[Theforum] [survey] donations

Erika Meyer emeyer at lclark.edu
Tue Dec 18 13:55:16 CST 2001


Yes, it is easy to get a business account in the US.  I did it, as a 
freelancer, by saying these words:  "I want to open an account for my 
business."

Of course, no one could say whether the money that went in and out of 
that account had anything to do with my business.  I dealt with that 
by keeping profit & loss records.  The IRS was interested in what my 
business was doing financially.

So yes, if we don't have an account, I imagine we could easily start 
one.  This would be a Marlene task, wouldn't it?

Then she'd have to keep records & make them available somehow.

Beyond that, I don't know.  As our org is neither a business nor a 
nonprofit, I have no idea what rules would apply, if any.  Though I 
may be wrong, it seems to me that governments take an interest when 
money changes hands.

I suppose that with careful record-keeping, a good level of trust 
could be established amongst members, even without any incorporation 
process.

But I don't know where that money would stand, in a legal sense.

Erika


>On Tuesday, December 18, 2001, at 06:54  pm, A. Erickson wrote:
>
>>>We have absolutely no way of demonstrating that we do
>>>spend donations the way we say we do.
>>>
>>>If we tried to register as 501c3 we'd get laughed out.
>>
>>Isn't it not too difficult to get a business account in the U.S.?
>
>Don't know. If it parallels the UK, the business bank manager
>will tend to want evidence of a business in existence or
>plan (plan is more work) with proper financial controls.
>
>Cheers
>Martin
2

-- 




More information about the theforum mailing list