SBA’s PPP Changes May Help Churches with Loan Forgiveness Agency announces new direct forgiveness portal, removal of necessity questionnaires. Matthew Branaugh
What the New Coronavirus Stimulus Package Means for Churches The Coronavirus Stimulus Package creates an extension of the Paycheck Protection Program with different eligibility requirements. Ted Batson
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: Dynamic Cash-Flow Forecasting is Key to Managing Rapid Change Budgeting during a time of rapid change is a matter of ditching the annual budget and doing some dynamic cash-flow forecasting and planning. 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
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
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
How to Select the Right Accounting Software for Your Church From off-the-shelf solutions to cloud-based systems, church leaders weigh in on how to make the best choices. Ruth Moon Mari
Q&A: What Do We Need to Know About Outsourcing Financial Tasks? Keep these factors mind: cost, security, and savings. David Fletcher
Accounting Standards Update What churches producing external financial statements need to know about GAAP changes. Michael M. Lee
The Outsourcing Option Why your church might want to let an outside pro handle the books. Bob Smietana
The Changing Dynamics of the Church Treasurer Role Five key developments that have reshaped the position during the past 25 years. Bob Smietana
3 Audiences for Church Financial Reports to Consider The people you need to keep in the know when creating financial statements. The Editors of Church Law & Tax
Some Churches Keep Their Budgets Rolling Navigating unexpected ups and downs with an alternative budget. Michael E. Batts
Q&A: What Should We Do with Old, Uncleared Checks? Clean up the books the right way. Frank Sommerville
Better Reports, Better Results Metrics and dashboards can shape smart financial decisions—here’s how. Interview by Chris Lutes
Church Finance Workers: What You Do Matters As the year comes to a close, remember the incredible value of your ministry role. Vonna Laue