Anonymous gifts posted to financial statements

by Nancy Shoemaker
(Statesville, NC)

If an anonymous gift is given through the church for a church member and a check is written to that member, how should that expense be reported on the monthly financial statement, as an anonymous gift or to whom the check was written?

Comments for Anonymous gifts posted to financial statements

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Anonymous gifts posted to financial statements
by: Anonymous - MN

As long as the giver of the funds is not credited as Tax Deductible giving, there should be nothing illegal. It is not a suggested practice but as long as the gift is not recorded as tax deductible there are no IRS regulations broken.
Anonymous gifts for an individual
by: Anonymous

This should not be allowed. Such gifts are used to give the donor a tax benefit. Actually illegal.
Anonymous gifts posted to financial statements
by: Anonymous in MN

I would not expect there to be a standard for such an instance so it should be recorded as best meets your Boards interest.

I would record the gift as a deposit to the General Fund or to Benevolence and then record the check to the individual as coming from the Benevolence Fund.
Anonymous gifts
by: Lewis in NC

If it must to be listed on a financial statement, it better be listed as an anonymous gift, or it wouldn't be anonymous. Also, the church needs to be careful with the way this is handled as gifts designated to other specified members are not tax deductible to the donors in the eyes of the IRS.

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