Negative Balance Forward

I had been planning our 2026 budget in December. As I was getting the remaining receipts turned in an accounted for I estimated the balance forward we would have to be $1500. Flash forward to the new year and the actual balance forward is posted and it is almost exactly what I had expected, except it is ($1,492). We for sure did not spend the budget last year (and definitely did not go over budget). First year as clerk, anyone have any advice or help on this?

Suggest you start with your Bishop, Stake Financial Clerk and/or the former Ward Clerk or Financial Clerk.

I'd look over the expenses to see if you overlooked an $8 charge. Perhaps something from the store (like sacrament cups). Those tend to just appear and not go though the normal steps for expenses.

Another cause for this discrepancy is the 2025 ward budget could have been over allocated by $2,992. If you used the allocated budget remaining for the expected roll-over then your estimate would be $1,500 more than the actual amount, (1,492), available for the roll-over.

You can check if this was the case by going to LCR > Budget > Prepare Annual Budget and select the year "2025". Just below the year drop-down list-box is a box that shows "Annual Budget Estimated/Actual", "Budget Assigned by Unit", and "Available to Assign". If the "Available to Assign" value is not "0.00", or in this case it may be "(2,992)", then your computations would be off by, or did not account for, the $2,992 assigned but not available.

But due to the large amount of the difference I would expect there is an unaccounted for expense or even an adjustment (transfer) that was not accounted for. A common error is an IROP that went through late, or after 31 December 2025.

As mentioned in an earlier post, you should check with your stake clerk or stake assistant clerk - finance for any last minute adjustments/transfers. You can also call the GSD and they can help you reconcile the difference.

I have reached out to the Stake for guidance - still waiting to hear back. In the meantime I will do some more investigating and follow some of the ideas given here. Thank you all for your time and comments. If all else fails, I'll call the GSD.

russellhltn wrote: Mon Jan 12, 2026 11:12 pm I'd look over the expenses to see if you overlooked an $8 charge. Perhaps something from the store (like sacrament cups). Those tend to just appear and not go though the normal steps for expenses.

It's a huge difference, not $8.

jeldonwebster wrote: Mon Jan 12, 2026 4:54 pm I had been planning our 2026 budget in December. As I was getting the remaining receipts turned in an accounted for I estimated the balance forward we would have to be $1500. Flash forward to the new year and the actual balance forward is posted and it is almost exactly what I had expected, except it is ($1,492). We for sure did not spend the budget last year (and definitely did not go over budget). First year as clerk, anyone have any advice or help on this?

Spend your budget better

garystroble wrote: Wed Jan 14, 2026 12:43 am

russellhltn wrote: Mon Jan 12, 2026 11:12 pm I'd look over the expenses to see if you overlooked an $8 charge. Perhaps something from the store (like sacrament cups). Those tend to just appear and not go though the normal steps for expenses.

It's a huge difference, not $8.

Ok, I see it now. As an engineer, I'm using to seeing a minus sign, not parentheses for negative numbers.

If the balance really was negative by 4 digits, I'd think a nastygram from on high would have been received by now.

russellhltn wrote: Wed Jan 14, 2026 11:20 am

garystroble wrote: Wed Jan 14, 2026 12:43 am

russellhltn wrote: Mon Jan 12, 2026 11:12 pm I'd look over the expenses to see if you overlooked an $8 charge. Perhaps something from the store (like sacrament cups). Those tend to just appear and not go though the normal steps for expenses.

It's a huge difference, not $8.

Ok, I see it now. As an engineer, I'm using to seeing a minus sign, not parentheses for negative numbers.

If the balance really was negative by 4 digits, I'd think a nastygram from on high would have been received by now.

Totally understandable! Yes, our balance forward was negative - nearly $1500. And I know we didn't outspend our budget. I could see that in December and I can go back and look at FY 2025 and still see that. Waiting to hear back from the stake still before I give a call to support.

One of the things that irks me about church finance is they use the word "budget" to mean two different things. There the funds that you get from church headquarters, and there's the spending plan. Those are two different things.

If for some reason you didn't have any spending plan amounts entered for 2024, the end of year would be a big fat negative reflecting all the funds spend but never planned for. Is it possible you spent the year moving funds around looking at the "budget" balance instead of the spending plan "budget"?

Funds carry over, spending plans start fresh with the year.

russellhltn wrote: Wed Jan 14, 2026 1:07 pm One of the things that irks me about church finance is they use the word "budget" to mean two different things. There the funds that you get from church headquarters, and there's the spending plan. Those are two different things.

If for some reason you didn't have any spending plan amounts entered for 2024, the end of year would be a big fat negative reflecting all the funds spend but never planned for. Is it possible you spent the year moving funds around looking at the "budget" balance instead of the spending plan "budget"?

Funds carry over, spending plans start fresh with the year.

I spent some time digging with the stake finance clerk and we finally did figure it out. It was not direclty what you mentioned here but related! thank you and thanks to all!

One big giant expense account for the bishop