Lodge Finances Archives — Masons of California https://freemason.org/leader_cat/lodge-finances/ Together we make a profound difference Mon, 08 Jun 2026 23:17:31 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.5 https://freemason.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/cropped-Layer-1-32x32.png Lodge Finances Archives — Masons of California https://freemason.org/leader_cat/lodge-finances/ 32 32 January 2021: Lodge Finances https://freemason.org/the_leader/january-2021/ Thu, 02 Dec 2021 03:27:59 +0000 https://freemason.org/?post_type=the_leader&p=4634
  • 2020 May Be Behind Us, But its Taxes Are Coming Soon
  • Lodge Financial Health Check-Up
  • Your January Checklist
  • For Your Trestleboard
  • Question of the Month

    • The post January 2021: Lodge Finances appeared first on Masons of California.

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    The Leader
    January 2021: Lodge Finances

    Contents

    2020 May Be Behind Us, But its Taxes Are Coming Soon

    The new year is a time for many things, but one of them is less exciting than the rest: the approach of tax season. And as many lodges and hall associations are dealing with a reduction in income over the past year due to reduced or lost rent payments and single-use event rentals, this year, it’s especially important to make sure is managing its finances and tax obligations properly. Luckily, Grand Lodge can help.

    “Many lodges struggle with their finances at the end of the year,” says Maribel Pasamic, controller for the Grand Lodge of California. It’s a truism that no one joined Freemasonry to become bookkeepers, but the reality is that lodges and hall associations need proper financial stewardship.” Tax season just happens to be when some lodge and hall association leaders remember this. If you’re among those struggling to backtrack and reconcile records at the end of the year, let the Grand Lodge finance team help through its suite of tools and services. Chief among those is a service called a bank and investment account reconciliation. But the best tool is a little bit of foreplanning, Pasamic says. “The biggest mistake we see lodges and hall associations make is not updating their records throughout the year. Once you stop entering in your financial records, it becomes that much harder to keep track of things when the end of the year arrives.”

    Services like the account reconciliation are available those using the accounting system Intacct, which more than 250 California lodges and hall associations currently do. Beginning in January 2021, lodges can sign up for Intacct free of charge, though hall associations will still be assessed a service fee. Another change for 2021 is the availability of Paycheck, a new payroll system offered by Grand Lodge. Unlike Intacct, both lodges and hall associations will be assessed a fee to use Paycheck based on the number of employees they have.

    A great way to learn the ins and outs of lodge and hall association finance is by registering for the Online Masonic Leadership Courses for secretaries, treasurers, and hall association directors. This year, bootcamps and retreats will be held virtually throughout January and February. Attend all the events or pick and choose the sessions most important to you. This year’s bootcamps and leadership courses are free. These bootcamps are designed to teach the basics of lodge management, introduce iMember 2.0, and teach those new in their roles and how to effectively do their job.

    But also, always keep in mind that Grand Lodge is always a call or email away. “Basically, if you have a problem,” Pasamic says, “just pick up the phone and call us. That’s what we’re here for.”

    Lodge Financial Health Check-Up

    Lodge halls are important and valuable assets, and each hall’s situation is unique. Grand Lodge real estate services can help with the following:

    • Provide technical expertise and counsel to hall association trustees for real estate transactions with operational limitations, including long-term leases greater than three years; list, sale, and purchase of real property; secured loans/encumbrance of real property; improvement of their buildings; and suggestions for negotiating transactions and structuring short- and long-term agreements.
    • Offer advice on strategic approaches to leverage the value of hall properties.
    • Offer consultations and support for completing and obtaining written approval for Grand Lodge Masonic Properties Committee application packets, using best practices.
    • Advise on capital improvement and building operations issues, such as reserve funding, solar projects, and so forth.
    • Provide support to prepare 6- to 12-month cash flow projections.
    • Provide guidance on preparing multi-year capital projects planning.
    • Offer insurance premium installment plans to halls with cash flow challenges.
    • Serve as a liaison between the hall and broker/underwriter for complex property insurance claims.
    • Run cost-benefit analyses and financial proformas of real estate projects relative to the lodge and hall association objectives.
    • Provide replacement-cost estimates to gauge sufficient coverage against property loss.

    To get started, contact Grand Lodge Real Estate Services at (415) 292-9111 or realestate@freemason.org

    Reminders and Masonic News

    Masonic Online Leadership Courses Coming Soon

    Secretaries, treasurers, and hall administrators are the glue that has kept Freemasonry alive for over 300 years. You are a part of this long tradition. Join your counterparts from lodges all over the state in January and February 2021 as we come together in our first online leadership course. This year, bootcamps and retreats will be held virtually throughout January and February. Attend all events or pick and choose the sessions most important to you. This year’s bootcamps and leadership courses are FREE! LEARN MORE

    Member Restoration Campaign Is Back for 2021

    The Member Restoration Campaign continues into 2021. Last year, Grand Lodge offered members who’d been suspended for non-payment of dues a simple way back to good standing. More than 1,300 of them—about 12 percent of those who were approached—acted on it. This year, we have an opportunity to reach out to even more of our suspended brothers and provide them with an easy and fair way to restore their membership and join in all the aspects of Masonry that make our fraternity so special. In order to participate, lodges must opt into the program by passing the 2021 Restoration Campaign Resolution by a 2/3 vote at stated meeting. Lodges that took part in the 2020 campaign can opt back in by passing the continuation resolution. LEARN MORE.

     

    Pay your Dues on iMember 2.0

    Lodge dues for 2021 are due December 31, 2020. With iMember 2.0's new payment service, members can now pay their dues by credit card and get immediate access to their new dues card. Log in to iMember today to get started. PAY DUES NOW

    Your January Checklist

    Stay on track of lodge business and prepare for important deadlines. Here’s your January checklist.

    Executive Committee

    • Register for 2021 leadership retreats.
    • Schedule inspector’s official visit and examination of the books, due by end of March.

    Master, along with Executive Committee

    • Submit 2021 budget for approval at stated meeting.
    • Present 2021 calendar and program plan at stated meeting.
    • Confirm Audit, Charity, and Membership Retention Committee appointments and review responsibilities with each.
    • Confirm other committee appointments and review responsibilities with each.
    • Review all candidates’ progress towards advancement.

    Senior Warden

    • Confirm candidate coaches and review responsibilities.
    • Review all candidates’ progress towards advancement.
    • Begin preparing 2022 program plan.
    • Begin preparing 2022 budget.
    • Begin preparing 2022 officer appointments.
    • Begin preparing 2022 installation of officers.

    Junior Warden

    • Confirm with treasurer the policies and procedures of Refreshment Fund, if applicable.

    Secretary

    • Continue to collect delinquent dues from members (were due on January 1).
    • Continue preparing secretary’s annual report to present to the lodge in February.
    • Review the list of suspended members sent to you by Grand Lodge and determine if your lodge wants to participate in the Restoration Campaign.

    Treasurer

    • Continue preparing treasurer’s annual report to present to the lodge in February.
    • If your lodge has employees, file federal and state payroll taxes.
      • IRS form 941, due in January (unless IRS has approved an annual filing of Form 944, due January 31)
      • State form DE9/DE9C and DE88 (deposit form), due in January, must be filed electronically
      • IRS form 940 (federal unemployment), due in January
      • W-2, due to employees in January
      • W-3 and copy of W2, due to IRS on or before January 31
      • Using Intacct or the Grand Lodge payroll system? Financial Services will complete your payroll forms 940, 944, W-2, and W-3.
    • If your lodge or hall employs independent contractors:
      • Distribute 1099-MISC to contractors by January 31.
      • File Form 1096 with Forms 1099-MISC and send these returns to the IRS on or before January 31.
      • Using Intacct? Contact Financial Services at financialservices@freemason.org or (415) 292-9170 for assistance in generating the 1096 and 1099 reports from Intacct

    Questions? Contact Member Services at memberservices@freemason.org or (415) 776-7000.

    For Your Trestleboard

    Use this content to spread the word about the Distressed Worthy Brother Relief Fund and MCYAF’s expanded telehealth services. 

    Distressed Worthy Brother Relief Fund

    MCYAF Telehealth

    Question of the Month

    Last month we asked what steps your lodge had taken during the pandemic to prepare for a resumption of in-person meetings. Here are the results:

    • 55% - Updating membership roster/contact information 
    • 51% - Developed safety guidelines for in-person meetings 
    • 43% - Planned to integrate video/streaming technology 
    • 26% - Other Answers (Encouraging members who are far away to be part of the virtual meetings and have bought some PPE already

    Here's your next question.

    The post January 2021: Lodge Finances appeared first on Masons of California.

    ]]>         October 2020: Pay Dues Online https://freemason.org/the_leader/october-2020/ Thu, 01 Oct 2020 19:18:04 +0000 http://freemason.org/?post_type=the_leader&p=3100
  • A New, Easy Way to Pay Your Dues
  • Lodge Officers: Claim Your Ballots for Annual Communication
  • Your October Checklist
  • For Your Trestleboard
  • Question of the Month

    • The post October 2020: Pay Dues Online appeared first on Masons of California.

    ]]>

    The leader
    October 2020: Paying Dues online

    Contents

    A New, Easy Way to Pay Your Dues

    Earlier this summer, Grand Lodge launched iMember 2.0, the new member management system for the fraternity. As part of the development and upgrade of the system, 30 lodges participated in a pilot program that allowed members to pay their annual dues directly into the system via credit card. 

    Members liked the program because it was an easy and convenient way to pay dues, and they could access their virtual dues card immediately. Secretaries liked it because it helped streamline the process of collecting dues from members.  

    Now, this new feature is rolling out to all lodges. To help you get ready and make the most of this exciting new development, here are a few important steps:

    1. The Grand Lodge will email and send physical mail dues notices and invoices to all members directing them to make their payment either by credit card through iMember 2.0, or by sending a check to Grand Lodge.
      • If the member chooses to pay via credit card, a processing fee will be included in their payment. 
      • Members of more than one lodge will receive an itemized invoice that includes the dues for all lodges of which they are a member.
    2. Once posted, payments will automatically be updated on the member’s record in iMember 2.0. Members may then immediately access their virtual dues card. Secretaries will be able to see that they’ve made their payment through a special dashboard. And for lodges using Intacct, that system will also be automatically updated.
    3. Every month, lodge secretaries will receive a check from Grand Lodge and an itemized report for all of funds collected, minus any credit card processing fees. 

    Of course, members are also welcome to pay their dues directly to their lodge secretary, who will record the payment in iMember 2.0 manually.

    The first dues notices and invoices for the 2020–2021 year will be sent to all members following Annual Communication October 10–11. Please update any email and home addresses prior to this date.

    We hope you find this new service convenient and useful. It is our hope that by rolling out these features, we can reduce the workload on our secretaries, who are the backbone of our lodges.

    Online dues payments are only one of several updates being rolled out through the end of 2020 in iMember 2.0. Learn about other development and key usage statistics in the first quarterly iMember 2.0 report here. 

    If you have questions, please contact Member Services at (415) 292-9180 or by email at memberservices@freemason.org.

    Lodge Officers: Claim Your Ballots for Annual Communication

    Registration is now open for the 171st Annual Communication, which will be held entirely online for the first time ever. Saturday’s business sessions are open to all Master Masons, while Sunday’s public ceremonies and installation are open to all members and the public.

    Lodge officers and past masters can claim their voting ballots now by registering for Annual Communication through iMember 2.0. Once logged in, those approved to vote can either claim their ballot or release it for another approved lodge officer or past master.

    REGISTER FOR BUSINESS SESSIONS

    This year’s ballot will include voting on incoming Grand Lodge Officers, approving the budget, and weighing in on the Grand Master’s Recommendations; however, there is no other legislation being considered for 2020–21.

    Prerecorded video reports are now available to view online from Grand Lodge Officers including Grand Lecturer Ricky Lawler and Grand Chaplain Bayani Rico, as well as members of the Masonic Youth Orders. View all video reports here.

    This year’s event will also include a spouses and partners event on Sunday, Oct. 11 at 11 a.m. Join Dana Trauner in celebrating the fraternity’s support of public education. Guests will hear from past Teacher of the Year Award recipients, Investment in Success graduates, and Golden Apple Award winners. Attendees will receive the First Lady’s specially designed pin, commemorating the fraternity’s support of public education, while supplies last.

    REGISTER FOR PARTNERS EVENT

    Reminders and Masonic News

    Stay safe this wildfire season: As wildfires continue to threaten communities throughout California and the west, please be sure to take all necessary precautions to keep yourself, your family, and your community safe. If you or your family are in need of assistance, access our statewide relief services by calling Masonic Assistance at (888) 466-3642. If your lodge hall or property is damaged or threatened, please contact the Grand Lodge Real Estate team to determine appropriate next steps. They can be reached at realestate@freemason.org.

    Online Speaker Series Continues: The first-of-its-kind Online Masonic Speaker Series is continuing through the fall with more enlightening lectures on a range of topics germane to Masonry, all of which are entirely free and open to all. On Oct. 6 at noon, Dr. David Harrison will discuss the mysterious “lost rites” of Freemasonry that were developed in continental Europe during the 18th century; on Oct. 21, Dr. Christopher McIntosh will explore the long relationship between the Rosicrucian movement of the 17th and 18th century and early speculative Freemasonry; and on Dec. 27, former Grand Secretary John L. Cooper presents a lecture on St. John the Evangelist, one of two patron saints of Freemasonry.

    Crown a Masons4Mitts Champion: Beginning October 14, Masons from around California can vote for our first-ever Masons4Mitts World Series champion. Throughout the baseball season, California lodges posted videos of their best Zoom rendition of “Take Me Out to the Ballgame.” The results were … interesting. Now’s your chance to declare a winner! To vote, visit Masons4Mitts.org and find the Video Challenge link. The “playoff” videos will all be posted there, where you can vote for your favorite. If you haven’t already, be sure to donate today to Masons4Mitts and help us continue this important program to help kids across California.

    Your October Checklist

    Stay on track of lodge business and prepare for important deadlines. Here’s your October checklist.

    Executive Committee

    • Make plans for your lodge master, wardens, or other representatives to attend the virtual Annual Communication this month. Your vote is important to the future of Freemasonry in California.

    Senior Warden, along with Executive Committee

    • Identify and approach members for the 2021 Audit, Membership Retention, and any other committees.
    • Urge presumptive master, wardens, and senior deacon to perform their Master Mason’s proficiency soon, if not already completed.
    • Urge the presumptive master, wardens, and senior deacon to qualify early with the inspector in their office’s ritual.
    • Urge respective officers to answer the master, senior warden, and junior warden questions early.
    • Set calendar for 2021 and identify event leaders.
    • Continue preparing 2021 budget.
    • Finalize your installation date/venue and prepare the installing team
    • Review all candidates’ progress toward advancement.

    Junior Warden

    • Continue tracking 100% officer giving to the Annual Fund, with officers setting an example through gifts that represent their capability as well as their commitment to our charitable programs.

    Secretary

    • Grand Lodge is centralizing the dues process to allow members to pay their annual dues directly into the system via credit card. See the October Leader feature article (above) for more information. 

    Treasurer

    • If your lodge has employees, file quarterly federal payroll tax form 941 (unless IRS has approved an annual filing of form 944, due in February).
    • If your lodge has employees, file quarterly state payroll tax form DE9/DE9C and deposit form DE88.

    Questions? Contact Member Services at memberservices@freemason.org or (415) 776-7000.

    For Your Trestleboard

    Use this content to spread the word about the Distressed Worthy Brother Relief Fund and MCYAF’s Telehealth services.

    This month:

    Distressed Worthy Brother Relief Fund
    MCYAF Telehealth

    Back to Top

    Question of the Month

    Last month we asked what discussion topics your lodges were most interested in. Of those that responded:

    • 51% Esoteric education
    • 49% History of Freemasonry
    • 46% Leadership/self-improvement
    • 8% Current events (non-Masonic)

    Here is your next question.

     

     

    Back to Top

    The post October 2020: Pay Dues Online appeared first on Masons of California.

    ]]>         January 2020: Getting Ahead of Hall Taxes https://freemason.org/the_leader/january-2020/ Thu, 23 Jan 2020 21:22:43 +0000 https://freemason.flywheelsites.com/?post_type=the_leader&p=404
  • New Officers, Same Problem: Getting Ahead of Hall Taxes
  • Lodge Financial Health Check-up
  • Your January checklist
  • For your Trestleboard
  • Find it on freemason.org
  • Question of the month

    • The post January 2020: Getting Ahead of Hall Taxes appeared first on Masons of California.

    ]]>

    The Leader
    January 2020: Getting Ahead of Hall Taxes

    Table of Contents

    New Officers, Same Problem: Getting Ahead of Hall Taxes

    It’s a new year and for many California lodges, a new line of officers are in place. But old problems don’t simply go away with a new master sitting in the east—especially if they involve Uncle Sam. For Maya Lodge No. 793 in San Gabriel, in fact, tax problems nearly spelled the end of their lodge—and underscore why it’s so important that lodges stay on top of their financial liabilities, something all officers can get a jump on by attending the all-new Hall Association Boot Camp at the 2020 Secretary and Treasurer Retreats Jan. 31 in Irvine and Feb. 7 in San Ramon. In the space of just a few months in 2018, Maya No. 793 went from being in good standing and flush with cash to having its charter suspended and facing a tax bill topping $1 million.

    Below, Gabriel Lopez, lodge secretary and newly installed president of the Maya Masonic Temple Association, shares the harrowing tale of how his lodge nearly lost it all—and how they stared down their problems and managed to win it all back.

    Facing the Music

    “We were operating blindly for years,” Lopez says, looking back at how Maya No. 793 found itself in such dire circumstances. “The uncomfortable truth is, everything that happened to us was due to our own negligence.” As these things tend to do, that started with a relatively simple problem: The lodge’s hall association forgot to file its taxes. No one remembers when that first default occurred, but by 2018 the IRS hadn’t heard from the Maya Masonic Temple Association for several years—possibly as many as seven. During that time, their tax-exempt status was revoked, meaning that all income generated from the hall would be taxable. Under normal circumstances, that might not have been a death knell, as the hall didn’t generate much income of its own. However in 2018, the lodge decided to sell its building, unaware of the crippling tax burden it would place on them.

    As the paperwork from the real estate sale was being sorted, Lopez and members of Grand Lodge staff uncovered the startling reality. “We potentially owed the government around $1 million in taxes,” he says. The lodge’s secretary for fewer than two years at that point, Lopez nevertheless stepped up to lead the effort to right the ship. He worked closely with Grand Lodge real estate and financial services staff to untangle the mess. “I can’t begin to tell you how helpful Grand Lodge was,” Lopez says.

    Together, the hall association and Grand Lodge were able to back-file the missing tax bills and, within a year, recover their tax-exempt status—cancelling the seven-figure debt. The lodge, which had seen its charter suspended during the interim, was also brought back into good standing. “It’s unfortunate we had to discover all of this the way we did,” Lopez says. “My advice to other lodges is to be proactive with their finances.” With an increasing array of tax-preparation and other financial services, Grand Lodge is well-positioned to help lodges stay out ahead of their tax issues. No one enjoys paying taxes, as Maya No. 793 found out the hard way, but avoiding them can end up costing a whole lot more.

    Back to Top

    Lodge Financial Health Check-up

    Lodge halls are important and valuable assets, and each hall’s situation is unique. Grand Lodge real estate services can help with the following:

    • Provide technical expertise and counsel to hall association trustees for the lease, purchase, sale, and improvement of their buildings; and suggestions for negotiating transactions and structuring agreements.
    • Offer advice on strategic approaches to leverage the value of hall properties.
    • Offer support for completing Grand Lodge Masonic Properties Committee applications.
    • Advise on capital improvement and building operations issues, such as reserve funding, solar projects, and so forth.
    • Run cost-benefit analyses of real estate projects relative to the lodge and hall association objectives.
    • Provide replacement-cost estimates to gauge sufficient coverage against property loss.

    To get started, contact Grand Lodge Real Estate Services at (415) 292-9111 or realestate@freemason.org.

    New hall association templates are also available online: Lodge Use Agreement and Hall Use Agreement

    Back to Top

    Your January Checklist

    Stay on track of lodge business and prepare for important deadlines. Here’s your January checklist.

    Executive Committee

    Master, along with Executive Committee

    • Submit 2020 budget for approval at stated meeting.
    • Present 2020 calendar and program plan at stated meeting.
    • Confirm Audit, Charity, and Membership Retention Committee appointments and review responsibilities with each.
    • Confirm other committee appointments and review responsibilities with each.
    • Review all candidates’ progress towards advancement.

    Senior Warden

    • Confirm candidate coaches and review responsibilities.
    • Review all candidates’ progress towards advancement.
    • Begin preparing 2021 program plan.
    • Begin preparing 2021 budget.
    • Begin preparing 2021 officer appointments.
    • Begin preparing 2021 installation of officers.

    Junior Warden

    • Confirm with treasurer the policies and procedures of Refreshment Fund, if applicable.

    Secretary

    • Continue to collect delinquent dues from members (were due on January 1).
    • Continue preparing secretary’s annual report to present to the lodge in February.
    • Review the list of suspended members sent to you by Grand Lodge and determine if your lodge wants to participate in the Restoration Campaign.

    Treasurer

    • Continue preparing treasurer’s annual report to present to the lodge in February.
    • If your lodge has employees, file federal and state payroll taxes.
      • IRS form 941, due in January (unless IRS has approved an annual filing of Form 944, due January 31)
      • State form DE9/DE9C and DE88 (deposit form), due in January, must be filed electronically
      • IRS form 940 (federal unemployment), due in January
      • W-2, due to employees in January
      • W-3 and copy of W2, due to IRS on or before January 31
      • Using Intacct or the Grand Lodge payroll system? Financial Services will complete your payroll forms 940, 944, W-2, and W-3.
    • If your lodge or hall employs independent contractors:
      • Distribute 1099-MISC to contractors by January 31.
      • File Form 1096 with Forms 1099-MISC and send these returns to the IRS on or before January 31.
      • Using Intacct? Contact Financial Services at financialservices@freemason.org or (415) 292-9170 for assistance in generating the 1096 and 1099 reports from Intacct

    Questions? Contact Member Services at memberservices@freemason.org or (415) 776-7000.

    Back to Top

    For Your Trestleboard

    Registration for the UCLA International Conference on Freemasonry is now open! Make sure your members don’t miss it. Also, check out Masonic Gold, the beautiful new coffee table book on the history and development of 20 Gold Country lodges is available for purchase. These make great installation or holiday gifts. Download this ad for the UCLA conference and the Gold Country book.

    This month:
    UCLA International Conference on Freemasonry
    Masonic Gold: Masonry in California’s Mother Lode

    Back to Top

    Find it on Freemason.org

    In advance of the California Masons’ upcoming Public Schools Month centennial in April, John E. Trauner was elected as grand master of Masons in California Oct. 20, 2019. Together with the rest of the grand family, Trauner announced his administration’s proclamations for the 2020 fraternal year. You can learn more about each of these proclamations on freemason.org

    February 2020 is Masonic Widows Month
    March 2020 is Youth Orders Month
    April 2020 is Public Schools Month
    June 2020 is Masonic Homes Month
    September 2020 is Constitutional Observance Month
    October 2020 is First Responders Month

    California lodges are encouraged to recognize each proclamation with appropriate events, fundraising, and other forms of recognition. For more information, contact Member Services at memberservices@freemason.org or (415) 776-7000.

    Back to Top

    Question of the Month

    Last month we asked which foundation programs your lodge felt most connected to. Of those that responded:

    • 61% - Masonic Youth Orders
    • 48% -Raising A Reader
    • 43% - Masons4Mitts
    • 43% - Masonic Homes
    • 9% - Other
    Back to Top

    The post January 2020: Getting Ahead of Hall Taxes appeared first on Masons of California.

    ]]>         December 2019: Managing Your Hall Association https://freemason.org/the_leader/december-2019/ Mon, 23 Dec 2019 21:43:17 +0000 https://freemason.flywheelsites.com/?post_type=the_leader&p=414
  • Death and Taxes: A Primer on Managing Your Hall Association
  • Tips for Maintaining the Hall’s Financial Health
  • Your December checklist
  • For your Trestleboard
  • Find it on freemason.org
  • Question of the month

    • The post December 2019: Managing Your Hall Association appeared first on Masons of California.

    ]]>

    The Leader
    December 2019: Managing Your Hall Association

    Table of Contents

    Death and Taxes: A Primer on Managing Your Hall Association

    They’re the only guarantees that life offers, as they saying goes. And for Michael Vickerman, past master of Antioch Brentwood Lodge No. 175, they go hand-in-hand. “Taxes bore me to death,” Vickerman says with a laugh. A truck driver by trade, in 2010 Vickerman found himself taking over as treasurer of the lodge’s hall association out of necessity—and almost immediately faced with a very big problem.

    Without any formal financial training and staring down the barrel of a crippling tax debt, Vickerman was forced to learn on the fly and familiarize himself with the growing suite of centralized services available to hall associations. Despite his own misgivings and years of neglect, Vickerman was—with significant help from Grand Lodge staff—ultimately able to fend off Uncle Sam and put the hall’s house back in order.

    Righting the Ship

    Just a few months after taking over as hall association treasurer, Vickerman received a threatening letter from the IRS—a sure sign that all was not right. It was a bill for unpaid taxes going back several years. It turns out that the Antioch Brentwood Hall Association hadn’t been filing taxes or even communicating with the IRS for years. In the interim, the State Franchise Tax Board had revoked the association’s 501(c)3 tax status, which meant that the meager revenue produced by the retail spaces on the ground floor of the lodge building were now fully taxable as income.

    Already, the lodge had been subsidizing the hall association’s budget and helping pay its monthly utility bills. The loss of its tax-exempt status made the association an even greater burden—one that threatened to sink the lodge into bankruptcy. Acting quickly, Vickerman gathered as many of the association’s financial records as he could find and took his problem to a tax preparer. Unfortunately, rather than helping the situation, the preparer misfiled the association’s taxes, compounding an already dire problem. “That’s when I approached the Grand Lodge,” Vickerman says. “And it was like a light went on.”

    At the time, the Grand Lodge financial services team was just beginning to roll out its financial reporting and bookkeeping program, Intacct. And so over the next two years, Vickerman worked with staff to import the hall association’s financial records into the new system. “Each year, staff helped file our taxes and establish a history of filings, which was important in our effort to recover our tax-exempt status,” Vickerman says. Meanwhile, he attended the secretaries and treasurer retreats and gained confidence in his growing bookkeeping skills.

    Finally, in early 2019, Vickerman received the letter he’d been working toward: notification from the California State Franchise Tax Board that the Antioch Brentwood Hall Association had recovered its tax-exempt status. All told, Grand Lodge’s financial services team was able to reduce the hall association’s tax obligation from nearly $2,000 to just $800. And in so doing, Vickerman had finally squared the association’s finances and established a method for managing it into the future. “If a truck driver can do it,” Vickerman says, “anyone can.”

    Back to Top

    Tips for Maintaining the Hall’s Financial Health

    The hall is often your lodge’s most valuable asset. Here are suggestions to make the most of it—and avoid costly mistakes.

    Multi-year Maintenance Plan
    Putting off maintenance can become very expensive if emergency repairs are needed. Create a multi-year maintenance plan for the hall and stick to it. Remember to:

    • Include all necessary maintenance activities, their frequency, and their estimated costs—from pest control to gutter cleaning to roof repair.
    • Account for escalating costs due to the age of the building, seasonal conditions, or tenant needs.
    • Plan ahead for necessary inspections, including their costs and how frequently they’re required.
    • Estimate an allowance for reactive and unexpected maintenance.
    • Questions? Contact Grand Lodge Real Estate Services team.

    Rentals

    • Consider adding retail tenants to storefront space, if applicable.
    • Look into renting the hall to other lodges, concordant bodies, schools, churches, and community groups.
    • Contact the local chamber of commerce to advertise availability for limited, periodic rentals such as focus groups, dance classes, off-site training, and parties.
    • Use peerspace.com and rentals.com to list and rent space on an hourly or daily basis
    • Calculate your minimum operating cost: Average three years’ worth of operating expenses to find the average yearly operating cost. Divide that by 365 to find the average daily cost. Divide by the property’s square footage to find the average daily per-square-foot cost. To find your minimum operating cost, multiply the daily per-square-foot cost by the square footage being rented and the time frame.
    • Determine fair market rental value: Benchmark your rental rate against comparable buildings in the community such as community centers, libraries, senior centers, churches, and event venues. (Brokers will often provide market info for free.)
    • Questions? Contact Grand Lodge Real Estate Services team.

    Taxes

    • The costliest mistake possible for a hall association is losing your tax-exempt status with the IRS—so ensure that you’re filing all taxes promptly and accurately. Have an accountant prepare or check your forms, or consider Grand Lodge services like Intacct and tax preparation.

     

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    Your December Checklist

    Stay on track of lodge business and prepare for important deadlines. Here’s your December checklist.

    Executive Committee

    Senior Warden, along with Executive Committee

    • Urge presumptive master, wardens, and senior deacon to perform their Master Mason’s proficiency soon, if not already completed.
    • Prepare 2020 budget to present to the lodge in January..
    • Budget for, and prepare to attend, 2020 leadership retreats, specifically the Hall Association Boot Camp at the Secretary and Treasurer Retreats.
    • Ensure that all committee assignments have been determined. After installation as master, confirm Audit, Charity, and Membership Retention Committee appointments
    • Review all candidates’ progress toward advancement.

    Secretary

    • Continue sending out dues notices and collecting member dues.
    • Begin preparing secretary’s annual report to present to the lodge in February.
    • Review the list of suspended members sent to you by Grand Lodge and determine if your lodge wants to participate in the Restoration Campaign.
    • Budget for, and prepare to attend, 2020 leadership retreats, specifically the Hall Association Boot Camp at the Secretary and Treasurer Retreats.

    Treasurer

    • Begin preparing treasurer’s annual report to present to the lodge in February.
    • Budget for, and prepare to attend, 2020 leadership retreats, specifically the Hall Association Boot Camp at the Secretary and Treasurer Retreats.

    Questions? Contact Member Services at memberservices@freemason.org or (415) 776-7000.

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    For Your Trestleboard

    Registration for the UCLA International Conference on Freemasonry is now open! Make sure your members don’t miss it. Also, check out Masonic Gold, the beautiful new coffee table book on the history and development of 20 Gold Country lodges is available for purchase. These make great installation or holiday gifts. Download this ad for the UCLA conference and the Gold Country book.

    This month:
    UCLA International Conference on Freemasonry
    Masonic Gold: Masonry in California’s Mother Lode

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    Find it on Freemason.org

    You have access to all of the annual proceedings of Grand Lodge since 1850. Take a look at past speeches, records, and figures—all available on the Member Center at freemason.org, under Member Center –> Publications –> Proceedings.

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    Question of the Month

    Last month we asked how you remained in touch with Masonic widows. Of those that responded

    • 56% - Through other members
    • 44% -By calling them
    • 22% - By visiting them
    • 61% - Other Answers
    Back to Top

    The post December 2019: Managing Your Hall Association appeared first on Masons of California.

    ]]>         January 2019: Financial Health https://freemason.org/the_leader/january-2019/ Fri, 25 Jan 2019 03:05:28 +0000 https://freemason.flywheelsites.com/?post_type=the_leader&p=476
  • Tips for financial health
  • Tips for a close-knit lodge
  • Your January checklist
  • For your Trestleboard
  • Find it on freemason.org
  • Question of the month

    • The post January 2019: Financial Health appeared first on Masons of California.

    ]]>

    The Leader
    January 2019:
    Lodge and Hall FInancial Health

    Table of Contents

    Lodge and hall financial health

    Back in 2012, Morgan Hill Lodge and Keith Lodge merged to create South Valley Lodge No. 187. The brothers decided to use one building as their home and sell the other, which begged the question: What to do with the hall associations? They had two, but only needed one.

    It was an important decision, with tax implications – and it was about to get even more complicated than they’d realized. The brothers turned to the Grand Lodge Financial Services team for help. These experienced professionals include:

    • Tom Boyer
    • Maribel Pasamic
    • Lauren Mandujano
    • Marlene Huang
    • Jun Apruebo
    • Linh Pham
    • Phil Pereira
    • Sarah Li
    • Jennufer Hua

    Gregg Hall, who was then president of the hall association (now named Leverton Masonic Hall Association) and is currently treasurer of South Valley Lodge No. 187, explains.

    Navigating the merge

    • Before talking to the Financial Services team, we assumed we would simply keep the hall association that owned the building we’d chosen. But the professional team at Grand Lodge looked at all of the numbers and determined it made much more financial sense for us to keep the other hall association and transfer ownership of the building to it. This helped us to avoid more than $100,000 in real estate taxes.
    • In the process of closing out the unwanted hall association, we discovered that the hall had mistakenly been using the same tax ID as the lodge, creating all sorts of tax issues. Financial Services helped us sort it out.

    Reinstating tax-exempt status

    • Then we discovered that the hall association we were keeping had lost its tax-exempt status. Years ago, someone had the wrong idea about nonprofits and taxes, and didn’t pay the hall’s taxes for a handful of years. As a result, the IRS revoked the tax-exempt status, meaning that any income becomes taxable, including large gifts. This is a substantial expense, and a complicated issue to fix.
    • Financial Services filed taxes for the missing years, then walked us through the lengthy process of successfully getting our tax-exempt status reinstated by the IRS. They even got our penalties waived. Now whenever we receive a notice from the IRS, I forward it to our team at Grand Lodge and they take care of it.

    Name change

    • We also wanted to change the name of our hall association, which requires submitting a change of our corporate bylaws to the secretary of state. Grand Lodge filled out the paperwork for us.

    Everyday services

    • We use Intacct accounting and Grand Lodge tax preparation services. It’s great: I tell the Financial Services team what we need, and they already have the information to get started. I don’t even have to send copies of our financial info, because everything is uploaded to Intacct.
    • As part of using Intacct, we’re frequently in touch with Financial Services for accounting questions. For example, when we purchased kitchen equipment as a capital expenditure, they calculated the depreciation.

    I have a background in business and accounting, and I still rely on the people on the Grand Lodge Financial Services team. They’re there to help. They provide expert knowledge and experience that the average member just doesn’t possess.

    Contact: Gregg Hall

    Tips for financial health

    The hall is often your lodge’s most valuable asset. Here are suggestions to make the most of it – and avoid costly mistakes.

    Multi-year maintenance plan
    Putting off maintenance can ultimately become very expensive if emergency repairs are needed. Create a multi-year maintenance plan for the hall, and stick to it. Remember to:

    • Include all necessary maintenance activities, their frequency, and their estimated costs – from pest control to gutter cleaning to roof repair.
    • Account for escalating costs due to the age of the building, seasonal conditions, or tenant needs.
    • Plan ahead for necessary inspections, including their costs and how frequently they’re required.
    • Estimate an allowance for reactive and unexpected maintenance.
    • Questions? Contact Grand Lodge Real Estate Services.

    Rentals

    • Adding retail tenants to storefront space, if applicable.
    • Renting the hall to other lodges, concordant bodies, schools, churches, and community groups.
    • Contacting the local chamber of commerce to advertise availability for limited, periodic rentals such as focus groups, dance classes, off-site training, and parties.
    • Using peerspace.com and rentals.com to list and rent space on an hourly or daily basis.

    Set a rental rate that exceeds your minimum operating cost and reflects fair market value.

    • Minimum operating cost: Average three years’ worth of operating expenses to find the average yearly operating cost. Divide by 365 to find the average daily cost. Divide by the property’s square footage to find the average daily per-square-foot cost. To find your minimum operating cost, multiply the daily per-square-foot cost by the square footage being rented and the time frame.
    • Fair market rental value: Benchmark your rental rate against comparable buildings in the community such as community centers, libraries, senior centers, churches, and event venues. (Brokers will often provide market info for free.)
    • Questions? Contact Grand Lodge Real Estate Services.

    NEW! Ensure that guests can easily find and rent the hall with a user-friendly hall website template from Grand Lodge. View a sample website. To create a site for your hall, contact Communications.

    Taxes
    The costliest mistake is losing your tax-exempt status with the IRS – so ensure that you’re filing all taxes promptly and accurately. Have an accountant prepare or check your forms, or consider Grand Lodge services like Intacct and tax preparation.

    [Back to Top]

    Your January checklist

    Stay on track of lodge business and prepare for important deadlines. Here’s your January checklist:

    Executive Committee

    Master, along with Executive Committee

    • Submit 2019 budget for approval at stated meeting.
    • Present 2019 calendar and program plan at stated meeting.
    • Confirm Audit, Charity, and Membership Retention Committee appointments and review responsibilities with each.
    • Confirm other committee appointments and review responsibilities with each.
    • Review all candidates’ progress towards advancement.

    Senior Warden

    • Confirm candidate coaches and review responsibilities.
    • Review all candidates’ progress towards advancement.
    • Begin preparing 2020 program plan.
    • Begin preparing 2020 budget.
    • Begin preparing 2020 officer appointments.
    • Begin preparing 2020 installation of officers.

    Junior Warden

    • Confirm with treasurer the policies and procedures of Refreshment Fund, if applicable.

    Secretary

    • Continue to collect delinquent dues from members (were due on January 1).
    • Continue preparing secretary’s annual report to present to the lodge in February.

    Treasurer

    • Continue preparing treasurer’s annual report to present to the lodge in February.
    • If your lodge has employees, file federal and state payroll taxes.
      • IRS form 941, due in January (unless IRS has approved an annual filing of Form 944, due January 31)
      • State form DE9/DE9C and DE88 (deposit form), due in January, must be filed electronically
      • IRS form 940 (federal unemployment), due in January
      • W-2, due to employees in January
      • W-3 and copy of W2, due to IRS on or before January 31
      • Using Intacct or the Grand Lodge payroll system? Financial Services will complete your payroll forms 940, 944, W-2, and W-3
    • If your lodge or hall employs independent contractors:
      • Distribute 1099-MISC to contractors by January 31.
      • File Form 1096 with Forms 1099-MISC and send these returns to the IRS on or before January 31.
      • Using Intacct? Contact Financial Services at financialservices@freemason.org or (415) 292-9170 for assistance in generating the 1096 and 1099 reports from Intacct

    Questions? Contact Member Services at memberservices@freemason.org or (415) 776-7000.

    For your Trestleboard

    February is Masonic Widows Month, a time to reach out to sweethearts and show your support as a lodge. Why not start a handyman program at the same time? Helping sweethearts and other elder members around the home is a thoughtful gesture that also improves their safety if they’re living alone. Use this Launch a Handyman Project resource for ideas. Once you’re ready to get started, advertise your services in your lodge’s Trestleboard using the template ad below. Simply fill out the name and phone number of the lodge brother who will organize the schedule of handyman projects.

    This month:
    Handyman Ad
    Age Successfully at Acacia Creek

    Share in your Trestleboard.

    Find it on freemason.org

    From Public Schools Month to Masonic Veterans Month, many months of the fraternal year are designated with a special Grand Master’s Proclamation, encouraging lodges to focus on a topic important to California Masonry.

    Now, you can find all of them in one place: In the news section of freemason.org. View View 2019 proclamations.

    Download upcoming proclamations to read at stated meeting, include in your Trestleboard, announce in the lodge app, and share in any other way with fraternal family.

    Question of the month

    Last month we asked you to share something new that your lodge tried in 2018. Of those that responded:

    • 43% - New technology, ex. lodge app or PayPal
    • 29% - New programming, ex. Masonic education series or fellowship activity
    • 29% - New degree tradition, ex. candidate gifts or special dinner
    • 21% - New charitable commitment, ex. 100% officer giving or Let’s Write the Future
    • 14% - New Grand Lodge service, ex. Intacct or tax preparation
    • 14% - New training, ex. Lodge Outreach Program or 2018 leadership retreat

    The post January 2019: Financial Health appeared first on Masons of California.

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