DCFNPS Treasurer Duties

Dade Chapter Florida Native Plant Society

Treasurer’s Manual

Last Updated June 2007

Treasurer Duties

Important Dates

Chapter Laptop & Antivirus

DCFNPS Accounting

Merchandise

Sales Tax

Keys Accounting

Treasurer Reports

Income Tax Return

Bulk Mail

Plant Sales

Native Plant Day

Banking at Wachovia

Budget
DCFNPS Treasurer Duties

Monthly Meetings

• Have $50 honorarium check available for vice president to give to speaker.
• Collect profits from raffle donations and merchandise sales to deposit.

Monthly

• Enter details of income and expenses into QuickBooks account, ensuring account is in balance.
• Deposit all checks made out to the chapter. Use a Deposit Record Form (print blank ones from the Excel file) to record all necessary details.
• Write checks to members for reimbursement of chapter expenses when presented with Reimbursement Form (print blank ones from the Excel file) and supporting receipts.

Semi-annually

• Report chapter financial status to membership (via newsletter).
• Prepare Florida sales tax report and send check.

Annually

• Prepare (or organize for preparation by accountant) IRS Form 990(EZ).
• Send copy of completed income tax form to FL Attorney General’s office. Find a template in My Documents/Income Tax.
• Pay annual Bulk Mail Permit fee.
• Prepare Non-Profit Corp. Form and send in check.
• Update signature pages at bank when officers change.
• Send $100 donation to tropical Audubon Society for use of Doc Thomas house. We started doing this in 2006 and sent it at the change of the fiscal year--- August.

As Required

• Attend Board of Directors meetings, provide Board with fiscal update.
• Send checks for Bulk Mail deposits to Postmaster to cover newsletter mailing costs.
• Provide Keys members with checks for speakers, etc.
• Back up electronic files.
• Update antivirus program on computer.
• Schedule budget meetings with executive committee as needed (at least annually)

After Plant Sales

• If Plant sales chair is unable, count up tags for each vendor and send checks to vendors in a timely manner. See plant sale section for more detail.

Important Dates

July / Fiscal year begins on July 1st
Biannual Sales and Use Tax Return to FL Dept. of Revenue. (Form comes in the mail)
Annual solicitation of contribution renewal fee ($10 in 2004) to FDACS. (Solicitation letter comes in the mail)
August / Jan-June Treasurer report for publication in Sept. Tillandsia
Send $100 contribution to Tropical Audubon Society for use of Doc Thomas House.
November 15 / Federal Income Tax Return due date
(Print form 990ez from
AND send copy to FL Atty General office when complete.
December / Annual bill for PO box should arrive (in 2006 it didn’t). Make sure this is paid by end of year or else we will lose access to our PO Box.
January / Biannual Sales and Use Tax Return to FL Dept. of Revenue. (Form comes in the mail)
February / July-Dec Treasurer report for publication in March Tillandsia
March / Native Plant Day. BEFORE the event, organize cash boxes, receipt booklets, etc. as described in Native Plant Day section below, or accounting will be very difficult.
April / Annual Certificate of Stock Dealer Registration ($25)
Fee is due. Pay to Division of Plant Industry (solicitation comes in mail).
May 1 / Annual not-for-profit report to FL Department of State due
(Notice comes in the mail).

Chapter Laptop & Antivirus

The treasurer is in charge of the chapter laptop.

Our HP Pavilion ze4500 laptop came with Norton Antivirus. That expired after one year. In March 2005, I installed a well-rated free antivirus program on the laptop. It is called AVG Free Edition and is downloadable from

The antivirus software should be updated periodically, and the computer should be scanned for viruses. You can access the update dialog by clicking Start/Programs/AVG Free Edition/AVG Free Edition for Windows.

To run a virus scan, click Start/Programs/AVG Free Edition/AVG Free Edition for Windows.

DCFNPS Accounting Basics

DCFNPS is an accrual company, not a cash company (i.e., accrual system of accounting.)

Chart of Accounts

I have chosen not to number our accounts, but numbers could be added later if desired. You do this in Edit/Preferences/Accounting/Company.

In 2004, the board agreed it wanted DCFNPS accounting to be divided up into these major categories, to help with budgeting and reporting:

• Administration
• Education
• Membership
• Conservation
• Keys

Following this, I set up the Quickbooks budget accordingly and created treasurer reports in this format.

There are two “companies” in QuickBooks:

1. DCFNPS 1998-2004 contains all old records
2. DCFNPS 2004-2007 was be used for all accounting by Jennifer Possley, using First National Bank of South Miami. The chart of accounts is very different between these two companies.

Merchandise

Petty cash - The merchandise chair always maintains $50 of petty cash for making change when selling merchandise.

Sales Tax Explained

In QuickBooks, sales tax is listed as “Other Current Liabilities.”

In Miami-Dade County, sales tax is currently 7%. It is broken into 6% for the State of Florida and 1% for Miami-Dade’s “local discretionary surtax,” which I’m calling LDS here.

Monroe sales tax is 7.5%. It is broken into 6% for the State of Florida and 1.5% for Monroe’s LDS.

We send a biannual Sales Tax and Use tax return to the FL Dept. of Revenue. The blank form gets mailed to our PO Box twice a year, in January and July. There is usually a very narrow time window to fill out this form before it is overdue.

We can get a small reward for turning our sales and use tax forms in early. This is a .025% discount that we can subtract from the total amount of sales tax we are turning over to the state. This sales tax rebate, or “collection allowance,” is actually a small source of income. Usually, I did not receive the forms in time to reap this advantage.

HOW TO ACCOUNT FOR SALES TAX IN QUICKBOOKS

• To pay sales tax, you must write a check to the FL Dept. of Revenue. Use the “Split” function to draw the money from these three accounts:
• “Sales Tax Payable”
• “DADE-Discret.Surtax(1%)”
• “MONROE-Discret.Surtax(1.5%), if Keys merchandise was sold

Note that our current DCFNPS company won’t balance with sales tax collected and sales tax payable, because I had to write a check for $172 on July 10 2004, which was actually sending in tax collected during the previous fiscal year.

The amount of our sales tax is so small that I just add it up manually every 6 months. See the paper files for clarification (sales tax folder).

Keys Accounting

Keys members should keep careful records of their finances and report to the treasurer periodically.

All raffle cash is kept with the Keys members to be used as petty cash for food.

All sales money is to be sent to the treasurer to deposit.

Expenses over $100 must be approved by the executive committee.

As decided in FY06, the Keys members may use up to $200 each year for speaker fees, room, board, and travel. If necessary, the board may consider approving expenses over $200.

There is a tendency for Keys members to want to use all cash income to purchase things for the chapter. This is not acceptable because it does not leave a paper trail. The treasurer needs to send requested checks to the Keys group periodically. You may need to remind Keys members that you are available to quickly provide checks, and that this is the proper procedure.

Treasurer Reports

As per DCFNPS by-laws, treasurer reports are required quarterly, although that has not happened in the past. Jennifer produced annual reports after the ending of the fiscal year (June 30) that were published in Tillandsia in September of each year.

I tried several different versions of the treasurer report. This one below seemed to be the simplest and best. All fields are major headings in quickbooks. I just had to subtract to get the NET profits from everything in the income column.

DCFNPS Treasurer's Report July-June 2006
Bank Account
June 30, 2006 Ending Balance / $11,686
Jul-Jun06 Income / Subtotal
Membership (NET) / $2,274
Raffles, Auctions / $944
Ramble (NET) / $729
Merchandise Sold (NET) / $475
Native Plant Day (NET) / $342
Spring Plant Sale (NET) / $246
Newsletter Ads / $220
Keys (NET) / $47
TOTAL INCOME / $5,277
Jul-Jun06 Expenses / Subtotal
Newsletter (printing, mailing) / $2,025
Meetings (Fairchild, speakers, refreshments) / $1,045
Administrative / $845
Other outreach / $178
TOTAL EXPENSES / $4,093
NET INCOME / $1,184

Income Tax Return

Because we are a non-profit corporation, our income tax return is due on November 15 each year.

Form: 990ez. “Short form, return of organization exempt from income tax.”

Available for download as a PDF from

In fiscal years 2004 and 2005, I had our income tax return prepared by Jaime Maya at MacKendree and Associates in South Miami, which is now called MacKendree & Gallinar, LLP. The first time they did it pro bono, but the second time they were under new ownership and charged us $500.

Contact info is:

MacKendree & Gallinar, LLP

6701 Sunset Drive #101

South Miami, FL 33143

305-666-9613 phone

305-669-9613 fax

To file our taxes, they require a digital copy of our general ledger for the fiscal year. This report is easily generated in QuickBooks.

In late 2006, the state FNPS notified us that the state accountant can look over our paperwork for accuracy and correctness “for a small fee,” but we haven’t investigated further (I’d rather just have an account do all of it). His contact information is:

Daniel D. Kunitzer, CPA

Vice President & Partner

Josling & Hershkowitz, P.A.

Certified Public Accountants

Office Phone: 727-344-1463

Office Fax: 727-343-3539

Cell Phone: 727-421-9544

Bulk Mail

Bulk mailings of newsletters are done monthly. DCFNPS pays a deposit ahead of time and deductions are made as mailings go out. As of 2007, the cost of one bulk mailing is about $50.

The Tillandsia editor should report to the Treasurer when bulk deposits are needed. The treasurer can be aware of the amount of money in our account by checking the balance in bulk mail receipts.

To pay the bulk mail deposit, you should always pay at least 2 months ahead of time so you don’t have to remember to send a check every month. I recommend depositing $500 when needed. Checks must have our permit type “Permit imprint” and permit number 5131 included on the memo line. (Note: this number is also printed on the postage mark on our newsletters).

* As of 2007, USPS also requires a phone number on the front of the check.

Make the check out to postmaster and mail to:

BMEU Office Supervisor

2200 NW 72nd Ave

Miami, FL 33152

For Questions, call Bulk Mail Acceptance 305-470-0239

Plant Sales

Sales at Fairchild

Simple explanation: when DCFNPS has a sale at Fairchild, the money is shared like this:

30% of gross profit goes to Fairchild

65% of gross profit goes to vendor

5% of gross profit goes to DCFNPS

The way it actually works is that Fairchild writes a check for 70% to DCFNPS, which we then disburse to the vendors. Before FY2005, this was recorded in QuickBooks as “Plant Sales Distributions”

Note on taxes: When plant sales are held at Fairchild, they handle the sales tax (as far as the FDOR is concerned, Fairchild is selling the plants).

Here are past examples of checks (65%) that we sent to vendors:

Ramble 2004: $803, $1131

SPS 2004: $967, $1106

Ramble 2003: $1202, $700

SPS 2003: $1046 (1 vendor)

Sales at Native Plant Day

All vendors pay DCFNPS 10% of their gross profits. Technically, this is a donation and NOT a requirement.

Native Plant Day

In the past, NPD accounting has been a disorganized nightmare. All of the money collected for sale of t-shirts, books, plants, plaques is thrown hastily in one box. Receipts are kept but the cashier only rarely notes whether the buyer paid with check or cash. This means the treasurer has to pour through the receipts, try to painstakingly separate plants from merchandise to enter the numbers into quickbooks, and then try to figure sales tax on this. It is time consuming and inaccurate. A little pre-planning can save a ton of time and heartache after the event. These recommendations will help.

(1)If at all possible, work as a cashier yourself, especially at the beginning of the day.

(2)Most importantly, have separate receipt books and cash boxes (or bags) for plants versus merchandise bought for resale. Clearly label them in giant letters PLANTS ONLY and BOOKS/TSHIRTS ONLY. Then at the end of the night calculating the profits from plants will be as simple as counting the money in the “plants” bag.

(3)Ask cashiers to always indicate cash or check on the receipt. This will help to match receipts to loose checks with a blank memo line.

Banking at Wachovia

Past Banking - From 1998 to 2007, DCFNPS did banking through First National Bank of South Miami. Our account representative was Donna Taylor. She can be reached at 305-662-5471.

Current Banking - On April 25, 2007, we opened a non-profit checking account at Wachovia. Jennifer Possley opened this account at the Dadeland Financial Center, 7100 North Kendall Drive. Our account representative is Karen Wallace. Her direct line is 305-263-1107.

Signature Pages– Only the executive officers (president, vice-president, secretary and treasurer) can sign chapter checks. In order to authorize each incoming officer, they must present ID and sign signature pages in person with Karen Wallace at Wachovia’s Dadeland Financial Center. The treasurer usually facilitates the changing of the signature pages in July, after the June elections.

Signing Checks – It is the policy of DCFNPS to require the signature of two executive board members on checks. This ensures that no one person holds all the funds within their power. Wachovia will permit two signatures on checks. However, they do not enforce double signatures. Checks with only one signature will be processed.

Bank Fees – Wachovia’s schedule of fees for a non-profit checking account are in the paper files. When the account was opened, there was no minimum balance and no service charges as long as we did not make over 50 transactions per month. Beginning at 51 transactions (unheard of for DCFNPS), the charge is $0.25 per transaction. Checks are not provided for free but the cost is low. The price for 150 checks is $18.

Budget

To set up a new fiscal year’s budget in QuickBooks, click the “Company” menu and then select Company Navigator, then click the “Set Up Budgets” button.

We do not budget month-to-month. To create an annual budget in quickbooks, just fill the budget category amounts for the last month of the fiscal year—in our case, June. Ignore all the other months.

To generate a budget report, go to the “Reports” menu, choose budgets, and then choose “Profit & Loss Budget Performance.” Since only the last year of the month is filled in, it will generate an annual report.

I always export the budget reports to Excel to mail them to the board for discussion and editing.