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Year-End Giving, Receipting Subject of Webinar

ECFA, Experts to Discuss How Ministries Should Respond to Charitable Gifts

Contact: Ty Mays, 770-256-8710, tmays@inchristcommunicatiions.com

WINCHESTER, Va., Nov. 23, 2010 /Christian Newswire/ -- Charitable giving typically peaks as year-end approaches, but responding with the appropriate receipt can get complicated. The Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA) will offer a live, hour-long webinar Dec. 7 featuring leading experts who will share practical advice and information for churches and ministries nationwide.

Registration is open for the 1 p.m. EST webinar, "What You Need to Know about Year-End Giving and Receipting."

End-of-year giving is fraught with thorny issues for faith-based organizations. Many givers seek tax deductions for their gifts, yet some gifts qualify for a deduction while others don't. Ministries must determine if donations qualify for a 2010 or 2011 gift acknowledgment or none at all.

"Understanding how to respond to year-end gifting is critical, not only to ensure givers get a proper receipt, but also to guarantee that ministries comply with federal regulations and procedures," said Dan Busby, ECFA president. "The Year-End Giving and Receipting webinar will provide churches and other faith-based organizations with the guidance they need on this important and timely topic."

Webinar participants will learn:

  • What is required and not required on year-end giving statements
     
  • How to acknowledge quid-pro-quo gifts
     
  • Cut-off dates for receipts of cash, or check and credit card gifts
     
  • Noncash gift reporting, including recent cases and IRS correspondence, as well as how to value noncash gifts
     
  • Form 1098-C issues with gifts of autos, boats and airplanes
     
  • How to handle Christmas gifts to staff, love offerings raised for staff, and gifts restricted or designated for staff

Webinar speakers include Michael Batts, certified public accountant and managing partner of Batts Morrison Wales & Lee, an accounting firm based in Orlando, Fla.; John Van Drunen, certified public accountant and attorney who is ECFA's vice president and legal counsel; and Dan Busby.

Registration for the webinar is free for ECFA members and $29 for registered users. A recording of the webinar will be available through the ECFA website after each webinar at no cost for ECFA members and $29 for nonmembers.
 
Continuing education credit is available for certified public accountants through the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy and for church business administrators through the National Association of Church Business Administration.

For more information, including bios of each speaker, and to register, visit www.ecfa.org.  
 
ECFA, founded in 1979, provides accreditation to leading Christian nonprofit organizations that faithfully demonstrate compliance with the ECFA standards pertaining to financial accountability, fund-raising and board governance. For more information about ECFA, including information about accreditation and a listing of ECFA-accredited members, visit www.ecfa.org or call 1-800-323-9473.

To schedule an interview with an executive staff member of ECFA or other webinar speakers, contact Ty Mays at (770) 256-8710 or tmays@inchristcommunications.com.