Is there a way to get late fees to post to the date they accrue rather than original invoice date?

Thanks for posting in the Community, @kevin179.

Once the late fee feature is on, QuickBooks calculate the late fees and automatically applies them to overdue invoices as a line item. That's why the charge posts back to the original invoice. 

If you'd want to apply the charges to a specific date, you can manually delete the line item for late fees. Then, create an invoice for it and add the late fees.

To delete the late fee from the original invoice, here's how:

1. In the left menu, click Sales.
2. Select the Invoices tab.
3. Locate and open the invoices with late fees.
4. Click the trash can icon In the Late fee line item.
5. Select Save and close.

Once done, you can now create an invoice for the late fees.

1. In the left menu, click the + New button.
2. Select Invoice.
3. Select the customer from the drop-down.
4. In the Product/Service column, select Late fee.
5. Enter the amount and necessary information, then click Save and close or Save and send.

To learn more about late fees, visit this article: Apply late fees to overdue invoices automatically in QuickBooks Online.

In case you need to send statements to your customers with the late fees and other paid balances, here's an article to help you with the steps: Create and send customer statements in QuickBooks Online. 

Don’t hesitate to leave a comment below if you have other QuickBooks concerns or questions about handling late fees. I’ll get back to lend a helping hand.

I understand what you're explaining but it isn't very practical.

To give an example I have one customer with 8 invoices with 2-10 finance charges (85 total).  These are all from a customer that is dealing with USAA home insurance and battling for over a year on getting storm/water damage repairs paid for.  After more than a year of waiting on invoices we mutually agreed to financing rather than home owner refinancing to make up insurance shortfall. 

In the state of Washington we're supposed to report finance charges and income that is considered "Financing fees, penalties and interest"

Charges for interest, late payments or penalties are subject to the B&O tax under the service and other activities classification.

References: WAC 458-20-109, WAC 458-20-211

The B&O tax is supposed to be filed monthly from "income" from the previous month. 

Looking at similar posts I see this type of conflict with Invoice Date and Service Date isn't uncommon... 

https://quickbooks.intuit.com/learn-support/en-us/reports-and-accounting/invoice-date-service-date/0...

Trying to figure out how to fix this without having to add complexity to customers who have chosen financing options but I can't retro actively recognize interest income.    Since I started the offer of financing in June of 2022 I need to figure this out for before filing federal taxes too.

Hello, kevin179.

We were unable to retro the previous date. QuickBooks accrue when the original invoice date moving forward.  

I understand how the workflow you're looking for will benefit your company. We can submit a request for this feature through our Feedback board. These requests and suggestions are forwarded to the Product Development Team. I want to assure you that your input is valued and that each update our developer team creates is designed to benefit our customers' businesses. 

Here's how: 

1. Access your QuickBooks Online company.
2. In the upper-right corner, click the Gear icon.
3. Under the Profile column, select Feedback.
4. Enter a brief description of your product suggestion, and then click Next.
5. Type your email address.
6. Once done, click Send Message.  

Additionally, I recommend the following resource which contains information related to invoices:

• Automate invoice reminders in QuickBooks Online.
• Set up and send progress invoices in QuickBooks Online. 

Let me know if there's anything else you need to know about changing the date on the invoice. Have a great day!

Hi @kevin179 

I understand that the suggested method by @MirriamM to manually adjust late fee dates doesn’t solve your problem, especially when managing multiple invoices with specific accrual dates.

For your scenario, a QuickBooks add-on like Paidnice could be exactly what you need. Paidnice can automate finance charges and align them with the correct accrual dates, streamlining your reporting and compliance needs.

Here’s how Paidnice can address your use case:

• Automated Accrual-Based Posting: Set finance charges to post based on accrual dates rather than the original invoice date, eliminating manual adjustments.
• Customizable Interest Rates: Apply annualized interest rates, with options for compounding across multiple invoices for the same customer, ensuring accuracy.
• Batch Processing: Easily manage finance charges across numerous invoices, streamlining your workflow and reducing the administrative burden.
• Detailed Reporting and Compliance: Generate reports that align with state requirements (like Washington’s B&O tax), classifying charges as "Financing fees, penalties, and interest" for accurate monthly filing.
• Flexibility with Grace Periods and Conditions: Configure grace periods, variable rates, and selective application based on customer agreements, ensuring you meet contractual and legal requirements.

With these features, Paidnice can handle your finance charge needs seamlessly, saving you time and improving accuracy for both state and federal tax reporting. Happy to jump on a demo to discuss further if of interest!