Donations Received via Bill Payer Service

[aebrown]

Aha! Then we should definitely encourage all users of Bill Payer Services
to donate and mail directly to CHQ.

Although it will save you as a clerk some time if people send donations to CHQ, there are a couple of things to be aware of that make CHQ Bill Pay donations undesirable for some donations.:

• Fast offerings sent to the Church are not credited to the local ward and stake. Yes, it is true that all fast offering donations are swept to the Church and that all fast offering checks are automatically reimbursed by the Church, but it is also true that stake presidents receive an accounting of each ward's surplus or deficit in donations vs. expenses in the Fast Offering category.
• There is no way to make ward missionary contributions if you send the funds to the Church. Yet the equalized missionary payment for missionaries serving from the ward will still come directily from the ward account.
• Similarly, there is no way to give funds for any Other subcategories via Bill Pay that will go to the ward. All donations in the Other category sent to CHQ via Bill Pay are credited to the Church Humanitarian Fund.

I suppose that at end of year, with statement in hand, from CHQ, such members
would bring that to settlement. And CHQ would also send them a tax statement, too.

CHQ will send a YTD statement in December, and also a tax statement in January, but it is not required that a member bring any statements from other units (including CHQ) to tithing settlement. Tithing settlement is a time for members to declare their tithing status to the bishop, not to make a full accounting of what donations were made to any units during the year.

We'll check into finding an address for all those using Bill Payer Services
to re-direct their donations away from our Bishop. I wonder if it's already listed within MLS?

That address is not in MLS, but if you look at this post and perhaps the entire thread, you will see the information you need.

[russellhltn]

Tithing settlement is a time for members to declare their tithing status to the bishop, not to make a full accounting of what donations were made to any units during the year.

Correct. The statement offered is more along the lines of "are we in sync?" It's a time to find out if all donations have been credited properly.

[stott-p40]

We were just talking about this topic yesterday. We feel that checks we receive from bill paying services are a real hassle. If we are lucky the correct donation categories are listed on the memo line. If we are unlucky we have to call the member. Both ways we have to fill out the donation slip. Even if we have the donation category information, we may still not know enough detail like- I s this donation under the name of the husband and wife? If ward miss. is a category, for which missionary is the donation? (Same question if the other category is used.) We feel it is not asking too much for the members to present with their donation check a fully filled out donation slip. That way we don't guess on any information and they get a carbon copy of what they filled out. This may mean that the check comes to the member's home, they fill out a regular donation slip, and they mail it to the bishop or hand it to a member of the bishopric on Sunday. Give me your opinion. Is this asking too much of the members? The counselor and clerk are spending a couple of hours to process donation and anything to make this process go quickly and more efficiently would sure be appreciated.

[Mikerowaved]

We were just talking about this topic yesterday. We feel that checks we receive from bill paying services are a real hassle. If we are lucky the correct donation categories are listed on the memo line. If we are unlucky we have to call the member. Both ways we have to fill out the donation slip. Even if we have the donation category information, we may still not know enough detail like- I s this donation under the name of the husband and wife? If ward miss. is a category, for which missionary is the donation? (Same question if the other category is used.) We feel it is not asking too much for the members to present with their donation check a fully filled out donation slip. That way we don't guess on any information and they get a carbon copy of what they filled out. This may mean that the check comes to the member's home, they fill out a regular donation slip, and they mail it to the bishop or hand it to a member of the bishopric on Sunday. Give me your opinion. Is this asking too much of the members? The counselor and clerk are spending a couple of hours to process donation and anything to make this process go quickly and more efficiently would sure be appreciated.

You raise some valid issues, however things like ambiguity has always been a concern when processing a batch whether the donation is made through a bill-pay service or handed to the Bishop in person. None of want to "guess" as to the donor's wishes, but sometimes we are forced to do the best we can with what information we are given. So far in our Ward, members have been good at using the "memo" area of the check to specify their donation categories. If we have to make a call, we find the member is usually real good from that point on to include a detailed memo.

Yes, filling out a donation slip is a bit of a hassle and I wish there was an alternative method, but I don't see it as a that big of an issue. I am a bit surprised at how long it takes you to process a batch. We have a larger than average Ward and it rarely takes us more than an hour from start to finish.

[lajackson]

We were just talking about this topic yesterday. We feel that checks we receive from bill paying services are a real hassle.

My teenage son has a checking account that does not allow the writing of checks. All payments are by electronic bill pay or cash withdrawal from an ATM machine.

Because our clerks have made it clear that they feel it is a real hassle, my son has three options.

1. Hassle them with bill pay.

2. Get cash from the ATM machine to pay his tithing.

3. Transfer his tithing money to his father's account and have his father write a check to the Ward.

We do not wish to hassle the clerks. So we do not do option one. (I would do that myself, if they were willing. I write only one check a month -- to the ward.)

Option 2 causes the expense of time and gasoline, both of which are very precious to all of us.

Option 3 causes the clerks concern, because they think the father may be able to get an extra big deduction at (US) income tax time. They do not understand that I cannot. I have to have the receipt or I cannot claim the deduction, all other things being equal. Nevertheless, they are concerned.

They also think that, because I write the check, the contribution must be in my name. It does not, of course.

We use Option 3. When the concerns become vocal, we use Option 1 for a month, and then switch back to Option 3.

We have made it clear to our leaders that those are our options, and that if they have other suggestions, we would be willing to follow them.

I had not considered having the bill pay check sent to our home. We might do that until there is a change in leadership or clerks.

[The_Earl]

The is an old thread that contains EFT / Direct Deposit information that you could use as option 4. You would need to keep track of your donations separately, and resolve at tithing settlement time. I would probably run that by your bishop first just to make sure he understood the process.

It frustrates me that option 3 causes you grief. I don't like the argument that you might be dishonest as a valid reason to not allow you to pay that way. I have spent a few tithing settlements getting records moved between my father and I because of our similar names.

So in short, look up option 4 above, and you have my sympathy. Your only other options are to keep pushing on your leadership.

[russellhltn]

3. Transfer his tithing money to his father's account and have his father write a check to the Ward.

[...]

Option 3 causes the clerks concern, because they think the father may be able to get an extra big deduction at (US) income tax time. They do not understand that I cannot. I have to have the receipt or I cannot claim the deduction, all other things being equal. Nevertheless, they are concerned.

I believe in the US, that is correct - you need that receipt. Still, I'd have the concern that something may not hold up under a full audit - since there's no record of transferring money to the church, only transferring money to the father. The paper trail is messy.

If I was the clerk, I'd probably call CHQ to make sure that's OK to do. I wouldn't want to engage in any practices that could throw doubt on the chruch's handing of funds.

There are a couple of other options:

4) Do a EFT to CHQ. There are some downsides to that since the numbers don't go though the local office, but at least for tithing that would work. It may be a partial solution.

5) Get a conventional checking account. He won't always be able to pay by cash, debit card or EFT.

[aebrown]

My teenage son has a checking account that does not allow the writing of checks. All payments are by electronic bill pay or cash withdrawal from an ATM machine.

Because our clerks have made it clear that they feel it is a real hassle...

Ah, how I miss those halcyon days when clerks didn't have to hassle with filling out a donation slip in an air conditioned office. it was so much easier when clerks only had to take in donations of eggs, livestock, fresh vegetables, and bushels of grain. Those were the days!

[al7253-p40]

The one part of this conversation that has not been addressed is what the actual purpose of the donation is for, on the spiritual side.
The actual Giving of the funds is part of the process of sacrifice (in my opinion) which is lost if the member sets up an autopay deduction and just never hassles with it except for once a year at Tithing Settlement.
Also where are the YM/Aronic Priesthood Fast Offering Collections in this ?
Anyway just wondering, not trying to attack or flame.

[The_Earl]

The one part of this conversation that has not been addressed is what the actual purpose of the donation is for, on the spiritual side.
The actual Giving of the funds is part of the process of sacrifice (in my opinion) which is lost if the member sets up an autopay deduction and just never hassles with it except for once a year at Tithing Settlement.
Also where are the YM/Aronic Priesthood Fast Offering Collections in this ?
Anyway just wondering, not trying to attack or flame.

That discussion exists in part in the EFT thread mentioned above. Many share your opinion, but that discussion falls into a gray area that this forum is not really purposed for.

Thanks
The Earl