On-Demand Webinar Fraud in the Church: What We Learned from 700 Church Leaders Discover the results of our 2021 church fraud survey and the best practices for reducing vulnerabilities. CPA Vonna Laue and Content Editor Matthew Branaugh
How Well Does Your Church Prevent Financial Misconduct? What we learned from a recent survey—with expert guidance on how to protect the church. The Editors
SBA’s PPP Changes May Help Churches with Loan Forgiveness Agency announces new direct forgiveness portal, removal of necessity questionnaires. Matthew Branaugh
What to Know About Tax Preparation Software for Pastors Understanding the benefits and pitfalls of using tax programs for clergy. Michele M. Wales and Sophia B. Chevalier
Temporary Relief for Valuing Personal Use of Church-Owned Automobiles Taking advantage of this relief affects the amount reported on Form W-2. Kaylyn Varnum, Michele Wales, and Mike Batts
What the New Coronavirus Stimulus Package Means for Churches New law clarifies PPP loan forgiveness process and extends PPP loan program, among other provisions. Ted Batson
Advantage Member Exclusive Rethinking Your Church’s Budgeting Process for 2021 On-Demand Webinar: Guidance on how church leaders can adjust their current budgeting processes to adapt to changes caused by the pandemic. Featuring Michael E. Batts, CPA
The High Cost of Fraud New study offers insights on why it happens, how it’s detected, and characteristics of both victims and perpetrators. Richard R. Hammar
How a Church Responded When a Trusted Minister Embezzled Funds Experts weigh in during a panel discussion on what happened. Lee A. Dean
Applying for PPP Loan Forgiveness The latest instructions to help ensure the maximum amount of your church’s loan converts to a nontaxable grant. Ted R. Batson, Jr. and Brent Baumann
Q&A: In Light of the Pandemic, What Should We Include in Our Cash Balances for Forecasting Purposes? It’s important to remember that liquidity refers to cash available for operations. Michael E. Batts
Q&A: How Do We Budget During This Time of Rapid Change and Uncertainty? First step: stop focusing on your annual budget. Michael E. Batts
Q&A: Should We Start Digging into Our Reserves? Churches that deplete their reserves should replenish them over time. Michael E. Batts
Recommended Reading Managing Tough Financial Times Articles to help you adjust budgets, think strategically, and approach the challenge with confidence. The Editors
Are We Practicing Safe Fundraising? A 12-question checklist to ensure a fun and safe event. Jeff Hanna
Will Your Church’s “Good Faith Certification” for a Paycheck Protection Loan Come into Question? For loans under $2 million, the SBA will assume the borrower determined in “good faith” that it met the PPP loan requirement. Frank Sommerville and Cory Halliburton
New Stimulus Funding Replenishes Paycheck Protection Program Churches still in need of a forgivable loan should immediately restart their efforts. The Editors
On-Demand Webinar Church Financial Management in Challenging Times CPA Michael E. Batts helps churches navigate financial concerns created by the pandemic in this on-demand webinar. Featuring Michael E. Batts
Q&A: How Should Churches Handle the Bookkeeping for Paycheck Protection Loans? Also, do you recommend a separate bank account for these loans? Vonna Laue
Q&A: Handling Donation Funds for Mission Trips Postponed by Pandemic The church could be liable to the donors for not fulfilling the purpose of the gift. Frank Sommerville