Check signers

by Joanne
(Chicago)

I am treasurer of a 150 member church. We require 2 signatures on all checks. Because of this, it works well to have at least 4 signers (vacations, illness etc.).

Our current president is very ill so I asked if the board would approve our recently elected president-elect as a signer. She became agitated and said that an officer should never be a check signer as they decide how funds will be spent.

This didn't make much sense to me, all invoices are properly approved and I can't remember the president ever approving one. The board and congregation approve the budget. I talked to a reliable CPA and he saw no problem with this. I also reviewed a audit template from our national organization and found nothing indicating that this would be a problem. There is nothing in our By-Laws that would prevent the President from signing checks.

Any thoughts on this?

Comments for Check signers

Click here to add your own comments

Jun 28, 2015
Check signers
by: DFry

In my church we have a Treasurer and an Assistant Treasurer, as well as 2 or 3 other signers: The Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees; as well as the Chairman of the Board of Deacons. They set the budget, which is approved by the congregation. There is no problem with them signing the checks; payments must all be within the budget. And we don't let anyone who is NOT an officer sign checks; the Treasurer IS an officer. The point is that only elected, responsible people are allowed to sign the checks - that's why they are in Leadership positions.
I'm not sure where the idea came from that an officer should never sign checks - who would know better if a request for payment was within the budget and legitimate?

Click here to add your own comments

Join in and write your own page! It's easy to do. How? Simply click here to return to Internal Controls.

If you want to DIY your payroll, I highly recommend you look at using Gusto! It is very user friendly and their support is awesome! Plus they know how to set up and maintain payrolls for churches and nonprofit organizations.

Note: I am a "partner" of Gusto, but as I have told you before ... I never recommend anything that we or our clients have not tried and love =)



Share this page:
Enjoy this page? Please pay it forward. Here's how...

Would you prefer to share this page with others by linking to it?

  1. Click on the HTML link code below.
  2. Copy and paste it, adding a note of your own, into your blog, a Web page, forums, a blog comment, your Facebook account, or anywhere that someone would find this page valuable.