New Missionary Finance Tips

[sbradshaw]

I have searched but have not found an area to ask about our particular predicament. We are military and just moved overseas to Japan. We have a daughter who is stateside due to the short time between college and her mission. She enters the MTC 11June. We just got our records transferred to our new military branch however her records need to stay in the ward she is attending until she gets set apart. How do we set up the payment arrangement so our previous ward and stake in Virginia do not have to take on that expense? Can these payments be made online? If so what is the URL to the site where we can do so?

You can send payments to the Virginia ward in a tithing envelope.

[russellhltn]

I have searched but have not found an area to ask about our particular predicament. We are military and just moved overseas to Japan. We have a daughter who is stateside due to the short time between college and her mission. She enters the MTC 11June. We just got our records transferred to our new military branch however her records need to stay in the ward she is attending until she gets set apart. How do we set up the payment arrangement so our previous ward and stake in Virginia do not have to take on that expense? Can these payments be made online? If so what is the URL to the site where we can do so?

The ward financially responsible doesn't have to be the ward the membership records are in. I'd recommend having your new bishop contact the missionary department to have the responsibility transferred to your ward where it's easier to deal with.

[ashbycl]

I talked to the clerk Sunday and he said I have to contact them. Is her an email where I can send our info to?

[russellhltn]

I talked to the clerk Sunday and he said I have to contact them.

Unless it's a special situation because you're in Japan, he's wrong.

First, as stated, there is no requirement that the ward who sent the missionary out has to be the one to handle the finances.

Second, transferring the ward responsible happens all the time. However, either the ward accepting responsibility has to contact CHQ, or CHQ would have to check with that ward. Otherwise the transfer doesn't happen. That ward can't transfer it to your ward without your new ward's acceptance. But generally the new ward can request it away from the old one without too much trouble. Which is a long way of saying that making you contact the old ward seems like the roundabout way of doing this.

But maybe since you're now in a different area office, that might be different. Worse comes to worst, you could probably set up bill pay to send a check to the Bishop. He'd have to know what to do with it, and the clerks would have to fill out the deposit slip and know which missionary it's for. So it's some work for them, but if they're willing, it's possible.

Or, in the very worst case, snail-mail the check to the bishop of the old ward. Tithing slips and envelopes would be nice, but not absolutely necessary.

[lajackson]

I would suggest that you sit down with your new bishop or clerk (in Japan) and ask how others are doing it. It may simply be a matter of him requesting responsibility and then you paying into your new ward missionary fund.

But because your new ward is no longer in the US and Canada, missionary contributions may need to be handled in a different manner. Your new bishop should know the process and be able to help you.

Mailing a check to the former ward that takes 10 days to two weeks to arrive is not a good way to go. If the decision is to let the former ward continue to handle the funding, you might set up a bill pay to send a check to that ward's bishop (which usually takes a week anyway).

But neither of those ways is very good, and I imagine your new ward will have handled this situation before or will be able to find out how best to handle it now.

And congratulations on your new missionary, by the way. What a blessing.

[dianebehrens]

Can I access my missionaries account at home, or do I have to go to the ward clerk every time to see how his account is doing? (We have an anonymous ward member who wants to contribute to his mission, and we have family that wants to also contribute)

[eblood66]

Can I access my missionaries account at home, or do I have to go to the ward clerk every time to see how his account is doing? (We have an anonymous ward member who wants to contribute to his mission, and we have family that wants to also contribute)

No, you can't view a missionary's account online. I wouldn't expect to see that ability anytime soon, if ever.

[russellhltn]

do I have to go to the ward clerk every time to see how his account is doing?

Yes.

[lnelson]

I am ward clerk--was approached by a member who's son entered the MTC Mexico yesterday. (14 October 2015) -- Members father / missionary's grandfather wishes to cover the expenses for his mission. The funding party owns a number of business -- well to do--and was informed by his CPA that donations directed specifically as subcategories i.e. in the "name of the individual missionary" as opposed to the higher lever "general missionary fund" would not receive similar tax consideration--in other words--IF the donation is made under a general category -- it enjoys full protection--one level down i.e. name specific missionary -- same tax protection is not insured. The grandfather would rather not invite an audit if he declares the donation under the name specific--vs. the more general missionary fund category. Our collective judgment -- based upon discussions--is contrary i.e. it would not matter if general or particular by category. Can you advise? Thank you!!

[eblood66]

I don't think anybody here will provide authoritative tax advice, especially when they don't know the full details of the situation. However, on the tax valid statement provided to the member at the end of the year there will be no mention of specific missionaries. It will only list Ward Missionary Fund as the category.

But if the grandfather lists only Ward Missionary Fund on his donation slip, then he has not specified any specific missionary which should satisfy his CPA. If you (or your financial clerk) actually places it in the sub-category for his grandson, that then is a decision of a church representative (the clerk on behalf of the bishop) which is perfectly fine because at that point it is church money and the appropriate church representative (the bishop) can decide how he wishes to use the money (within church policy of course).

If the grandfather wishes to use the online system, he can still specify the Ward Missionary Fund without a specific missionary. But you'll need to go in and make a category adjustment to the donation after the fact or make transfers from the top level Ward Missionary Fund to the individual sub-category.

Having said all that, my personal understanding is that it shouldn't matter whether the specific missionary is listed because once the donation is made the church can use the money as it wishes and the amount paid is not really related to the amount it takes to support he missionary (it is almost surely more or less than then standard monthly payment). But I'm not a CPA or a tax lawyer so I wouldn't recommend anyone rely on my advise.