The glossary to understand and take action

Aged trial balance

A statement that allocates receivables or payables by age at a given date, in order to organise their monitoring.

Notion comptable, fiscale ou juridique · Luxembourg Fiduciaries Editorial Team · Reviewed on

Understand the scope

Definition and points to distinguish

For customers, it must be specified whether ageing is calculated from the invoice date or its due date. The brackets are presentation choices; they do not replace statutory or contractual deadlines. Payments, credit notes and disputes must be reconciled before delays are interpreted.

In your file

What this changes in practice

The aged trial balance categorises receivables or payables according to their due date in order to identify delays. It must be based on reliable dates and matching. An old amount may correspond to an unpaid debt, a dispute or a posting error: it requires verification. The tool is used for debt collection and cash management, as well as for assessing the risk of non-recovery.

A scenario to help you understand

Educational example

A company identifies overdue customer invoices, checks payments received and then prioritises reminders and disputed files.

Fictitious situation, presented to illustrate the concept.

Prepare for what comes next

Points to check

  • Contrôler les échéances
  • Rapprocher les règlements reçus
  • Documenter les litiges et relances

The practical question

Find out more

Pourquoi une facture ancienne peut-elle rester dans la balance âgée après paiement ?

Le règlement peut être enregistré sur un mauvais compte, non lettré ou affecté à une autre facture. Vérifiez les références avant de relancer le client. La balance âgée doit donc être nettoyée des erreurs de rapprochement pour devenir un outil fiable. Elle aide ensuite à distinguer les vrais retards des litiges et problèmes d’enregistrement.

Connecting concepts

Terms to know as well

Continue with the concepts, contacts and procedures related to this topic.

Doubtful receivableA receivable whose recovery involves uncertainty that must be examined and documented.Working capital requirement (WCR)The working capital requirement (WCR) measures the financing absorbed by the operating cycle, notably inventory and receivables, less operating liabilities.Sales invoiceA sales invoice describes the transaction invoiced to a customer, with the applicable information and VAT treatment.Trial balanceThe trial balance summarises accounts, their movements and their balances over a defined period.Acquisition auditA targeted review of a company before its acquisition, to understand its situation and the risks of the transaction.Bank reconciliationA check that explains differences between the transactions and balances of a bank account and those recorded in the accounts.

Put it into practice

Explore further with our guides

Practical guideUnpaid invoices: use an aged receivables report and organise follow-upsPractical guideThirteen-week cash flow plan: building useful monitoring

Sources and verification

References consulted on 20 September 2026. Official procedures specify the applicable conditions and exceptions.

This guide explains a general process. The applicable rules depend on your situation; it does not constitute personalised advice. Report a correction.

A definition gives you a reference point. To examine your situation, clarify your question with a professional.