09-CPA work & Retired CPA Jim Bramer 0047-02 ZZhlp

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                             TO: Interested Ministries                                                                                                           FROM: Jim Bramer, Retired CPA-Auditor. 
                                                                                                                                                                                      FILE: 0047-02/hlp

                             RE: CPA work & Retired CPA Jim Bramer                                                                            Originated:  April 2001

        Below is a hypothetical Online Email thread (THRD) between any one of the following MFTeam members: PAT (Ministry Chief Executive), LEE: (Ministry Volunteer Treasurer), or FRAN: (Ministry Computer Bookkeeper) and Jim@bcidot.org    Click here and go to List of threads (THRDs) at www.bcidot.org

FR: Pat
      I notice that you are now mostly referring to yourself as "Jim Bramer, Retired CPA-Auditor".  Does that mean  you are not doing any CPA or auditing work?

           FR:  Jim@bcidot.org
               Basically that is correct, Pat.  Not too long ago I discontinued doing any CPA Opinion Audit/Review or attest work. Go to   0003   for more specifics about such assignments.  Some time ago I decided to NOT prepare tax returns or do 990s etc for Non Profit Organizations.

FR: Pat
         Does that mean you are not available to help Ministries in the same way like you have in the past?

            FR: Jim
                 That is correct, I do NOT do tax returns or CPA Opinion Audits or Reviews .  Not only is there the aspect of my "getting old and I do not have the stamina", but in order to remain a competent CPA Auditor I need to keep up with the changing tax laws plus take continuing education courses and periodically be  OKed  by my CPA peers for Audits, etc..  
                   When applicable, while I do not do the form itself,  I do assist a Ministry in compiling information for their forms 990, etc  -- especially regarding the allocation of functional expenses among Program, Management & General and Fund Raising; plus identification and/or reconciliation of their end of year Fund Balances/Net Assets, etc. 

FR: Pat
        Is it not true that you have been serving Ministries and fellow Christians for almost 50 years?.  I sure would hope that you could continue to provide some services.  What is your thinking now?

        FR: Jim 
                Well, I do want to remain involved after all these years, but from a different perspective.  Since you are reading this, you no doubt have already  been exposed to our  MINISTRY FINANCE TEAM HELPS  web site or our new web site designed in July 2006 for Christians and Small Christian Ministries to CONTROL THEIR  SPENDING.  I provide such Internet resources and interact with many of you.  Please also look over the   Sitemap.  I particularly enjoy helping Ministries made meaningful use of the software product known as QuickBooks ... see  0199  for specifics.

FR: Pat
        Then I take it you use the computer to remotely respond to Onliners and you do not travel.  Is that correct?

         FR: Jim
                No,  I do travel some to Ministries and enjoy it very much.  Let me share some www.bcidot.org  info below that give you some ideas of how I get involved in helping Ministries these days.       

                              MINISTRY FINANCE SOFTWARE SETUP AND ASSURANCE SERVICES 

     I am allowed to have Online access to a Ministry's finances as maintained via software products known as  QuickBooks (TM) (QB), or Quickbooks for the Web - QBOE-Web.  Some computer files are directly accessible by us via the Internet or they are sent to us.  We encourage Onliners to enter into a  "QB Hands On"  relationship with us whereby they are given Sample tranx within context of the QB Fund Accounting methods.  Then  I either assist Ministries, when they begin or afterwards, by "Looking Over Their Shoulder" - LOYS -  as I observe their file content and I could render some type of  "things look good to me" written assurance.  This means to the Ministry that I am satisfied with various internal system proofs or procedures.  Occasionally I remotely get involved with some ASSUROR effort as explained when you  click here.

                                     INTERNET FINANCE SERVICES AT MINISTRIES

        I have an interest in seeing that the Internet provides applicable accounting/auditing services to especially Small Ministries.  This is demonstrated by the content of the following links within  www.bcidot.org

1 - Web based applications - for a definition, see http://www.bcidot.org/fwi/0904-03.html
       Please also we aware of this information:  http://www.bcidot.org/fwi/0930-03.html
            QuickBooks Online Edition and Ministry Fund Accounting 
                        http://www.bcidot.org/web/0801-01.html
            Donation Processing resources, etc.  Plse see “DonaMail” section of the following:
                        http://www.bcidot.org/all/0078-77.html  
            Church possibilities                     http://www.bcidot.org/chu/5888-01.html
            School A/Rec possibilities           http://www.bcidot.org/schar/7888-01.html
            Mission possibilities                   http://www.bcidot.org/mis/8888-01.html    

2 - Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) and Online Payments: 
            http://www.bcidot.org/all/0072-02.html
            http://www.bcidot.org/fwi/0907-03.html 

3 - Bank Reconciliation/Float Management assistance --- or WEBrec:
            http://www.bcidot.org/all/0165-01.html 

4 – Online Accounting Services remotely provided to a Ministry (Example is a Church):
            http://www.bcidot.org/chu/5109-99.html  

5 - Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA) and Small Ministries -  .
            http://www.bcidot.org/hlp/0192-01.html  

6 - Supposed "E-Finance ideals"
            At a Church:     http://www.bcidot.org/chu/5016-02.html
            At a Mission:    http://www.bcidot.org/mis/8016-02.html
            At a School:      http://www.bcidot.org/sch/7016-02.html
            E-Ministry Finance Options:
                                    http://www.bcidot.org/all/0035-01.html   

7 - Online Filing of IRS form 990 and respective State 990 equivalent:
            http://www.bcidot.org/all/0108-01.html#3

                                                            FISCAL FITNESS EXAMS

            Please go to  0129  for details of how I, either remotely or via an 'in-person' one day session at the Ministry, discover how a Ministry handles it's finances and then I give them a Grade Report with interaction as to what I mean.  See what one looks like when you go to 0128 .  The obvious intent is to help the Ministry 'do right' regarding fiscal matters.

                                             RIGHTEOUS PERSONAL FINANCE

            Please Click Here  Here and Here and then access links to discover how you are helped in these matters.

                                                                      HELP WARE

            As explained when you digest  0100,  I sometimes enter into a HelpWare relationship with Onliners whereby they make an initial $50.00 payment and then they want time reports sent to them and based on such reports they decide, what if anything, fees come to us in the future.  Any payments to us after the initial $50.00 fee payments are totally up to you. All phone calls originate from the Onliner, and if a Ministry invites me for an  "in-person"  session, they pay all travel/meals and room/board costs.

FR: Pat
         OK .... thanks for the update and clarification, Jim.

         Please Click Here for a list of "How we help Onliners" here at www.bcidot.org.     This Online Document originated in April 2001 and was. UPTD: June 19, 2008  

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        (1) An Onliner Document, or WRIT (Writing), may be applicable to all Ministries, or it may be designed for just groups like: Evangelical Church, School, Missionary Agency or Organization, Christian Camp / Conference, or other named group.
        (2) WRIT formats include the perspective of   Jim@bcidot.org  via IOMs (Inter-Office Memos) to the Ministry Finance Team (MFTeam); THRDs, a hypothetical Online conversation with members of the MFTeam; GLEANINGS, or Scripture within context of the MFTeam; FWIW; A periodic editorial (For What it is Worth); TRUISM, or believed Ministry Finance principles; and FAQ, response to Frequently Asked Questions