Recording last minute donations for tax purposes

[mnelsonxy]

How can we deal with donations that come in prior to the end of the year, but after recording our final donation batch for the year? For example, if the bishop receives a donation in the mail tomorrow (December 31), can that be recorded in a donation batch next Sunday that would allow that donation to appear on the member's 2012 tax-valid statement? Would it simply require preparing a separate donation batch and dating it December 31, 2012, even though it is processed on January 6, 2013?

[kd7mha]

In the USA if it is POSTMARKED by the 31st the donation still needs to be recorded in 2012

[mnelsonxy]

And would that be accomplished by running a special donations batch next Sunday dated December 31?

[jdlessley]

Would it simply require preparing a separate donation batch and dating it December 31, 2012, even though it is processed on January 6, 2013?

Yes, that is how it is done. Even donations mailed to the bishop with a postmark on or before 31 December yet received in 2013 may be processed using the 31 December 2012 date. For more information see Receiving a donation dated in the prior year.

[jdlessley]

And would that be accomplished by running a special donations batch next Sunday dated December 31?

Date that batch and any other batches that are processed under the special circumstances on 31 December. By that I mean there can be more than one special batch processed on different dates in 2013 but dated 31 December 2012.

[gregwanderson]

We deal with this every year so it's important to review the policy. Our Bishop understands this and, before the first batch is processed on the first Sunday of January, he'll specifically hand us any envelopes that need to be treated as prior year donations. If the timing is critical to the donor then I would hope that the donor would be responsible enough to contact the Bishop before January 1st. But the Bishop cannot "correct" the situation if the donor's timing is too late.

I actually posted a note near the Bishop's office door this year explaining that any donations received before the end of December 31st would count as 2012 donations. My objective was to let people know that they could have a tithing settlement appointment before they made their final donations for the year. But the explanation also meant that January 1st is too late for a 2012 donation.

[mnelsonxy]

Perfect. Thanks, JD and mrrad.