Returned Missionary Balance

I have seen a few old topics about this but I am curious how to proceed on this.

We have a missionary that returned home and a family member donated several thousand dollars to their account before they came home. I am a fairly new clerk and was left with this issue. I have heard some say that it is ok to adjust the donation into a tithing payment for the member, as there are no other family members currently on missions to transfer the funds too. The donating member is in another ward in our stake. The donation was made back in 2019. Is it ok to go into the donation and change it from ward missionary to an other category, and then transfer that to the members ward so they can transfer it to that person's tithing?

If not is there another way to do that, like cutting an expense check to that ward for them to deposit into his tithing account?

omegafletch wrote: Tue Nov 16, 2021 7:36 pm I have seen a few old topics about this but I am curious how to proceed on this.

The short answer is there is nothing you can do for the member who made the large donation.

omegafletch wrote: Tue Nov 16, 2021 7:36 pm I have heard some say that it is ok to adjust the donation into a tithing payment for the member, as there are no other family members currently on missions to transfer the funds too.

What you heard only applies to current year donations and only for members in your ward.

omegafletch wrote: Tue Nov 16, 2021 7:36 pmIs it ok to go into the donation and change it from ward missionary to an other category...

Because the donor's record is not in your ward you do not have access to make that change.

omegafletch wrote: Tue Nov 16, 2021 7:36 pmIf not is there another way to do that ...

Adjustments to closed financial years is only possible by headquarters. I doubt they would do that under your request. The donor's ward would have to contact support to see what can be done, if anything at all. I doubt headquarters would make any changes.

The only thing you can do is to transfer the excess funds into the ward missionary fund. From there funds can be transferred to other ward missionary categories for missionaries serving from your ward or any excess funds can be transferred to the stake for distribution to other missionaries in the stake needing financial support.

The only thing you can do is to transfer the excess funds into the ward missionary fund. From there funds can be transferred to other ward missionary categories for missionaries serving from your ward or any excess funds can be transferred to the stake for distribution to other missionaries in the stake needing financial support.

You can in fact transfer directly from your ward missionary account directly in to the ward missionary account of another ward in your stake.

I carried this out for the first time, under the authorisation of my Bishop this last Monday, using the Transfer function in LCR.

Biggles wrote: Wed Nov 17, 2021 1:19 am You can in fact transfer directly from your ward missionary account directly in to the ward missionary account of another ward in your stake.

Even so, it needs to be coordinated though the stake.

russellhltn wrote: Wed Nov 17, 2021 2:51 am

Biggles wrote: Wed Nov 17, 2021 1:19 am You can in fact transfer directly from your ward missionary account directly in to the ward missionary account of another ward in your stake.

Even so, it needs to be coordinated though the stake.

My response was purely to make it clear that the physical transfers like this don't have to go via the Stake first.

I wasn't privy to the origins of the request, but I guess this originally raised by the Stake to assist the other ward.

In my experience, our Stake Presidency monitors the individual ward missionary funds. If one unit has excess and one unit is short, he will ask the bishop to transfer some of the excess to another unit to help (I have served as clerk when some of those transfer requests were forwarded from the bishop). I assume he communicates with both bishops on the availability and needs first, but have not served that close to the SP to know his process.

I don't think one unit can see another units missionary fund status so the transfer request would need to be initiated by someone with access to view both unit's funds.

Biggles wrote: Wed Nov 17, 2021 3:43 am I wasn't privy to the origins of the request, but I guess this originally raised by the Stake to assist the other ward.

I think OP was trying to resolve a situation where a return missionary's account had a large leftover balance caused by a large donation right at the end of the mission.

Because the donation was made in 2019, the options are limited. We were trying to advise him of the proper way it could be "disposed of" to zero out the account. Helping another missionary in the stake is certainly a possibility, but is something that needs to be discussed before doing the transfer.

Ok, I wondered about that fact that it was from 2019 causing an issue. I don't think the stake has asked us to do anything on this. It is the missionaries mother trying to get the funds resolved. his donation shows up on my wards donation summary list, so even though it appears the donation was made directly to our ward I can't adjust it?

So it basically sounds like there is no other option besides the donor having their donation essentially "lost" and being distributed to other missionaries either in his ward or the stake?

What happens if I "expense" a check out of the ward missionary fund (of the RM) either to the donor's ward or him directly? This question comes because I originally was going to transfer it to another member of the donor's family that was on a mission, but that ward was out of the stake. That just had me cut a check to mail. Ended up voiding that as that missionary was home as well.

Or do I just transfer it to that ward and leave that between him and his ward clerk to figure out what to do with it?

omegafletch wrote: Wed Nov 17, 2021 9:02 pm Ok, I wondered about that fact that it was from 2019 causing an issue. I don't think the stake has asked us to do anything on this. It is the missionaries mother trying to get the funds resolved. his donation shows up on my wards donation summary list, so even though it appears the donation was made directly to our ward I can't adjust it?

From what others indicated, because it's in a prior year, you're not going to be able to adjust it on your own. You'd have to go back to support. But given how much time has lapsed, I don't know as they're going to be cooperative.

omegafletch wrote: Wed Nov 17, 2021 9:02 pmWhat happens if I "expense" a check out of the ward missionary fund (of the RM) either to the donor's ward or him directly?

I'm not sure if you can. And it would be a violation of policy if you did. It may also be a violation of tax law since the donor could have taken a tax deduction for that donation but then it's used in a way that wouldn't qualify for a deduction.

I'd suggest reading the following from the Handbook:

34.4.3 - Missionary Funds (Which includes what to do with excess funds.)

24.3.4.1 - Financing Young Missionaries Serving Away from Home (Includes caution against paying in advance.)

34.4.9 - Contributions Not to Be Refunded

omegafletch wrote: Wed Nov 17, 2021 9:02 pmOr do I just transfer it to that ward and leave that between him and his ward clerk to figure out what to do with it?

They would have the same problem. They'd need to find a missionary to support or send it to church headquarters.
I'd refer to section 34.4.9.

omegafletch wrote: Wed Nov 17, 2021 9:02 pmWhat happens if I "expense" a check out of the ward missionary fund (of the RM) either to the donor's ward or him directly? This question comes because I originally was going to transfer it to another member of the donor's family that was on a mission, but that ward was out of the stake. That just had me cut a check to mail. Ended up voiding that as that missionary was home as well.

What happens? You put the Church at risk and also risk the tax-deductible status of these donations. Once they are donated, they cannot be returned to the donor unless there was an obvious error with the donation. russellhltn has given you the General Handbook references.

Ok great thanks for all the information. That definitely clears up the question I had.

Does anyone know how I can delete the returned missionary from the donation form. We have members that despite being told that a certain missionary is home continues to donate into their account. Is there a way to remove that missionaries fund from the online donation form?

Thanks,

gradybeck wrote: Does anyone know how I can delete the returned missionary from the donation form.

When the account has a balance of zero for a month or two it is supposed to go away. I would be diligent about transferring any specific donations to the main Ward Missionary Fund as soon as you see them until this happens. If the subaccount has not gone away in two months, I would contact the Global Services Department.

In the meantime, the bishop may wish to speak with any member who insists on continuing to donate to this specific subaccount.

gradybeck wrote: Fri Nov 19, 2021 10:32 am Does anyone know how I can delete the returned missionary from the donation form. We have members that despite being told that a certain missionary is home continues to donate into their account. Is there a way to remove that missionaries fund from the online donation form?

You cannot remove the subcategory. All you can do is zero the balance and wait a couple of months after that for headquarters to remove the subcategory. To mitigate members donating you will have to contact each donor that continues to donate to the subcategory and ask them to not contribute to that subcategory. I have had the best success for that when the bishop contacts them and provides alternatives for contributions. After transferring any donations to the Ward Missionary Fund the time clock gets reset for the time period before the subcategory is removed.

Regarding the O.P., I think it's important for the Bishop to sit and counsel with any well-intentioned members who ask for donated funds to be "re-assigned". I had a situation where the counsel (without providing details) was essentially for the member to personally consider the "lost donation" as a form of offering, which the Lord was aware of. I surely wouldn't hold it against any member who made a large donation to a missionary who came home earlier than expected, if they decided to think about their donation in that manner. And perhaps adjust the rest of that year's non-tithing donations accordingly, if that's what they felt was necessary after counseling with their Bishop.

The GHB guidance is clear, but sometimes members don't fully understand, other times they just decide to do it anyways. And some members will take this in stride, while others will be bothered greatly by what they consider as "lost donations". Helping them find a way to move forward is part of what a Bishop can do, with inspiration specific to each situation. But that's just my 2 cents.

I was thinking the same thing yesterday. If I had donated a large sum to a missionary account, but the missionary returned home early, I would personally consider the "lost donation" to be part of my tithing, even though I could not adjust my previous donation slips to change the donation category. Nobody is going to verify my tithing against my paycheck or income tax forms. The amount I claim as a charitable income tax deduction will not change.

IMHO