Managing payroll can be one of the most challenging aspects of church finance. While church accounting covers everything from tithes and offerings to designated funds and expenses, payroll often represents your largest monthly expense and comes with unique nonprofit requirements that don’t apply to regular businesses. Getting church payroll right protects your ministry from costly […]

Christian CPAs must be able to handle the nuance of faith-based finances. When hiring or outsourcing a CPA as a church, use these questions to help.

Summer is often a time of low attendance and slow giving. Here are a few tips to boost generosity at your church during the warm weather months.

Church accounting isn’t easy—even for an accountant. Overseeing a faith-based, non-profit organization’s finances requires a unique set of skills. Church bookkeepers must be able to simultaneously manage money while keeping a church’s missional focus in mind.

Steve Chaney joins Thom Rainer to discuss key church accounting questions across a 3-episode run of the Church Answers Podcast.

Fractional CFOs are a powerful way to access informed, cost-efficient financial support for a growing church, ministry, or business.

Church finances aren't reserved for pastors, administrators, and leadership teams. Attendees should also be kept up to date.

Churches work with different kinds of people. How do freelancers fit into the mix?

Financial planning in a church setting is both unique and necessary. This article explores the benefits and provides tips for planning a ministry's finances.

Churches should use budgets. But what should they look like? This resource provides tips for budgeting as a faith-based non-profit.

Many people want to support a church. However, it's up to each ministry to set up the donation channels to make that happen.

Churches and finances can feel like oil and water. Here are a few tips to help guide church leaders as they make financial decisions.

Accounting is more than a church-wide activity. It's wise to consider the financial needs and budget of each ministry, too.

Fund accounting is a common accounting method. It is particularly effective in a church setting. Here's why.

Faith-based accounting is unique and complicated. Can you trust a third-party accountant to help? If so, what kind of accountant should you look for?

Every church requires some accounting activity. Here are common services churches can consider to outsource their accounting.

Pastors work at churches. But are they full-time employees or contractors? The answer depends on the circumstances.

What are the 10 GAAP principles, and why do they matter when conducting accounting for a church?

A chart of accounts is an important tool in helping an organization track its financial activity. Does a church need one, though?

Single-entry and double-entry are two common forms of bookkeeping. Which one is right for a church?

Financial consulting isn't reserved for individuals and corporations. But what does financial planning and guidance look like in a church setting?

Are your church staffers employees or contractors? Explore the difference when it comes to the tax status of church workers.

No one wants to sit down and balance their budget every week or two. It’s never fun tracking expenses on a daily basis, either (no matter how easy budgeting apps claim to make it). Tracking your financial activity isn’t easy in your personal life. So why would it be any easier in a church setting? […]

Church payroll can be overwhelming. This resource breaks down tax implications, hiring considerations, how to pay your pastor, and more.

Church leaders know what it means to wear a lot of hats. They juggle responsibilities that stretch far beyond Sunday morning services. They also know that while the spiritual well-being of their congregation is paramount, it takes cold hard cash to keep the lights on, a building open, and a ministry staffed.  The process of […]

Church budgets can be hard to keep under control. Pastors should get a paycheck. Administrators need money to keep up with recurring costs. Other leaders require their own allotments of funding to execute their individual ministries within your organization. With so many people getting in on the financial planning and execution, it’s important to consider […]

It doesn’t take much to convince a church leadership team that working with a CPA is a good idea. It takes the enormous pressure of financial responsibilities off of your shoulders and brings a knowledgeable and trained professional in to make sure you stay compliant and responsible with your financial practices. What kind of CPA […]

It’s tempting to think of giving as a singularly selfless act — and there’s no doubt that many donations are given each year out of pure motives. However, donors often have other factors in mind, even if they aren’t the primary element fueling their generous spirits. Case in point: tax policy. Let’s take a closer […]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 2/1/24 Preferred Partner The Church-Focused Firm Has Become the Only Accounting Organization With the Prestigious Church Answers Designation of “Preferred Partner” ROSEVILLE, CA, February 1, 2024 Chaney & Associates operates as the accounting firm for the Church. It currently assists hundreds of ministries across the United States with their finances. With such […]

Churches may be nonprofit organizations. They don’t have to pay taxes like a normal business. But what about tax breaks? Are there deductions or credits that churches can take advantage of to help them balance their books every winter and spring? As you and your ministry team members prepare to run end-of-year giving campaigns and […]

Churches operate on widely varying budgets. The median church budget is around $169,000. When you break it down, though, that represents a myriad of annual financial plans that span the gamut from $3,000 to $41,000,000.  Regardless of whether it’s in the thousands or the tens of millions, it’s important for churches to maintain financial transparency […]

Christmas is a major event in the church’s annual calendar. Despite its spiritual importance, though, too often, event coordinators and ministry staffers get carried away with the holiday spirit. When that happens, churches tend to make headlines for all the wrong kinds of materialistic opulence. From Santas floating from the ceiling to free dessert and […]

Giving is an important part of church culture. Financial gifts, in particular, are a major part of what keeps a ministry’s lights on and doors open throughout the year. You want to have offerings flowing each and every Sunday. But the truth is that the end of the year is a critical time of giving. […]