Treasury / Accounting Essentials  

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These notes are based on the principles outlined in the Running for Sport Module originally from the Hillary Commission.

 

The Basics

 

1) Secure Accounts - a cheque account requiring 2 signatures to authorise with expenditure checked by committee

 

2) Money Collection and Recording System – someone to collect money other than the treasurer to reduce the workload or a system that is easy to track.     

 

Basic “Equipment” Check List

Calculator / Computer * Receipt Book * Deposit Book * Cheque Book * Bank Account * Cash Book * File System * Petty Cash Box and Book

 

Cash Flow                                                            

If well organised you can do a cashflow forecast but it should be sufficient to check key dates in the year for large payments and income to make sure you will always  have enough on hand.  Allow for delays in receiving major income such as subs etc.

 

Make sure that there is no period where income exceeds expenditure.

 

This is extremely critical if you have very little or no money in reserve in which case a full cashflow forecast is important.  There is a cashflow check file on disk that you can use.

 

Receiving Money

Keep organizational money separate from personal funds

Write receipts for money as it arrives in the receipt book noting what it is for –e.g. membership fees, interclub etc.  Deposit this into the bank account as soon as possible

 

Paying Money

All payments must have a bill or receipt before being paid

Aim to pay all accounts within 1 month of the invoice

Pay out of pocket expenses promptly.

 

Using the Cashbook

Use one section to record income and 1 to record expenses allow room to include a description or breakdown of each payment or receipt.

 

Receipts            Itemised Breakdown

Date      Amount  Subs    Tournament Fees  Interclub Fees

1st Oct    $300      $150        $150

3rd Oct    $100                                                     $100

 

Payments                                                Itemised Breakdown

Date        Chq No.  Paid to             Total   Rent    Shuttles   Fees

5th Oct     11078     Company A      $500   $500

6th Oct     11079     Association B   $800                               $800

 

Monthly Bank Reconciliation

At the end of each month add up the columns and match the cash book entries with the bank statement.

 

Petty Cash

Petty Cash should be drawn by cheque from the accounts so that it is traceable. Any money issued should be recorded in the petty cash book.  Keep it under strict control in a locked box

 

Tax and Tax Exemptions 

 

Income Tax

The rules change from year to year so it pays to keep in touch with the latest rules. Most clubs should be exempt but be careful if running say a pro shop for profit etc.  If contacting the IRD sure they refer to the Sports part of the Income Tax Act rather than treating you as a charitable trust or non for profit business.

 

The IRD General Tax line is ph 0800-377-774

 

GST

Again confirm with the IRD but the general rule is that unless you have a turnover of more than $40,000 (formerly $30,000) you don’t need to register for GST.  (IRD GST line ph 0800-377-776)

website www.ird.govt.nz

 

Incorporation

 

Visit www.companies.govt.nz for more information.  Before deciding on becoming incorporated check out the website and requirements above including financial reporting requirements.  See the tools section also.

 

Why Do It?:  Incorporation protects committee members from personal liability if the club is wound up with debts to pay.  

 

To become incorporated you need to

1) Get an application from for Incorporation: (from website above or nearest Registrar of Incorporated Societies (original and a photocopy)

2) Complete the form: you will need signatures of 15 members and someone to witness it.

3) Rules: draft typed rules for your Incorporated Society -  you can see copies of rules at the Registrar for similar organisations (make 2 copies  

the original and a photocopy)

4) Statutory Declaration: confirming the rules are legitimate.  Should be on the 1st or last page of the rules.  Must be signed in the presence of a solicitor, Justice of the Peace, Registrar of the Court, Registrar of Incorporated Societies or other authorized person.

 

Example of a declaration:

“This is the document marked “A” referred to in the annexed declaration 

  of (full name of declarant) made at (place) ….. this……day of ………

   ……(year)…before me”

 Signed by authorizing person.  

 

5) Send Fee and Documents: Check with the Registrar that it is all ok then send the Registration Fee and send the documents to the National

Processing Centre -  Private Bag 92061 Auckland Mail Centre. 

 

 Making Financial Reports

 

All expenditure and income needs to be recorded and approved by the committee at meetings and an overall report for the year needs to be done for the AGM at the end of the year.

 

The Financial Report

This is simply a record of income and expenditure for the last reporting period and the year to date.  .

 

End of Year Reporting for the AGM

1) Statement of Financial Performance (Income and expenditure)

List all receipts and payments for income and expenditure along with totals from the previous year.

Overall Profit / Loss total.

 

2) Statement of Financial Position (Assets & Liabilities Balance Sheet)

List all the assets owned by the club (including bank accounts) and liabilities owed by the club which should balance.

 

If Incorporated and your rules require an auditor then you must have your accounts audited and you must send them to the Registrar of Incorporated Societies at the office where your club is registered.

 

Presenting information in a way that is useable by those in management is important.  The treasurer should work closely with those needing the information and the leaders in the club or association to ensure that the information is easy to follow and represents the situation in the organisation.

 

Ideas that help – having income and expenditure for each section of your organisation.  Knowing the amount of admin is contributing to each area so you can tell whether growing an area will increase in real terms your income or reduce it.  You may be under charging for interclub for example and the more you grow the more time you spend on admin, hall repairs etc and you may actually be going backwards in terms of money made.

 

Profit isn’t a dirty word for non for profit organizations.  Although not existing to make money you must have sufficient reserves as a risk management policy to cope with down turns in either funding or membership.