[WSBAPT] Credit card fees

Sun Jul 30 13:29:05 PDT 2023

Responding off digest - copied the pertinent commentary below signature

In my humble opinion:

I would just skip the potential for running afoul of any rules
(attorney-specific or credit card related, or potential statute (not sure
about that one, but have heard legislatures in various locations have at
least considered barring such charges))

And at end of day - consider the "cost" in your client relations. Who likes
feeling nickeled & dimed? Seems particularly grating when already paying a
hefty fee for services.

I have seen attorneys do cash discounts, but - personal opinion only -
always seemed a bit "cheap" to me, better suited to retail than
professional services.

Figure out your admin needs, and work that in to your rate.

Or look at it another way.

This helps you, so why not take the hit, and likely SAVES you money. I
think we often miss the forest for the trees.

I did not raise my rates when I added in CC payments, but I consider the
minor cost shaved off the total well worth the reliability and ease and
cost savings for ME. I know when the money comes in that it's there,
have found that I get paid quicker, and am not processing/running to the
bank to deposit checks (which has a cost), having to wait some undefined
time before using trust funds (as required to ensure the funds are there),
etc.

Carmen Rowe

Phone: (360) 669-3576 (direct cell)
Email:  Carmen at GryphonLawGroup.com

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Message: 4
Date: Sat, 29 Jul 2023 23:44:36 +0000
From: Craig Gourley <craig at glgmail.com>
To: WSBA Probate & Trust Listserv <wsbapt at lists.wsbarppt.com>
Subject: Re: [WSBAPT] Credit card charges
Message-ID:
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Content-Type: text/plain; charset="windows-1252"

My suggestion is skip the fee and raise your hourly rate by 4%. You will
get little or no pushback from your rate increase but a firestorm of
protest for the added fee.

Sent from my Verizon, Samsung Galaxy smartphone
Get Outlook for Android<https://aka.ms/AAb9ysg>
________________________________
From: wsbapt-bounces at lists.wsbarppt.com <wsbapt-bounces at lists.wsbarppt.com>
on behalf of Roger Hawkes <roger at skyvalleylawyers.com>
Sent: Saturday, July 29, 2023 3:20:05 PM
To: WSBA Probate & Trust Listserv <wsbapt at lists.wsbarppt.com>
Subject: Re: [WSBAPT] Credit card charges

The opinion is 11 years old. Have the vendors changed their rules?

From: wsbapt-bounces at lists.wsbarppt.com <wsbapt-bounces at lists.wsbarppt.com>
On Behalf Of Mark Anderson
Sent: Friday, July 28, 2023 11:57 AM
To: WSBA Probate & Trust Listserv <wsbapt at lists.wsbarppt.com>
Subject: Re: [WSBAPT] Credit card charges

I haven't added any such language to my fee agreement.  If I was going to
do so, I would first take a look at WSBA Advisory Opinion 2214, which deals
with charging credit card transaction fees to the Client.

Here is the link to that opinion: https://ao.wsba.org/print.aspx?ID=1660

Mark B. Anderson
ANDERSON LAW FIRM PLLC
821 Dock St  Ste 209  PMB 4-12
Tacoma, Washington 98402
+1 253-327-1750
+1 253-327-1751 (fax)
marka at mbaesq.com<mailto:marka at mbaesq.com>
www.mbaesq.com<http://www.mbaesq.com/>

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From: wsbapt-bounces at lists.wsbarppt.com<mailto:
wsbapt-bounces at lists.wsbarppt.com> <wsbapt-bounces at lists.wsbarppt.com
<mailto:wsbapt-bounces at lists.wsbarppt.com>> On Behalf Of Ken Luce
Sent: 07/28/2023 11:17 AM
To: 'WSBA Probate & Trust Listserv' <wsbapt at lists.wsbarppt.com<mailto:
wsbapt at lists.wsbarppt.com>>
Subject: [WSBAPT] Credit card charges

Has anyone added language to their fee agreements that includes adding the
credit card charge if debit or card used to pay bill?  If so, would you
please send me the language.

Kenyon Luce

Luce & Associates, P.S.

5308 12th St E

Tacoma, WA 98424

T: (253) 922-8724

F: (253) 922-2802

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