Reliable, consistent, and transparent financial statements not only help the HOA board of directors make well-informed decisions. It also supports community health by allowing all community residents and stakeholders to be a part of the team. Keeping members in the dark only promotes mistrust and working with inadequate or no financial information can lead to dwindling reserves for community upkeep and new projects. For starters, if there is consistent record keeping, association directors can look back on previous financial years to identify patterns that could affect the current budget and adjust accordingly. If detailed records are not kept, it can be near-impossible to keep track of delinquent dues or know how much money is available to budget for community maintenance and new projects. Timely reports also help them effectively allocate funds for projects and maintenance.

Owner’s equity (or net worth or capital) is increased by money or property contributed and any profits earned, and decreased by owner withdrawals and losses. As a board member, you may opt for either one of these reports annually or not; it really is up to you, as they are not necessarily required. But, having some understanding of these various reports and what they entail will help you make that decision when all is said and done. As much as you’d want it to be smooth sailing from here, the truth is that HOA accounting is a subject that takes a lot of time and effort to master.

HOA Accounting Software

One can always use their homeowners’ rights against HOA communities. This means that a homeowner can choose to sue a board member due to disputes or perceived wrongdoings such as exceeding the limits of their authority or making unfair decisions. It even means that they can sue board members for bad decisions or sue HOA for selective enforcement. hoa accounting The former board member cited years of apathy amongst residents with essentially poor participation at meetings. She also added there’s a lack of understanding or willingness to follow the rules regarding some of the community’s complaints. 11Alive did speak with a former board member who defended the community and the board’s actions.

• Insufficient funds is another possible consequence of poor homeowners association accounting.
• Many HOA management companies offer accounting and other financial services as part of a package deal.
• Do you currently self-manage your condo community or homeowners’ association?
• The primary function of the finance department is to achieve an accurate and consistent record of information on financial transactions of the organization.

But, when it comes to native plants, some states offer protection to homeowners. Homeowners have a plethora of rights against an HOA, including the Right of Possession, the Right of Control, the Right of Exclusion, the Right of Enjoyment, and the Right of Disposition. Homeowners also have a right to change HOA rules and regulations, a right to question HOA fees and special assessments, a right to access HOA documents and financial reports, and a right to disciplinary hearings. The Accounts Payable report shows you all of the association’s unpaid expenses.

What Are the HOA Financial Statements?

Costs related to maintenance, insurance, custodial, or utilities will be kept current so that you can analyze and understand your current financial position at any time. Consequently, you’ll have access to top accounting software and a focused HOA accounting bookkeeper who can provide you with several different options and plans. These plans will help your company achieve any short or long-term goals you have with the community. The process is complicated because some items appear in the company’s Cash account in one month, but appear on the bank statement in a different month. For example, checks written near the end of August are deducted immediately on the company’s books, but those checks will likely clear the bank account in early September.

Prepaid Revenues are Liability Accounts because the association has not “earned” the money yet. Prepaid Expenses are assets because the association has paid for something it has not yet used. Prepaid reports can be delivered in many formats, but should show who is prepaid, and how much credit is in their account. HOA Accounting is the tracking and recording of all financial activity for the purpose of reporting. Keeping a record of your association’s cash flow provides you with a thorough understanding of where you stand financially. Yet, accounting for homeowners associations isn’t just writing down your expenses in a notebook.

An HOA Accounting Guide For HOA Board Members

For one thing, bad HOA bookkeeping can cause a major financial fiasco within the association. You might end up overspending and making poor financial decisions as a result of inaccurate records. Respecting the legal homeowners rights against HOA isn’t just the right thing to do, it’s also one of the best ways to protect the wellbeing of your community. In the same way that HOA board members have protection from personal liability, homeowners also have legal rights as members of the community. If everyone is respectful of each other, you will be able to have a peaceful and thriving community.

By overcoming the top 5 issues that self-managed communities encounter you can have a great experience that meets or exceeds that of communities that pay for full management at a fraction of the cost. The Accounts Payable report should also total the same amount of money as is reflected on the Accounts Payable line item of the Balance Sheet. It is, in effect, the back-up for that line item providing the detail for who is owed money.

Similarly, you only report expenses once money actually leaves the association. This leaves no room for Accounts Receivables Assessments Receivable, Prepaid Assessments, and Accounts Payables. Additionally, it breaks down all of the association’s income and expenses.

• Finally, the Modified Accrual Basis of Accounting follows the Accrual Basis for reporting revenue and the Cash Basis for reporting expenses.
• When using the Cash Basis for your HOA accounting standards, you only report revenues once actual cash has come in.
• Liabilities may also include the fee for the homeowners association’s management company.
• No organization can work smoothly without the proper management of its financials.
• The accountant should compare the amount in the operating fund with the bank statement.
• Additionally, HOAs have insurance policies that cover such liabilities, and the homeowner might need to pay for damages and legal fees if they lose.