Q&A: Effectively Unraveling Disorganized Financial Records

What to do when records appear in disarray.

Vonna Laue, CPA
Bio
I recently took on the job of church treasurer. I’m not a CPA, but even I can tell our records are in disarray. How can I unravel the inconsistent accounting methods used in the past? Should I recommend a church audit to help straighten everything out?

I am aware of one business administrator that required the church be audited as a condition of her accepting the employment agreement. While that gives everyone an idea of what problems existed before she arrived, an audit is not always a cost effective solution to the issues.

If the church has not been audited before, the money is probably better spent to have an accountant experienced in church finances complete a consulting engagement to sort through potential problem areas and give suggestions on better accounting processes and policies.

Vonna Laue has worked with ministries and churches for more than 20 years. Vonna was a partner with a national CPA firm serving not-for-profit entities through audit, review, tax, and advisory services. Most recently, she held the role of executive vice president for a Christian ministry that works to enhance trust in the church and ministry community.

This content is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter covered. It is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other professional service. If legal advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional person should be sought. "From a Declaration of Principles jointly adopted by a Committee of the American Bar Association and a Committee of Publishers and Associations." Due to the nature of the U.S. legal system, laws and regulations constantly change. The editors encourage readers to carefully search the site for all content related to the topic of interest and consult qualified local counsel to verify the status of specific statutes, laws, regulations, and precedential court holdings.

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