Filing Best Practices

[eblood66]

Everything says "Keep for the current year and either the previous three years (U.S.) or the previous five years (Canada). Then destroy." except for "Official Receipt Valid for Income Tax Purposes (MLS)" which reads "Keep copies for the current year and the previous five years. Then destroy them."

Is there a letter or policy posted somewhere that replaces this? It seems pretty clear to me.

I'm pretty sure that the "Official Receipt Valid for Income Tax Purposes" is not used in the US. At least in the test version of MLS, this document is listed as "Official Receipt for Income Tax (Canada)" on the drop down on the Print Donor Statement screen. If it's a Canada only form then it makes sense that it gives a 5 year retention policy since that is the retention for all other documents for Canada.

The document I've always used at year end is the "Annual Charitable Cash Contributions" which is the first entry on the policy document and they are only kept for two years at most and only if you can't give it to the donor.

[jdlessley]

The "Official Receipt Valid for Income Tax Purposes (MLS)" is an official Canada government form.

I'm pretty sure that the "Official Receipt Valid for Income Tax Purposes" is not used in the US. At least in the test version of MLS, this document is listed as "Official Receipt for Income Tax (Canada)"...

Yea, that's a gotcha type thing. Unfortunately one must "know", look up, or cross reference the names of forms and documents when reading the Use and Retention of Records and Reports form for information that combines two nations' information in one document.

[jessehanks]

I'm looking for more best practices. I've been an auditor for about 7 months. I audit 3 wards. Each ward does things differently. When I ask them about it, they say "I'm just doing what the last guy did." I mentioned it to the stake presidency counselor in charge of audits, but nothing happened.

It would be nice to implement throughout the stake some best practices for both storage and for the check request and approval form. Please send in more comments.

[jdlessley]

I'm looking for more best practices. I've been an auditor for about 7 months. I audit 3 wards. Each ward does things differently. When I ask them about it, they say "I'm just doing what the last guy did." I mentioned it to the stake presidency counselor in charge of audits, but nothing happened.

The financial audit is not tasked to audit uniformity in record keep practices beyond those prescribed by the Church in "[evaluating] how funds are gathered, spent, and recorded." (Ward or Branch Financial Audit—United States and Canada, Part 1: Instructions). Each member called to a Church position should magnify their calling by understanding and following the Church's established policies and procedures for their area of stewardship. They are entitled to receive revelation on matters not prescribed by the Church in fulfulling this stewardship.

It would be nice to implement throughout the stake some best practices for both storage and for the check request and approval form.

Standardizing the practices of units for financial record keeping beyond those prescribed by the Church could, in my opinion, unnecessrily restrict an individual's right to revelation in fulfilling their stewardship.

While as a financial auditor for nine audit cycles I found units and individuals exercising their right to revelation in their calling stewardship in varying ways. While it was difficult for me as an auditor at times, I saw the value of this principle. I found it within my stewardship as an auditor to identify and recommend practices that would be of value to those I audited. It was then up to them to decide what to do with those recommendations in magnifying their calling.

Can the stake establish practices for record storage or for payment request forms? Most certainly. But I have found that record keeping practices beyond those required by the Church are a matter of personal preference. Imposing one person's personal preference on others, in my opinion, unnecessarily restricts another's right to excercise agency and to magnify their calling in a manner comensurate with their talents and abilities and as inspired of God.