BP 11122023 129pm - Flipbook - Page 169
Appendix A
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Q. Is the business manager (bookkeeper or other paid staff) a counter?
A. The business manager (or other paid staff) who manages the count should NOT
participate in the count and especially not handle cash. The business manager is there to
observe, oversee, answer questions, etc., but NOT to count or handle the funds. Handling
the funds is a conflict of interest, as this person usually has access to the church’s financial
records as well, and could make changes to the records to cover up theft.
Q. Coins are a pain to deal with. Can we exchange them for bills or hold them for a few
weeks?
A. Process the funds as received; count the coins with each Mass, and deposit the coins
weekly. Do not exchange them with bills from another Mass or with your own personal
bills. We encourage coins to be deposited weekly, but they may be held until a substantial
amount (such as an amount for a coin roll) to deposit has been received.
Q. Sometimes we receive funds for a second collection before the scheduled collection date.
Should we hold them until the proper collection date?
A. Second collections received early should be properly counted and deposited on the
very next count day, and posted to the proper fund according to the donor’s wishes. Early
second collections should NOT be held until the scheduled collection date.
Q. Sometimes we receive second collections after the scheduled collection date. Wouldn’t it
be much easier to just count these amounts as offertory?
A. Not only is it our policy to credit donations to the fund designated by the donor, it is
the law!
Q. Sometimes a parishioner writes one check for three separate funds. Splitting the check is
quite difficult and creates a lot of extra paperwork. Can we just count it all as one fund?
A. Not only is it proper policy to credit donations to the fund designated by the donor, it
is the law! The check should be recorded on a
