Use this bank reconciliation worksheet to compare a bank statement with your cash ledger. Enter the ending balances, list deposits in transit and outstanding checks, then add supported bank and book corrections. The tool shows the adjusted balances and the amount still unexplained. Work from the same statement date and include only adjustments missing from that side of the records. Your entries stay in this browser; you can download a CSV or print the worksheet. The worked case below comes from IRS Publication 583.
Worked example: IRS bank reconciliation
| Item | Amount ($) |
|---|---|
| Bank statement balance | 1,458.12 |
| Add deposit 1/28 | 701.33 |
| Add deposit 1/31 | 516.08 |
| Subtract outstanding checks | 526.50 |
| Adjusted bank balance | 2,149.03 |
| Checkbook balance | 2,153.03 |
| Add book correction | 6.00 |
| Subtract bank service charge | 10.00 |
| Adjusted book balance | 2,149.03 |
Published amounts from IRS Publication 583, Recordkeeping System Example. The original table is shown separately from editable inputs.
How it works
Adjusted books = ledger balance - unposted fees + unposted interest - unposted NSF items + signed book corrections.
Difference = adjusted bank - adjusted books.
Method source: IRS Publication 583. Amounts are calculated in whole cents. The tool reports the arithmetic of your inputs and does not update your records.
Read the difference before updating records
A matching result means the entered adjustments bring the balances together. Check the underlying documents as well as the arithmetic. The IRS instructs users to compare deposits and checks, prepare a reconciliation and update unrecorded or incorrect book entries. Leave a difference visible while you investigate it.
Use the signed error fields for supported corrections on the affected side. A positive correction increases that balance; a negative correction reduces it. Do not enter the same item twice. Keep your check and deposit schedules with the completed reconciliation.
Questions about this tool
What is bank reconciliation?
It compares the bank statement, checkbook and books, identifies differences and brings the adjusted balances together. IRS Publication 583 describes this checking-account review.
What is the bank reconciliation formula?
Start with the statement balance, add deposits in transit and subtract outstanding checks. Apply supported bank corrections, then compare with the book balance after unposted items and book corrections.
Are outstanding checks added or deducted?
The IRS illustration subtracts outstanding checks from the bank-side subtotal. Use the register to total checks not included in the statement being reconciled.
Do you add deposits in transit?
The IRS illustration adds deposits shown in the checkbook but missing from the statement to the bank statement balance.
Can I print a bank reconciliation template?
Yes. The template generator provides a blank form and a completed calculator view. Use its print button and your browser print dialog.
What if the adjusted balances do not agree?
Check the deposit and check comparisons and review unrecorded or incorrect entries. IRS Publication 583 says to check the previous steps if a difference remains.
Can I export the worksheet to a spreadsheet?
Yes. Export CSV downloads the entered items and results. The worksheet also saves entries in this browser when browser storage is available.
Official sources
- IRS Publication 583: checking account reconciliation and recordkeeping illustration
- Federal Student Aid Handbook: reconciliation adjustment categories
Data as of 2026-10-05. Published illustrations are static teaching cases, not live account data.