[LCFinance] bank fees from donors' NSF checks

[Don Horne]

Barry, you might check with your bank and see if they will not charge your church for returned checks.  At Trinity UMC, in Jacksonville, where I work, they do not charge for this.  Therefore, whenever these matters surface, there is no need to have to wrestle with the decision.  I do not, by the way, contact the member.  As you said, they already know that the check has been returned, so I feel that they will make the appropriate decision based on their ability at the time.  
 
It can't hurt to check with them on this; the worst that they could say is "No".  
 
Don Horne
Trinity UMC
Jacksonville, NC

________________________________

From: lcfinance-bounces at listserv.nccumc.org on behalf of Barry Holland
Sent: Sat 7/26/2008 11:30 AM
To: Church Treasurer-Finance Listserv
Subject: [LCFinance] bank fees from donors' NSF checks


What, if anything, do you typically do in response to congregation members whose offering checks are returned for insufficient funds?  What if they are "repeat offenders?"
 
Do you try to pass on the bank service charges to them?  (They're probably already getting socked by their own bank.)
 
Do you send them a letter of any type -- if so, what does it say?
 
I'm trying to set a standard policy / procedure for our church finance team, and I'm not sure where to fall within the spectrum between All-Forgiving Church (don't make anyone feel bad, and just eat all the bank fees) and Hard-Core Business Church (losing money due to donor irresponsibility is bad stewardship).
 
Thanks in advance for your input!
 
Barry L. Holland, CPA

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