Billable Hour Calculator
Track billable hours, calculate utilization rate, weekly billing totals, and project annual revenue for attorneys and professional service firms.
All hours (billable + non-billable) per week
Hours billed to clients per week
Filing fees, travel, copies, etc. for the billing period
Annual Projection
Optional. Used to calculate required billable hours.
Enter your rate and hours, then click calculate.
What This Calculator Does
This billable hour calculator helps attorneys, consultants, and professional service providers track weekly billing totals, utilization rates, effective hourly rates, and projected annual revenue. It identifies the gap between total hours worked and hours actually billed to clients.
The Formula
Utilization rate is the percentage of total working hours that are billable to clients. Non-billable time includes administrative work, business development, training, and internal meetings. The effective hourly rate accounts for all hours worked, including non-billable time, giving a true picture of earnings per hour.
Step-by-Step Example
Enter rate and hours
Hourly rate: $250. Total hours worked this week: 45. Billable hours: 32.
Calculate weekly billing
Billing: 32 x $250 = $8,000 plus $150 in reimbursable expenses = $8,150.
Determine utilization
Utilization rate: 32 / 45 = 71.1%. Effective rate: $8,150 / 45 = $181.11/hour.
Project annual revenue
At 48 billable weeks: 32 x $250 x 48 = $384,000 projected annual revenue.
Real-World Use Cases
Solo Practice Management
Track weekly billing to ensure you are meeting revenue targets and identify weeks where utilization drops.
Associate Performance
Law firms use billable hour tracking to evaluate associate productivity and set annual billing targets.
Rate Setting
If your utilization rate is low, you may need a higher hourly rate to meet income goals. This calculator shows the relationship.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Not tracking non-billable time. Understanding where non-billable hours go helps identify tasks to delegate or automate.
Setting unrealistic utilization targets. Sustainable utilization for attorneys is 60-80%. Targeting 90%+ leads to burnout.
Billing in full-hour increments when you could bill in 6-minute (0.1 hour) increments. Rounding down costs significant revenue over a year.
Forgetting to include reimbursable expenses in billing. Filing fees, travel, copies, and research charges add up.
Frequently Asked Questions
Accuracy and Disclaimer
Billing practices and utilization benchmarks vary by practice area, firm size, and jurisdiction. This calculator provides general estimates. Follow your firm billing guidelines and applicable bar rules on fee reasonableness.
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