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Academy
Church Accounting
How Long to Keep Church Financial Records
What is fund accounting and who do nonprofits need it
Church Accounting
10
min read

How Long to Keep Church Financial Records

Aplos Success Team
Published on
January 27, 2022
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How Long to Keep Church Financial Records

Aplos Success Team
Published on
January 27, 2022
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To ensure that your ministry is protected in the event of an audit, tax returns and other important records may be needed to quickly provide evidence that your church is operating transparently and legitimately. Regardless of whether tax-exempt status has been officially recognized by the IRS, all churches and religious organizations must maintain accounting records to justify a claim of exemption.

The following is a standard record retention policy for churches and other religious organizations.

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Types of Records That Should Be Retained

The most common types of required records that are typically kept by churches are minute books, banking records, property records, general ledgers, payroll records, and bylaws.

Your ministry does not necessarily need to retain every document that comes your way, but this is an area where the saying “Better to be safe than sorry” applies. The smart strategy when it comes to your church record-keeping is to determine what you need to keep. Then devise an organized way to file and maintain the records so they are easily accessible down the road.

How to Simplify Your Church Recordkeeping

Whether you are new to keeping records for your church or are experienced in records retention, the process can be both frustrating and time-consuming when you need to tackle this challenge unassisted.

Fortunately, Aplos has created a solution that was specifically designed for church and nonprofit accounting situations just like this. Learn more about how Aplos can help save time and reduce stress for you and your ministry.

*The above information is merely a guide, and in no way represents legal advice. Please consult with an attorney to ensure that your church is 100% compliant and protected against an IRS audit.

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Fill out the short form below to receive our FREE eBook, Essential Reports Your Church Needs. It’s an easy-to-follow guide that simplifies church reporting.

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