Payments for missionaries serving from the ward with COVID-19 returns

Does anyone know yet how payments will be working for missionary accounts now that all foreign missionaries have been returned back to the states? Curious if SLC will be aware of this and be able to track the changes and decision missionaries make to hold out for a bit, etc.

I'm confident SLC is aware of the missionaries and where they are (and if they have been released or not). I suspect no one on this user-to-user mutual help forum know what the Missionary Department is planning to do regarding the payments. It is highly likely no one here will find out before anyone else.

davesudweeks wrote:I'm confident SLC is aware of the missionaries and where they are (and if they have been released or not).

However, I wouldn't be surprised but what some things will happen automatically and have to be manually backed out.

On top of everything else, we have the usual issue of timing in determining if the final month is charged or not.

What about missionaries that had prepaid the entire 24 months and came home 3 months early? Anyone know what happens to the $1200 left in the accounts?

hmsummit wrote:What about missionaries that had prepaid the entire 24 months and came home 3 months early? Anyone know what happens to the $1200 left in the accounts?

The money stays in the ward missionary fund. You may wish to read this topic.

In addition to that topic, you may want to review the information at https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/help/support/missionary-finances. The second paragraph under "General guidelines" gives stake presidents and bishops the responsibility to make sure that families understand the concerns with prepaying for missions. In my opinion, this responsibility also extends to clerks who have more frequent opportunities to observe missionary finances and are also responsible to assist bishops with the responsibilities for finances.

When does the increase to $500 monthly for missionaries go in to effect?

There was a 17 April 2020: Missionary Fund Adjustments notice announcing "[t]he increase in monthly charges to the ward missionary fund to $500 USD (or the local equivalent), scheduled to begin July 2020, will be delayed until further notice." There has not been any further notice since that notice.

I have a couple in my ward who was planning to leave the country back in January, but have changed to serving as local missionaries for the stake. Their missionary account shows a negative balance of over 7,000 USD. How do I reverse these charges and who do I contact to let them know the couple is not on their mission? The stake clerk said I should "call Salt Lake". Any input on who to call and what number to use?

mdarring wrote:Any input on who to call and what number to use?

I sent you an email.