FridayLunch Explains Why Law Firms Should Recover True Card Costs Instead of Charging a Flat Surcharge

FridayLunch publishes new compliance guidance showing law firms how to replace flat 3% credit card surcharges with post-settlement processing fee recovery.

New guide compares flat 3% to 3.5% markups with true-cost fee recovery after settlement

St. Louis, Mo., November 11, 2026 – FridayLunch today published a guide explaining the difference between flat card surcharges and true-cost fee recovery for law firms that accept credit cards.

Many firms add a flat 3% or 3.5% to card payments. When that flat amount is more than what the card actually cost, firms can run into trouble. Bar ethics opinions generally require fees charged to clients to be reasonable and clearly explained, and card network rules and state consumer laws can limit surcharges. Attorneys should check the rules that apply in their state.

FridayLunch takes a different approach:

1. At the time of payment, FridayLunch records a small, fixed firm markup.
2. After the payment settles, the exact card cost reported by the processor is added.
3. The firm applies the final fee to the client’s invoice, so the client pays what the card actually cost.

The client is never asked to pay a fee guessed in advance, and the firm has a record showing how each fee was calculated.

“A flat percentage is a guess,” said Tony Westbrooks, founder of FridayLunch. “Waiting until the payment settles means the client sees the real cost, and the firm can show its work.”

The guide is available at invoicing.fridaylunch.ai/guides/true-cost-fee-recovery.

About FridayLunch

FridayLunch is practice management and IOLTA trust accounting software for small law firms. It covers clients, cases, time tracking, expenses, invoicing, card and ACH payments and trust compliance, starting with Missouri Rule 4-1.15 and ABA Model Rule 1.15. FridayLunch costs $40 per month. Learn more at invoicing.fridaylunch.ai/welcome.

Media contact: Tony Westbrooks, Tony@FridayLunch.ai

This guide is general information and is not legal advice. Attorneys should check the rules that apply in their state.

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Media Contact
Company Name: FridayLunch
Contact Person: Tony Westbrooks
Email: Send Email
Address:4220 Duncan Avenue Suite 201
City: St. Louis
State: MO
Country: United States
Website: https://invoicing.fridaylunch.ai/welcome