budget — Page 2

Fixed Assets

Posted on March 24, 2020 Written by Steve Law

I take these off every balance sheet I possibly can. There is no reason for a church (or any other non-profit) to track their fixed assets (land, buildings, and furnishings). CPAs will tell you these must be included on a balance sheet and that is simply not necessary for a non-profit.

Fixed assets are usually listed on a balance sheet for the price they cost. If a building costs $1 million, that is the figure it is listed on the balance sheet. Same for furnishings, building improvements, etc. This figure is what it cost at the time of purchase and that is my hang up. Church pews that cost $100 each 50 years ago now have a replacement price of $2,500 or whatever. Yet, on the balance sheet it is listed as $100 less a full-depreciation of $100. That doesn’t mean anything to the average church member reading a balance sheet. Fixed assets never reflect the current amount of money you need to replace that tangible asset and that is the short-coming a fixed asset and depreciation policy and why it can actually harm a church. People will presume it costs $1 million to replace the church’s fixed assets (which were bought 18 years ago) when the true cost is closer to $5 million.

Instead, do this. Remove all fixed assets from your balance sheet. Then, when you do your annual audit or present the annual financial report to the church, have a footnote in the document in which you list the insured value of the physical plant and the furnishings and add in the tax value of the property (land/soil is not insurable because it can’t be destroyed). This footnote tells the reader the current value of what you own (presuming you keep your insurance value updated).

Finally, take a camera (such as your phone) and record every room, every cabinet, every drawer, and every space in your building. It is so easy to do with modern smartphones. Two people can do an entire church in a morning (or a day if it is a very large church). Then, store that recording in different locations or in the cloud so it can be used if need for insurance purposes. Keep multiple years’ recordings, too – don’t discard one after you get a new one.

Please keep your balance sheet simple – no fixed assets, cash only, and keep restricted funds to as few as possible. Thanks!

Lead On!

Steve

Filed Under: accounting, budget, church administration, church finances, church financial statements Tagged: accounting, budget, church administration, church finances, church financial statements

Cash Balance Sheet

Posted on March 17, 2020 Written by Steve Law

Cash is King. Especially in non-profits. I’ve spent too many hours trying to get CPAs to understand that in non-profit accounting, there is no need for the balance sheet to list fixed assets, pre-paid expenses, depreciation (in any of its myriad forms), and other forms of for-profit accounting. Sometimes the CPAs get it and follow my lead. Other times they are so entrenched in their methods that they can’t think outside the AICPA lines.

A cash balance sheet means that the only thing on the asset side is your cash and where it is located (E.g., “Main Checking-1^st National Bank….$47,738.83”). This is known has “how much money do you actually have available to you as of the date of the balance sheet.

And, please, please, please include ALL your accounts at ALL your financial institutions. I’ve worked with too many churches who tell me they’ve listed everything only to learn later that there is a discretionary fund, an endowment fund, a benevolence fund, etc. that someone doesn’t want others to know about. That is being dishonest – plain and simple. You’re not revealing the whole truth because someone doesn’t trust others. That is wrong.

The other side of the balance sheet is divided in two:

How much of the cash you have is encumbered for others?
- What are your payroll liabilities (money you’ve withheld from employees which you’re going to send to the Federal and State tax authorities, to the employees’ retirement, health or life insurance, or other benefits. That money isn’t yours; you’re just holding it for a little while.
- The other “liability” is commonly known as restricted funds. Again, this money isn’t yours, you’re just holding it until it is used for the purpose that the donor gave it for. That may be for the music program, for a building campaign, or for benevolence. Whatever it is for, you MUST use it for that purpose and nothing else unless the donor gives you written permission.
How much of the cash you have is “left over?”
- That leftover is known as retained earnings or net assets. That money is truly under the full authority and control of the governing body of the church whether that is elders or the congregation.

A cash balance is simple and that’s the way it should be for churches. You want a document that is clear enough so that a non-accountant can understand it after a 5-10 minute explanation. If you have to go longer, then people are going to think you’re hiding something – and you just might be. Keeping it simple keeps it honest.

Lead On!

Steve

Filed Under: accounting, budget, church finances, church financial statements Tagged: accounting, budget, church finances, church financial statements

End of Calendar Year Gifts

Posted on November 19, 2019 Written by Steve Law

When it comes to end of year, you need to have careful attention to some details:

What is the date on the check?
When did it come into the possession of the church?
When did it cease to be in the possession of the donor?
If it was mailed, what is the postmarked date (and keep the envelope for future reference)?

The IRS says that you can give tax credit for gifts that are not in the possession of the donor as of 1/1 @ 12.01 a.m. So, if someone makes an online donation at 11:59 p.m. or earlier on 12/31, then the gift can go toward that year.

If someone puts a check in the mail on 12/31, then it is no longer in the possession of the donor. The IRS considers it valid for the prior year. It may be postmarked in the new year but it should go toward the prior year, unless the check is dated for the new year. If the postmarked date is January 3, 4, or 5, use your best judgment to decide if it was still in the donor’s possession in 2019 or if it was mailed in 2018. You may even need to call the donor.

For depositing money received in the new year but credited to the prior year: make the deposit to the bank as early in January as possible; in your accounting software put a deposit date of 12/31 so it will show up on the income statement for the prior year. It will show up in the bank reconciliation as a “deposit in transit.”

The date that the money is in the bank is not important; the date that it ceases to be under the control of the donor is. Dealing with stock gifts at this time of year is especially tricky in determining what year to credit it to because you have to factor in when the donor gave instructions to the broker to sell the stock. Talk with the donor and the broker to ensure you have accurate info regarding last minute stock gifts.

Lead On!

Steve

www.churchbestpractices.org – all kinds of FREE church manuals and sample documents
www.financeforchurches.org – 400 plus blogs on every church administration topic you can think of

Filed Under: accounting, budget, church administration, church finances, church financial statements, communications, future, generosity, planning Tagged: accounting, budget, church administration, church finances, church financial statements, communications, future, generosity, planning

Special Offerings for Specific Needs

Posted on November 12, 2019 Written by Steve Law

Churches can have up to four special offerings for missions and other causes in a year – any more than that and it begins to affect the contributions to the ministry/operating budget of the church. Here are some ways to have special offerings that won’t affect your budget offerings

Announce that “On Sunday, Month Day, there will be a special offering to help our XYZ Ministry. While there is money in the budget for XYZ, we need additional monies to pay for additional supplies and events that are planned. The first $XX,000 given will go to the regular budget but all monies given over $XX,000 will go for XYZ. Thank you for your generosity for this wonderful ministry.”
The $XX,000 figure needs to be whatever the treasurer feels is a regular Sunday offering – the amount that would normally come in that Sunday for basic operations.
Promote that special offering for 3-4 Sundays before the date using the offering time to show slides of last year’s event, interviewing people about their experience, etc. Any money received over the threshold helps lower the budget cost of XYZ. And any special offering funds not used for XYZ this year can carry over to the next year. Alternate what is done each year so there is variety and so these offerings don’t get old.
After the event, tell people how much was raised toward this ministry. If you don’t reach that goal, tell people that, too. You may get some designated gifts for the XYZ Ministry.

Lead On!

Steve

www.churchbestpractices.org – all kinds of FREE church manuals and sample documents
www.financeforchurches.org – 400 plus blogs on every church administration topic you can think of

Filed Under: accounting, budget, church administration, church finances, church financial statements, generosity, planning Tagged: accounting, budget, church administration, church finances, church financial statements, generosity, planning

Send Donor Statements More Frequently

Posted on November 5, 2019 Written by Steve Law

Let your donors know regularly how much they’ve given. Send contribution statements five times: the first week after each quarter ends plus an extra one the first week of December. A statement in early December reminds people of how much they’ve given (or not given) to the church so far that year and provides a reminder to make a contribution. Emailing statements is feasible with most church database systems at no or low cost.
Every time you send out donor contribution statements, include a cover letter which tells 2 or 3 very short stories (tweets size) about the ministries of the church. This keeps people informed about what is going on. Also, the cover letter tells the donors who to contact the church office to correct erroneous data.
For churches that mail offering envelopes to donors, send those out four times year. Handing out or mailing offering envelopes just once a year means most people are aware of giving just once a year. Also, some people lose their packet of envelopes in a month so getting packets four times a year helps those people.
Five contribution statements plus four mailings of offering envelopes = 9 times a year that members are being reminded to give.

Lead On!

Steve

www.churchbestpractices.org – all kinds of FREE church manuals and sample documents
www.financeforchurches.org – 400 plus blogs on every church administration topic you can think of

Filed Under: accounting, budget, church administration, church finances, communications, future, generosity, leadership, strategy, young adults Tagged: accounting, budget, church administration, church finances, communications, future, generosity, leadership, strategy, young adults

Capital Investment Needs

Posted on September 17, 2019 Written by Steve Law

Every church needs building or program improvements that cost more than the budget can afford. Every church needs to make a list of these capital items. This list should encompass all ministry areas and range from small amounts to very large amounts. Update the list every year, make the list dynamic, and make sure every item on the list supports the vision of the church (you don’t want someone’s pet project that doesn’t have widespread buy-in).
Make the list available to everyone. Spend a Wednesday night or two soliciting church input and another night sharing the results. It will help members know that the leadership wants to invest in the facilities and activities that touch everyone.
Update this list every year – do not make it static. Add and remove items as the church’s priorities change. Every year, attempt to tackle two or three items on the list depending on your church’s finances.
There is a chance someone will write a check for an item that appeals to them. Also, sometimes churches have more receipts than expenses at the end of a fiscal year; use those funds for items on the list. Some items are so expensive and/or extensive that funding must be done over several years. Just continue to fund the project and not quit halfway. And, as each project starts tell people what is about to start and then celebrate it when it is done.
Here’s a helpful way to make your list
1. Itemize – make a list; throw everything on the table
2. Categorize – group them by ministry or building improvement
3. Analyze – decide why this is a need and not just a want
4. Monetize – guesstimate the cost, use a vendor if necessary
5. Prioritize – rank them from most important to least
6. Publicize – tell people and solicit their ongoing input
7. Review-ize – update the list each year
8. Thank you-ize – celebrate milestones and even throw a party

Lead On!

Steve

www.churchbestpractices.org – all kinds of FREE church manuals and sample documents
www.financeforchurches.org – 400 plus blogs on every church administration topic you can think of

Filed Under: budget, buildings, church administration, church finances, communications, facilities, future, generosity, strategy Tagged: budget, buildings, church administration, church finances, communications, facilities, generosity, strategy

Giving Cards in Pews

Posted on September 3, 2019 Written by Steve Law

People who come to church often want to give but they don’t have cash or checks on them. With digital donations now available, giving to the church can be done anytime. Churches can provide a “giving card” that informs people of the various ways they can support their church.

Inform your worshippers of the various ways they can support the church financially with “Giving Cards.” Create a card (about the size of an offering envelope) with all the ways that people can give to your ministry budget: cash, checks, website (include link), church app, text to give, a QR code link, etc. Put this card in the pew with the offering envelopes for people to take and have a reminder to give.
In most churches, people can only give if they have cash or checks at the moment the offering plate is passed. A giving card shows people the other ways they can give from their home computer or smartphone after worship is over.
On the flip side of the card you can include a verse (1 Timothy 6:17-18 is good) and/or ways for people to get involved in the church: small groups, mission trips, volunteering, etc.
Use the card to educate people about how they can help their church and themselves.

Lead On!

Steve

www.churchbestpractices.org – all kinds of FREE church manuals and sample documents
www.financeforchurches.org – 400 plus blogs on every church administration topic you can think of

Filed Under: accounting, budget, church administration, church finances, generosity, young adults Tagged: accounting, budget, church administration, church finances, generosity, young adults

Keep Your Database in the Cloud

Posted on August 20, 2019 Written by Steve Law

A file server is the main computer in an office which stores the central files/database and software that an organization uses. These servers cost several thousand dollars and last about five years. You no longer need a file server.
Instead, you can use software such as Dropbox, Google Drive, and Microsoft One to keep your files in a cloud-based storage center. Most of your programs (word processing, spreadsheets, accounting, and church management systems) can be run online eliminating the need to buy software and update it regularly.
These files are pretty safe from hackers and ransomware since you’re using the resources of major companies such as Microsoft and Google. They want to keep the trust of their clients so they go to great lengths to protect all their files.
Work with your IT guru to see how you can save money by centralizing your database and programs online. Many of these programs can be accessed through your smartphone or tablet from which you can forward the document or take a screenshot and share the image.
If you need to buy software, use a company called TechSoup. They sell name brand software to nonprofits for 10% to 25% of the original cost.

Lead On!

Steve

www.churchbestpractices.org – all kinds of FREE church manuals and sample documents
www.financeforchurches.org – 400 plus blogs on every church administration topic you can think of

Filed Under: accounting, budget, church administration, church finances Tagged: accounting, budget, church administration, church finances

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