Bookkeeping for customs brokers and freight forwarders
A broker's books carry other people's money alongside its own. Duties and taxes advanced for clients, carrier payables and per-shipment service fees all move through the same accounts, and the fee revenue that is actually yours is a thin layer on a large flow. Mispar keeps pass-through disbursements strictly separated from earned revenue, so the books show the business's real size and every client's true balance. Plans start at $229/mo.
Best for: Independent customs brokers, small freight forwarders and owners who need per-shipment and per-client clarity without an accounting department.
Separated
Pass-throughs
Current
Client balances
Reconciled
Carrier payables
Visible
Lane margin
How Mispar keeps your brokerage books clean
Industry-specific accounts and categorization, with the reporting scope agreed before work starts.
Per-shipment service fees
Record brokerage and forwarding fees per shipment, so earned revenue is measured apart from the disbursements that move with it.
Duty and tax disbursements
Track duties and taxes advanced on behalf of clients as receivables, not revenue, so client accounts are collectable and the books stay honest.
Carrier and vendor payables
Match ocean, air and trucking payables to the shipments they serve, keeping per-shipment cost complete before invoices go out.
Client account balances
Keep each client's fees, advances and credits in one reconciled account, so statements go out clean and disputes resolve from records.
Overhead and licensing
Track bonds, licensing, software and office costs on their own lines, so fixed costs are visible against fee revenue.
Lane and mode analysis
Record revenue and cost by lane or mode when needed, so rate decisions are reviewed on evidence instead of memory.
A simple, predictable process
From kickoff to your first clean close, here is exactly what happens.
Review your current records
We start from your brokerage software, carrier statements, client invoices and bank feeds.
Map the chart of accounts
Fee revenue, disbursement advances and payables are mapped to an agreed chart of accounts that respects the pass-through wall.
Reconcile clients and carriers monthly
Each month's shipments are matched to fees, advances and carrier invoices, and open balances are aged.
Close the month
Monthly statements with an exceptions list and the per-client or per-lane reporting agreed for your brokerage.
Illustrative example
A forwarder's monthly deposits look large, but most of the flow is duties advanced for clients. With disbursements separated from fees, the owner sees fee revenue is flat while advances keep growing, and tightens credit terms on the two clients driving the advance balance. This is an illustration of the method, not a customer case or a guarantee.
Customs Brokers and Freight Forwarders bookkeeping — your questions
How do you keep pass-through money out of revenue?
Duties, taxes and carrier costs advanced for clients are recorded as receivables and payables, never as revenue or expense, which is the only honest picture of a brokerage.
Can you track what each client owes us?
Yes. Each client's fees, advances and credits are kept in a reconciled account with aging, so collection is managed from a statement, not a search.
How are carrier payables handled?
Each carrier invoice is matched to the shipment it serves before being scheduled for payment, so per-shipment cost is complete and disputes are caught early.
Can I see margin per lane or mode?
Yes, when revenue and cost are recorded by lane or mode. We set up the agreed view; complete shipment data is what makes it reliable.
Does the $229 starting plan cover my brokerage?
The final plan and scope depend on shipment volume, client count and modes. We agree that scope before starting; catch-up work is discussed separately.
Explore other industries
Restaurants
Prime cost, tip pools, POS reconciliation, and food/beverage COGS — booked the way a restaurant actually runs.
Learn more →E-commerce
Multi-channel reconciliation, FIFO/weighted-average inventory, COGS at ship date, and sales-tax nexus done right.
Learn more →Retail
POS reconciliation, COGS, shrinkage, vendor payables, and sales-tax remittance — clean end to end.
Learn more →Customers slow to pay?
Our in-house collections team calls and emails customers who owe your company money, so you can stay focused on the work.