where follow-up is needed.
Who this fits
Trustees, beneficiaries, executors, and counsel
- Beneficiaries who received a fiduciary accounting and need to understand what the records support
- Trustees preparing accountings who need workpaper support before presenting to beneficiaries or counsel
- Executors organizing estate-period records for probate or distribution
- Guardians or conservators documenting account activity for a protected person
- Probate attorneys or trust litigation counsel needing a financial-record review before strategy
- Family members dealing with a contested trust or estate matter
See also the Fiduciaries lane page for an overview of FinancialProofReview's support for fiduciary, trust, and estate matters.
When this is useful
Matters where the accounting needs a records check
- Accounting entries that do not match what bank statements show
- Disbursements or receipts that lack supporting documentation
- Missing statement periods or incomplete account coverage
- Accounts referenced in the accounting that are not supported by produced records
- Deposits or transfers that are unexplained or inconsistently categorized
- An accounting that does not reconcile across periods
- A beneficiary or counsel who cannot verify entries against underlying documents
- A trust or estate matter preparing for mediation, litigation, or court accounting
What records are involved
Records that support an accounting review
- The fiduciary accounting itself (formal or informal)
- Bank statements for all trust, estate, or fiduciary-controlled accounts
- Check images, wire records, and ACH records
- Deposit slips and supporting receipts
- Investment account statements where applicable
- Brokerage or annuity records
- Real property records (deeds, closing statements) where applicable
- Tax records for the trust or estate where applicable
- Prior accountings for earlier periods
- Correspondence identifying disputed entries or missing records
- Any prior schedules or workpapers prepared by counsel or CPA
What the review can produce
Workpaper-style outputs for trust and estate matters
- Source document index (all records received and reviewed)
- Account and statement inventory with period coverage map
- Missing-record list (periods or accounts not covered by produced records)
- Receipt and disbursement reconciliation (accounting entries vs source records)
- Unsupported entry list (entries in the accounting with no identified source record)
- Unexplained deposit or transfer list
- Timeline of key transactions
- Workpaper-style findings with methodology notes
- Follow-up questions for fiduciary, counsel, beneficiary, or records custodian
- Note whether LIBR-style analysis may be applicable if commingled funds are involved (whether the lowest intermediate balance rule applies to a specific matter is a legal question for counsel)
What this is not
Financial-record review support, not audit or legal advice
A Trust and Estate Accounting Review is financial-record review support. It is not a CPA audit, a compilation, a review engagement, or a certification of the accounting. It does not determine whether the fiduciary complied with legal obligations or committed fraud — those are legal conclusions for counsel and the court. It does not provide expert testimony. It checks the accounting against the underlying financial records and documents what the records support, what is missing, and what needs follow-up. The usefulness of the review depends on the completeness of the records provided.
How the work is performed
Process and deliverable format
The fiduciary accounting is reviewed line by line against the underlying source records. Each receipt and disbursement entry is checked against the bank statements, check images, wire records, or other documents provided. Statement coverage is mapped to identify any gaps. Entries without a corresponding source record are flagged. Unexplained deposits or transfers are noted. Findings are organized into workpaper-style format for review by beneficiaries, counsel, or the court. Open questions are listed with specific follow-up paths.
Methodology
Built on StatementProof workpapers
StatementProof is the structured workpaper system behind FinancialProofReview. Each engagement runs through the same disciplined process: source documents are indexed, transactions are reconciled, and findings are organized into reviewer-grade workpapers rather than narrative memos.
FinancialProofReview engagements are led by a Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) with subject-matter expertise in forensic accounting, fraud examination, and financial-record review. Reviews are conducted from a fraud-examination perspective and produce workpaper-style analysis, summaries, timelines, and issue lists. The work is financial-record review support, not legal advice, law-enforcement authority, charging decisions, or testimony.
The methodology is operated by HopkinsForensic, an independent forensic-accounting firm.
Start the review
Start with the accounting and records available
If the accounting is unclear, unsupported, or incomplete, the first step is organizing what exists and identifying what records are needed before deeper review work begins.
About this review service
FinancialProofReview and HopkinsForensic provide forensic accounting and financial-record review support. They are not a law firm, CPA firm, or fiduciary advisor. They do not provide legal advice, fiduciary advice, CPA attestation, audit opinions, expert testimony, or guaranteed outcomes. Whether a fiduciary accounting is legally sufficient is a question for counsel and the court. The scope and usefulness of any review depends on the records available.