Fast Offering - Housing direct withdrawals

What type of proof of receipt would be required if the payer and the recipient are the same because the rent payment is through direct withdrawal from their checking acccount? Is a bank statement sufficient evidence of receipt of payment?

Making payment to the recipient is highly discouraged. If at all possible find a way to pay the rent via check or pay other expenses and then let the recipient pay the rent without reimbursement.

If you do need to pay the recipient I'd first make sure to have the lease or rental agreement. Then I'd would add the bank statement to it. Then I'd add a note about why the payment can't go directly.

eblood66 wrote:If at all possible find a way to pay the rent via check or pay other expenses and then let the recipient pay the rent without reimbursement.

That's outlined in Handbook 1: 5.2.3 "Provide Commodities before Cash". For example, providing food from the storehouse to free up money for the rent.

from a Bishop:
I have a sister in the ward who needs some help with rent for June. She says her apartment complex has moved to an online rent system (rent cafe) and will no longer accept checks. They take a payment online with a bank routing number.

Is there a way for the Church to pay electronically? I imagine this will get more prevalent over time.

Thanks

robertjamesnelson wrote:Is there a way for the Church to pay electronically?

If your ward write checks, there is not a way at present, unless you are a part of a small beta group testing electronic payments.

If the payee absolutely will not take a check, one possible option would be for another leader to make the payment and then be reimbursed. The best option, of course, is to provide for other expenses, so that the member will have sufficient cash to pay the rent directly.

Your audit committee chairman (a counselor in the stake presidency) may also have ideas. And this would be an excellent item for discussion in the stake bishops' welfare council meeting.

lajackson wrote:

robertjamesnelson wrote:Is there a way for the Church to pay electronically?

If your ward write checks, there is not a way at present, unless you are a part of a small beta group testing electronic payments.

The electronic payment system doesn't currently support this use case. It will allow EFT reimbursements to members, but there isn't an "electronic bill pay" facility that would allow for electronic payments to a landlord or utility provider. We process the documentation electronically and then print and send a paper check.

Any updates on this? We have a member in this situation.
Current EQ president is paying and requesting reimbursement. Not an optimal solution.

lawrence.sproul wrote: Thu Feb 24, 2022 5:06 pm Any updates on this? We have a member in this situation.
Current EQ president is paying and requesting reimbursement. Not an optimal solution.

No. Direct deposit is only available for reimbursement to members. There is still no option for electronic payments to non-members or businesses.

I'll also second lajackson's 2018 response about trying to identify other expenses the ward could pay for, which would allow the member to themselves pay the rent electronically. Sometimes a deeper analysis of the member's finances can uncover some alternative expenses the ward could cover instead of rent, but there definitely are times when that's the only realistic help the ward can provide to meet the member's needs.