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Bank Balancing Tool

Managing your bank accounts, whether savings or checking, by reconciling them to your bank's records is a responsibility — and one of the best money management habits you can keep. Mapping Your Future can help you manage your accounts properly.

Keep records

Even if you have online banking access, you should keep your own records of account activity. You don’t have to use a traditional bank register (also known as a checkbook or bank book), but you should keep track of all additions to the accounts (direct deposit of wages, check deposit, interest earned, etc.) and withdrawals from the accounts (purchases on a debit card (note cash back, if applicable), automatic bill payment, ATM withdrawals, transfers, etc.).

Reconcile records

You should balance, or reconcile, your records for all of your bank accounts at least once each month when your bank statement is available. This is one of the best money management habits.

Benefits of balancing your records:

Balance Your Accounts

To balance your accounts, follow these simple steps using the bank balancing tool below or other tools or software:

  1. Ensure you've entered all automatic transactions (e.g., ATM withdrawals, electronic transfer of funds, online bill payments, and debit card transactions) into your records.
  2. Review your statement.
  3. Compare your statement with your records and mark all items that match.
  4. Add to your records any missing deposits or additions from your statement, including interest payments and ATM or electronic deposits.
  5. Subtract from your records any missing deductions, including fees and ATM or electronic deductions.
  6. Update your statement information.

Additions in your records but not on your statement

Date addition made Amount
Total Additions

Deductions in your records but not on your statement

Description Amount
Total Deductions

Balance

Enter ending balance recorded on your statement
Total Additions
Subtotal
Subtract Total Deductions

Result should equal your records balance

Balances don't match? Try these tricks: