Bylaws of your chapter dictate the responsibilities of each officer and board member. Here are the responsibilities of the Treasurer:

To have charge and custody of, and be responsible for, all funds of the chapter. He/she shall receive and give receipt for all monies due and payable to the chapter, shall deposit all receipts in the name of and to the account of the chapter or see that all receipts are so deposited. 

Dues and Dues Reports

For each member that joins or renews their membership with ASGA, $10 is for local dues (unless they pay for two consecutive years, then $20 is for local dues). Each month you will receive a check representing the amount owed to you by ASGA National. In order to determine what members paid, you will need to log-in to www.singlesgolf.com/news with your username and password.

But first, start with this web page for concise instructions: http://www.singlesgolf.com/view_story.php?id=1420 If you do not know your chapter's administrative username and password (do not confuse this with your personal username and password), then please contact your chapter president, membership chairperson or info@SinglesGolf.com. Accessing this report on a monthly basis will reconcile the check you receive from ASGA National to those people who joined or renewed during the previous month.

Refunds of Chapter Portion of Dues

Each month, between the 10th and 15th, we generate a report on every chapter indicating who joined or renewed their dues in that chapter. From that, we determine the amount of refund due to the local chapter for the chapter's portion of the dues. Refund checks are processed using online banking.  There is one exception to this policy, and that is that ASGA terminates its fiscal year on 12/31 of each year and as such, we "close-out" our books on the next to last Thursday of each December.  Refunds to chapters for the chapter portion of the dues are combined with the amount owed for December such that chapters will receive November and December's refund amount sometime between the 15th and 30th of December of each year.

Either the Treasurer or the Membership Chair should compare the refund amount with the chapter records (per above section) If there are any discrepancies, contact the national office at 980-833-6450 (or 1-888-GOLFMATE) or e-mai info@SinglesGolf.com. If there is a discrepancy in the amount you are owed, you can contest the amount you might believe you are owed for only the previous six (6) months period from the time time you first notified us of the discrepancy. Because we use electronic banking, prior information is not readily available. Note: It is extremely important that ASGA National is given the correct mailing address to send your portion of the dues to. If you, as treasurer, collects this money, make sure that when you assume office, your mailing address is on file with ASGA by e-mailing the national headquarters at info@SinglesGolf.com.

Per bank requirements, refund checks are valid for only ninety (90) days after they are issued. If you do not deposit your dues refund, the check automatically becomes null and void. There is a ten dollar ($10.00) charge if you fail to deposit your chapter dues refund check and we are asked to send you a replacement check or to add the amount to an upcoming check. (Again, ASGA uses online banking and the 90-day rule is a bank rule, not ours.)

Local Chapter Checking Accounts

For new chapters, a checking account will need to be opened. This should be a non-interest bearing account with a least two authorized signatures. In addition to the treasurer, the president and/or golf chairperson should be authorized to sign checks. Fees for this account will be paid from the chapter’s treasury.

Your official name is "___________ Chapter of ASGA, Inc." This is the name your checking account must be set-up. This name will be the "payee" on all dues refunds due your chapter sent by ASGA National. When individuals make checks payable to your chapter for events, make sure they make checks payable to this name, otherwise, your bank may reject them. In no case should you have your members make checks payable to "ASGA," but to the "_________________ Chapter of ASGA, Inc."

Prior to opening a checking you will need to apply for an EIN (Employer Identification Number). You'll likely never "employ" anyone, but you need this in order to get the checking or savings account opened. A copy of the form is at http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fss4.pdf. Note: Don't mail this to the IRS. Once you've completed the form, you can call the IRS and give them the same information over the phone and they will give you a tax ID number immediately. The IRS number is 1-800-829-1040.

Once you've obtained your tax ID number, your bank will likely ask you for a copy of your articles or certificate of incorporation. Tell your bank that your chapter is not incorporated, however, you are an affiliate chapter of ASGA, Inc. (d/b/a American Singles Golf Association), a "C" corporation. We are incorporated in the state of Delaware. For a copy of our Certificate of Incorporation, click here. Bring this with you when you set-up your chapter's bank account.

Payment for Local Events

ASGA national policy states that all monies paid by members for local events shall be paid directly to the local chapter, otherwise these events shall be deemed as non-ASGA related events. Individuals making payments to other individuals within the chapter shall do so at their own risk. ASGA is not to be held responsible for loss of monies from events or operations generated by local chapters.

Procedures for payment of golf outings and a cancellation policy need to be established. Once a policy is established you will need to work out the details with the event coordinator. Are the checks being sent/given to the person coordinating the golf outing? If so, who is depositing the checks? Are they being sent to your chapter's Treasurer? How are you notifying the event coordinator? Who is making payment to the golf course? Do golf courses in your area require a deposit? If the event is cancelled will there be a refund? These are some of the typical questions that you will encounter and you will want to have procedures in place to handle them.

Fundraising and Discounts

Throughout the year, many chapters hold fundraisers to build up the treasury for incidental expenses, have funds available for deposits at golf courses or for an year end tournament. The most common examples are charging guests an additional amount ($10, e.g.) for a golf outing, selling mulligans, 50/50 raffles held at the meeting/outings. Some chapters have been very creative in raising money. For example: one chapter holds an auction each year. Members donate goods (round of golf at their private club with lunch) or services (helping to install a ceiling fan) that are auctioned off and the funds go into the chapter’s treasury.

There are other financial issues that your Board may or should address over time, e.g. giving event leaders a discount for running the event. One chapter has a policy that the event coordinator get 50% off golf outing costs while another has a policy that prohibits reduced fees for anyone. This can be a very touchy situation if not addressed up front. Make sure all policies are "in the store-front window," or, at a minimum, on your website in a policy section.

Some type of record keeping will need to be set up. Why? In many cases, cash is collected and cash has been known to come-up missing.

Bookkeeping

You'll have income from a number of sources: dues refunds, raffles, fund raisers, etc. You'll have expenses: outings, voice mail, checking account fees, postage, names tags, raffles tickets, etc. Some chapters use computer based programs such as Quick Books and other just set up an Excel worksheet. Each golf event should have an income/expense sheet.

Monthly reports should be presented at the board meetings and an end of the year report should be given to the members or posted on your local chapter's website.

Accountability

. . . the more eyes that should be on the money. It would not be totally out of the realm for a chapter to host a Multi-Chapter Event and a lot of money come in the mail. If your chapter hosts and event with 140 members in attendance $300 per person, that's $42,000.00 in additional revenue in your chapter's bank account (hopefully, it's there)! Where does this money go now? Who's in charge of paying the bills?

Since ASGA's inception years ago, there have been too many "close calls" where monies (a shoebox of checks!) had disappeared, shortages due to too much money paid to a hotel and not enough to the golf course, or just plain mis-calculations, not reading contracts, etc. So it's important that 1) you as Treasurer are involved in the oversight of all monies collected by your chapter and those monies are dispersed properly and 2) your Board of Directors has full oversight of the event. Never, ever allow one member to run funds through his/her personal checking account, no matter how convenient and how trustworthy that person is. Ultimately, the Board has the responsibility to safeguard all monies held on deposit for events, so if a Board member sees activity that is not prudent, it should be addressed immediately. ASGA National holds no responsibility for mis-management or mis-handling of funds on the local level.

Transitioning to a New Administration

It is important to turn over everything to the new treasurer at the end of the year and work for a smooth transition, including changing signatures at the bank where your chapter's funds are being held. It is YOUR responsibility to notify ASGA National (info@SinglesGolf.com). when a treasurer has changed so future local dues checks can and will be sent to the correct address.

Does Your Chapter Have To File Tax Forms With The IRS?

This topic has been researched by ASGA National (ASGA, Inc.). In November, 2006, ASGA National's CPA provided three pages from the IRS website relative to requirements for submitting federal tax returns. Your chapter is a chapter of ASGA, Inc., a "C" corporation which has been duly incorporated in the state of Delaware. ASGA, Inc. is NOT a non-profit organization. Neither is your chapter, unless you have 1) incorporated in your state as a non-profit AND 2) the IRS has sent you a letter approving your chapter as a non-profit organization. To our knowledge, no chapter is officially a non-profit organization. (Note: please remove any information on your website and other literature that may indicate that ASGA National (ASGA, Inc.) has a non-profit status.)

If your chapter was designated as an official non-profit, which, again, we believe you were not, then you MAY be required to file an IRS Form 990. Never, ever file this form if you are not required to do so! Below are three pages from the IRS website that might enlighten you as to filing requirements if you need to file a 990.

So where does this leave you? Your chapter is a chapter of ASGA, Inc. (d/b/a American Singles Golf Association). Do you need to file tax forms?

ASGA, Inc. cannot provide legal or tax advice on this, however, we believe the following to be true:

• if you bring no money in and spend no money, we don't believe you are required to file taxes
• if you bring dues monies in and golf deposits, fees, etc., in, and spend it in the same year, we don't believe you are required to file taxes
• if you collect $50 from a member, put the money in your chapter's bank account, but spend it the following weekend for that member's golf fees, then it has a null impact on your chapter's financial status. Multiplying this by 50 members over 25 events does not change the financial status of your chapter.
• chapters essentially hold their members' monies until they are spent back on the members
• if your chapter accumulates a large amount of money and carries it over from year to year, you MAY need to file a tax return, because it becomes apparent that the monies you collect from your members are not being turned around and being spent to the benefit of those members. This could be viewed as your chapter making a profit and therefore, you may be liable for tax returns and the payment of taxes.
• the IRS shall make final determination of whether you should file tax returns and/or owe taxes, not ASGA, Inc.

.