Nonprofit Accounting Basics

Recent Articles

Who handles the finances?

Every nonprofit must clarify how the board and the staff interact when handling the financial issues affecting the organization.

Updates on Excess Tax-Exempt Organization Executive Compensation

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 added a 21 percent excise tax on tax-exempt organizations, including associations, that pay what the law defines as “excess tax-exempt organization executive compe

How Nonprofits Can Better Manage Overhead Expenses

Managing a nonprofit organization’s overhead (management and general) expenses is just as important as managing program and fundraising expenses. Most nonprofits would not dispute this statement.

Employee Files

Keep only what you need in an employee's personnel file.

Key Disclosures

A key component of all audited and reviewed financial statements are the footnotes. It is in the footnotes that key transactions are explained and other important information is disclosed.

FASB Clarifies and Improves Guidance for Not-for-Profit Grant and Contribution Accounting

On June 21, 2018, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) has issued accounting standards update (ASU) No.

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Changes to Fair Value Disclosure requirements - What You Need to Know

The FASB’s new guidance in ASU 2018-13, Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Disclosure Framework—Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value Measurement, impacts the fair value d

FASB ASU 2016-14: Liquidity - Organization Liquidity is More than Cash

The nonprofit financial statement format has a number of major areas affected by the new standard and the Liquidity is one of them.

Understanding Contributed Services

Contributed services are professional services that have been donated by someone outside of your organization with specialized skills — such as those provided by doctors, nurses, lawyers or account