Tithing refund

[gingus]

I think the Other catagory sounds best, but I would check with your stake financial clerk and get their buy in on whatever method you use, so that when you audit comes around you are covered.

[aebrown]

Here's another thought. Create an "other" category as you would for pass-through funds (like money for Young Women Camp or a special Relief Society quilt project). Change the donation from tithing to this pass-through category. Then write a check back to the family. Presto! Done. The "donation" would never be considered charitable. On paper, it would be as if there was a special project and the "excess" funds for that project were refunded AND the special category's balance went back to zero.

Well, that's a technical way to do it, but that doesn't mean it's acceptable from a policy perspective. If you can do that with this donation, you could do it with any donation, and refund missionary payments for a missionary who returns early. We've been specifically told that such donations are not to be refunded. So I think care needs to be exercised.

This matter needs approval from CHQ

[russellhltn]

This matter needs approval from CHQ

+1 (fill to keep the forum software happy.)

[jdlessley]

This matter needs approval from CHQ

+1 (fill to keep the forum software happy.)

[gregwanderson]

Certainly, the decision should be made by one higher in rank than a clerk, but at least using the "other" category would keep this problem away from the realm of fast offerings. If we accept that this was an honest mistake then I can't help feeling this isn't the first time someone made such a mistake. And, somewhere beneath "the letter of the law," giving back the money feels like the right thing to do. (And insisting on a long wait does not feel right).

As a financial clerk, I always watched ward missionary balances closely near the end and tried to let donors know that they were done paying BEFORE they made unnecessary donations. I felt it was my responsibilty, and it eliminated the need to sadly tell anyone that they made a non-refundable donation... as if it was entirely their fault. After all, I was the one watching the official balance every month.

[marianomarini]

Change the donation from tithing to this pass-through category.

Can this be done for previous registrations?
If so, fund change could be the easy way!

[aebrown]

(And insisting on a long wait does not feel right).

I haven't seen anyone insist on a long wait. The clerk could have called Local Unit Support hours ago; I see no reason why the issue could not be resolved very quickly. Be careful and following policy does not have to take significantly longer. The needs of the member should be carefully considered, but this can be done by following policy and getting proper guidance from CHQ -- and it can be done promptly.

[russellhltn]

Certainly, the decision should be made by one higher in rank than a clerk, but at least using the "other" category would keep this problem away from the realm of fast offerings. If we accept that this was an honest mistake then I can't help feeling this isn't the first time someone made such a mistake. And, somewhere beneath "the letter of the law," giving back the money feels like the right thing to do. (And insisting on a long wait does not feel right).

The problem is this is a community forum and we don't know if it's acceptable or not. There is a possibility of Tax Law in this and none of us are tax lawyers. Thus the answer so far has been to contact LUS. I would not want anyone to get the idea of reclassifying donations as "other" as being a means to work around the "no refund" policy is OK until someone at CHQ says it's OK. And as Alan noted, it may depend on the situation.

In this case, I'd say the decision needs to be made by CHQ as to how to handle it. Anything else could land you (and the church) in trouble.

[gregwanderson]

I agree that calling headquarters is the ONLY valid suggestion in this discussion. The only reason I suggested changing the donation to an "other" category was to improve upon the suggestion made immediately before my post (and others) which involved making a mess of the Fast Offering category. To turn this into a Fast Offering issue would be to create a storyline on paper which is much farther from the truth than anything I suggested.

I would be very disappointed if we don't get a follow-up on this forum when someone finds out exactly how headquarters officially wants to clear this up.

[cherishj]

Speaking as a former Local Unit Support employee, please call for instructions. Changing the donation to Other and writing a refund, without receiving permission and proper instructions, is completely against policy.