WARNING – ATTENTION NEEDED NOW!

As I was greeting new attendees to a recent Church Management Seminar, many of them presented the same scenario: “We have a good CPA, but we just came out of curiosity.” By the time we arrived at the morning break, all of those who had presented that scenario approached me with these words: “We are in trouble.”

What You Don’t Know Can Hurt You
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Many local Churches depend upon a Church member to take care of the Church financial records, and some have local CPA’s to review the books and offer advice. Local CPA’s are great for that which they have been trained—tending the books of local small businesses. Unfortunately, they do not know Church and non-profit law. If local CPA’s do not know Church Law, you know your Church bookkeeper does not.

Case in point was that of an old established Church attending a recent conference which the previous Bishop had the house of worship in financial and IRS chaos. The local CPA told the new Pastor to just close the old Church down and reorganize (using the same location, equipment, etc.). This is a huge red flag to the IRS as it signals there is an attempt to hide fraud. Yes, Churches can change their name, but there is a way to properly do it. That was not the case in this instance and now the IRS is involved in this situation.

Cheap Advice Is Expensive
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When I ask some of these Churches why they use a local CPA, the answer is usually the same: “They are cheap and local.” Unfortunately, what is required to rectify the problems caused by that “cheap advice” can be expensive.

The old adage, “You get what you pay for,” is still true. It is much cheaper in the long run to retain someone who knows ALL Church and non-profit law than it is to retain someone local, whom you think is cheap, only to suffer possible civil and criminal problems later.

Pastors, Church Leaders, and Church members have labored too long and hard for their house of worship to lose it because of that which they did not know.

You Need to Act NOW

Every moment of procrastination could easily place you and your Church in harm’s way. This is why Church Management Conferences are conducted across this nation. We want you to know what you need to know to operate your house of worship in total compliance and to be able to protect it against lawsuits that are hitting about 1000 Churches every month.

To register for an upcoming Conference, Pastors, Pastors’ Spouses, and all Church Leaders must go to www.cmtc.org or call 800-344-0076 NOW. This one day seminar will change the way everyone currently views Church ministry.

We are the Best!

With 80 years of experience in nothing but Church and non-profit law, we know what others wish they knew. Our clients know that they have nothing to worry about with their books and records in the hands of Chitwood & Chitwood.

Do not delay another moment. Attend one of our Conferences NOW! Do not wait until the IRS targets you.

WHAT YOU DO NOT KNOW CAN HURT YOU!

By Dr. Michael Chitwood