What is the proper way to post a church mortgage payment to the ledger? I know that the standard procedure in for-profit accounting is NOT expense the principal portion, but rather to increase the equity account and decrease the mortgage liability account.
However, a church accountant told me that this is not the case with fund accounting, and that the entire payment should be expensed and then a separate journal entry to reduce the mortgage and increase the equity. I would prefer the second option, but our bookkeeper insists on the first.
The problem with the first option is that our income vs. expenditure and our budget reports are skewed because they don't include the entire mortgage payment. Can someone help me and explain WHY?
14Comments
Church Treasurer
PParishener W
POSTING MORTGAGE PRINCIPAL TO BUDGET VS ACTUAL WHEN I ALREADY POST IT AS A LONG TERM LIABILITY TO REDUCE THE BALANCE ON MY BALANCE SHEET
AAnonymous
Refinancing
BBrianna
Debit Mortgage Expense (Total)
Credit Cash (Total)
Debit Loan Balance (Principal)
Credit Fund Balance - Building (Principal)
When setting up the new loan, old loan balance was cleared out, new balance was set up, closing expenses accounted for, and cash received and booked...
Questions -
Do I need to clear out the current fund balance of principal paid on the old loan, and how do I do that?
Now, or at Fiscal Year End?
Handling One mortgage loan for two NPOs
VVickey
It would depend if the church and school were under one EIN.
I don't know how you have them both set up, but if both are under one EIN, I would be tracking both in the same accounting file. Then I would set up the school as a location in QBO or a Fund in Aplos and would record the principal payment and interest and assign the school's location/fund. Be aware that you may have to create a journal entry to make sure the principal payment on the liability is properly reducing the funds on the school's fund.
If they are under different EINs, I would have to know the particulars before I could advise on how to handle such as whose name was on the mortgage; was the school making the actual payment at the bank or giving the church the money for the payment; etc.
If that is the case, please see my bookkeeping services page for a form to contact me. You can find that page by going to the top of this page and clicking on "PACKAGES" and then go down to "Bookkeeping Services".
One mortgage loan two NPOs
AAnonymous
Mortgage Accounting
AAnonymous
Mortgage Payable
AAnonymous
to record pmt of mortgage:
debit mortgage expense
credit cash
to record interest expense:
debit interest expense
credit ????
Mortgage Payable
AAnonymous
I charge the principle to the mortgage payable account which is a long term liability
and the interest I expense out to Mortgage Interest.
Is this wrong? If it is, how can I fix it?
Borrowing to pay interest
MMarcus in Texas
Sounds like some kind of riddle, but it isn't a riddle.
Building Interest Expense
AAnonymous
settlement fees
AAnonymous
All I can see is to:
Dr Loan fees (expense)
Cr Liab-Loan principal (liab)
since the loan is increasing... but I am not affecting the Fund equity account. Right? is this because cash isn't involved?
Any help...
Property Fund Acct
LLucas H.
What is the "Property Fund " account?
AAnonymous
principal"? That can't be an Asset account, like a building.
Thanks!
Fund Acctg for Mortgage Pmt
LLucas H.
It's a two part entry:
Part 1:
dr. Mortgage Expense
cr. Cash
This recognizes the cash expenditure. It uses the total payment to recognize interest expense. If you wanted to separate the interest portion in this part, it would work.
Part 2:
dr. Mortgage Pay. (Principal)
cr. Property Fund (Principal)
This adjusts the fund and the liability for the Principal portion of the payment.
If doing it this way skews your budget - I would submit to you that your budget should probable be adjusted. Your budget should always be set-up to take into effect how the accounting is being done. Otherwise, you will lose the connection between Budget and Actual. When this happens your Budet process loses it's ability to guide your financial decisions. I hope this helps, God Bless You!
