Note: General retainers are typically supported for U.S. firms only.

Sometimes a portion of the general retainer is unused and you want to reimburse the client.

Before you begin:

• General retainers must be enabled in your system. See Setting Up General Retainers to learn more.

   

To refund unused portions of a general retainer: 

1. In Actionstep Practice Management, click the global Create button and choose Refund from the Retainers section. (You may need to click Show all to view this option.) The Refund Retainer window appears.
2. Complete the following fields on the form:
   • Date: Enter the date you are initiating the refund. 
   • From matter: Choose the matter you are refunding from.
   • Payment: Enter how much of the available retainer funds you are refunding.
   • Quick-code: Choose the code that best describes the purpose of the refund. The Memo field is filled in based on your selection.
   • Pay from account: Choose the account where the refund will be paid from.
   • Pay to: Select the contact who will receive the payment.
   • Payment method: Choose how the payment will be made (e.g., written or printed check, EFT, credit card, etc.). Then complete any additional fields based on your selection. 
3. Click Save to save your changes and complete the refund.

Additional Resources:

• Setting Up General Retainers
• Receiving Funds in a General Retainer
• Paying Bills Using General Retainer Funds
• Transferring Funds Between General Retainers
• Replenishing a General Retainer

Updated June 01, 2026 16:58